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
A string
- A1(B) tuning exercises
- A2(C#) tuning exercises
- A3(D) tuning exercises
- AL2(C natural) tuning exercises
E string
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