Call-and-response Central

In this library of the call-and-response exercises, you’ll hear something, and then there will be a space for you to play the same thing. This will help you in the following ways:

• Play better in tune
• Remember melodies more easily
• Develop the ability to hear yourself and other instruments
• Hear music in your head (audiation)
  • This allows you to move from thinking to playing
  • You’ll be a more creative musician

At the bottom of the page there’s a brief lesson on how you can improve your tuning and practice creatively with these exercises.

Call-and-response games

In these progressive call-and-response exercises, I’ll play something and then leave a space for you to play the same thing. Try to get in the mindset of a little kid playing a game of Simon and having fun.

• Call-and-response Exercises 1.1
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.2
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.3
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.4
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.5
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.6
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.7
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.8
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.9
• Call-and-response Exercises 1.10
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.1
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.2
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.3
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.4
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.5
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.6
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.7
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.8
• Call-and-response Exercises 2.9

Mystery tune lessons

In these hour-long live lessons, you’ll learn an entire tune with call-and-response. You can use sheet music, tabs and audio to help you if you get stuck.

• Mystery Tune Workshop 1
• Mystery Tune Workshop 2
• Mystery Tune Workshop 3
• Mystery Tune Workshop 4
• Mystery Tune Workshop 5
• Mystery Tune Workshop 6

Tuning exercises

These exercises are shorter and more repetitive than the ones above. They are more focused on helping you to play specific notes in tune.

D string

• D1 (E) tuning exercises
• D2 (F#) tuning exercises
• D3 (G) tuning exercises
• DL2 (F) tuning exercises

A string

• A1(B) tuning exercises
• A2(C#) tuning exercises
• A3(D) tuning exercises
• AL2(C natural) tuning exercises

E string

• E1(F#) tuning exercises
• E2(G) tuning exercises
• E3(A) tuning exercises
• EL2 (G) tuning exercises

G string

• G1(A) tuning exercises
• G2(B) tuning exercises
• G3(C) tuning exercises
• GL2(B flat) tuning exercises
• GH3(C#) tuning exercises

Practice variations

• Play throughout the exercise. Listen to the recorded fiddle when you hear that, listen to just yourself in the space.
• Add rhythmic variations to the exercise.
• Alternate between listening and singing.
• Alternate between listening and audiating.
• Alternate between playing and audiating.
  • “Audiation” is the practice of hearing music in your head.
• Alternate between singing and audiating.

Here’s a brief lesson on how to practice with the tuning exercises:

Further learning

These lessons explore other ways to use the call-and-response process.

• Musical Conversation
• Drone tuning the notes on the D string
• Interval Practice
• Audiation
• Singing and playing practice

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