Sail Away Ladies
Here’s a beginner lesson on how to play an old-time reel called Sail Away Ladies. I learned this from an old recording by Uncle Bunt Stephens (embedded in a tab below).
This tune is recommended for students in Module 1.8 or higher. It’s a good way to practice the upper octave G Major scale. It’s also a way to improve your fingering and string crossing.
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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.
Preparation
Play a G note with the G drone below. Allow your breath, body, and mind to relax. Listen to the blend of your fiddle with the drone, and enjoy the sound.
G Static Drone
Next, warm up with the G Major scale and phrases from the tune (once you’ve learned it) using the drone above.
Here are some exercises to help you prepare for the string crossing in the A Part:
A part, first half
Warmup
D3-A1
↓
D3-A0
A part, second half
B part, first quarter
B part, second quarter
B part, third quarter
B part, fourth quarter
Complementary tunes
Banshee – Though this is an Irish tune, it seems to fit well with Sail Away Ladies.
Other versions
Uncle Bunt Stephens – Sail away lady
I love this recording!
Kenny Baker
This one ain’t bad either!
Full Content
Full tabs, audio and sheet music downloads are available to All-access users. Subscribe here. And thanks for your support. 🙏
Are you ready to begin your fiddle journey? I’ll send you some free lessons tailored to your current skill level.
Click here to become a FiddleHed!
Give thanks
Take a moment to reflect with gratitude that you have music in your life. No matter where you are on your fiddle journey, you get to learn, play, and listen to music. What a wonderful gift!
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FiddleHed Laura made a video of this tune! It was originally posted to the Student Videos page:
https://fiddlehed.com/forums/forum/student-video-exchange/