Here’s a lesson on how to play the first break from Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine show. The song was based off a fragment that Bob Dylan (who’s credited as a co-author) performed in the movie Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid.

This is a lesson for intermediate fiddlers; you need to know raised third finger for this tune.


Learning Chunks

I’ve made some “Learning Chunks” to help you learn more easily. These focused exercises contain sheet music, tabs and mp3 snippets to guide you on your fiddle journey. The idea is to start with small musical bits, get good at those, and then put them together into bigger pieces until you have the whole tune. I call it Micro-practice.

For those of you who read (or want to read), all snippets use this key and time signature:

A part, first phrase

first phrase: D1-2-A0-1-1-2-2-3-[2-3-2]-2-1-[1-2-1]-[0-1-0]

Here’s a micro-lesson on how to effectively learn Wagon Wheel and any other song.

 

Start by warming up with its scale, A Major: A Major scale: A0-1-2-3-E0-1-2-3 | G1-2-H3-D0-1-2-H3-A0

Then learn the first Chunk by Chaining a few notes at a time.

D1-2-A0-1

D1-2-A0-1-1-2-2

Learn the next Sub-Chunk: A3-{2-3-2}-2-1

Then Chain the Chunks: D1-2-A0-1-1-2-2-3-{2-3-2}-2-1.

Loop this bigger Chunk.

Repeat the Process on other Chunks until you have the whole song.

A part, second phrase

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A part, third phrase

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A part, fourth phrase

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A part, fifth phrase

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Other Versions

 

Further Learning

Workshop

Here’s a call-and-response workshop in which you learn this song by ear. This is a good way to review the tune.

Full Tabs, Audio & Sheet Music

First phrase: D1-2-A0-1-1-2-2-3-[2-3-2]-2-1-[1-2-1]-[0-1-0]

Second phrase: D1-2-2-1-2-H3-A0-0-1-2-3

Third phrase: E0-A2-E0-1-0-A2-1-0-1-0-1-0-E0-A0-3-0

Fourth phrase: A2-3-2-1-0-DH3-2-1-2-A0-D2-GH3-D0-GH3-2-1

Fifth phrase: G2-H3-H3-[H3-4-H3]-H3-2-2-[2-H3-2]-2-1-1-H3-2-2-1-1

Wagon Wheel Fullmix – 60bpm

Wagon Wheel Fullmix – 70bpm

Wagon Wheel Fullmix – 80bpm

Wagon Wheel Fullmix – 90bpm

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Sheet music video

Learn to intuitively read sheet music with this animated video. If you’re an absolute beginner, then I suggest you don’t worry about fo it for the moment.

This is here for continuing students who want to learn about sheet music. It’s part of the Note-Reading For Fiddlers course.


Continue on to Fingering And String Crossing 5 >>

Wagon Wheel – 2nd Break >>

Return to top of Module 2.8 >>


Leave a Reply

13 responses to “Wagon Wheel – 1st break

  1. When I first tried to pick up the fiddle 20 years ago, my instructor first had me learn pentatonic blues scales with no open strings, these finger stretches remind me of those days. I was told by a fiddler that the guy from OCMS often plays in an AEAE tuning

  2. I remember being so impressed with Kate’s video the 1st time I saw it. Tried to learn the 1st break but wasn’t really ready for it then. Tonight I reached it again having worked my way up to module 2.8. It was so much easier, I can feel that I’m listening better now and could feel the syncopated rhythms. It takes time and committed practice but I think it’s well worth it to work through every stage of the course.

  3. Hello Jason,
    Playing the different speeds is very helpful, especially with the whole song, you learn to match the rhythm correctly when playing along. One question, is it possible to set the whole melody for some more faster speed? Currently the highest speed is 90BPM (which corresponds to Strummachine 45bpm), the ordinal is around 140 (Strummachine 70). It would help me to master speed and rhythm better. Thank you 🙏😊

  4. Hello Jason,
    I’m very happy with that lesson.
    A suggestion for the repetitions for each part. For me as beginner it is difficult from the end to immediately switch back to the start of the repetition. A little pause between repetitions would help me get the bow and myself in order.

  5. This is the order I’ve been learning Part 1 of Wagon Wheel (and when learning a tune I will be applying this same order to other songs on your platform)…

    1. Learn Notes and Intonation
    2. Memorize Notes
    3. Add Bowing Patterns
    4. Add Double Stops

    Or would you recommend practicing in a different order? Or, should anything go together? For example…

    1 (notes and intonation) and 3 (bowing patterns) happen at the same time?

    I’m just trying to find the most efficient way to practice and learn tunes.

    Thanks! I love your videos, sheet music, and practice tracks!

  6. Have been a subscriber for a little while, and then stumbled upon yuthis r wagon heel lesson. It’s great! I have signed up but am a little puzzled on how your website works. Having some troubles (Safari?)

    Suggestions?