Fiddling with chords and melodies

A power practice habit for practicing chord backup

Here’s a practice strategy which will help you to play chord backup on the fiddle.

 

 

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Video loops 🔁

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Kerry Polka Practice Loop

The basic steps

The basic practice is to alternate between playing the melody and the chords on small 1-2 bar phrases from a tune. Here are the steps I recommend.

  1. Learn, practice and memorize the tune
  2. Learn, practice and memorize the chords
  3. Alternate between chords and melody on small 1-2 bar chunks

So for Kerry Polka, the A Part Second Quarter melody is:

D3-A0-1-0-D3-1-0

 

In step two, you learn (or review) the chords for the tune. In this case, G, C and D Major.

  • G (G0D0)
  • C (G0D1)
  • D (G1D0)

And then you alternate between melody and chords on a small chunk:

Melody: D3-A0-1-0-D3-1-0

Chords: C Major (G0D1) / D Major (G1D0)

If you do this for each chord change, you’ll be able to play chord backup on the entire song. You’ll also develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between chords and melody. You’ll more easily be able to add double stops to melodies.

One thing’s for certain: you’ll learn a lot more by doing this then to listening to me yammer on. So take out your fiddle and try it right now on Kerry Polka and the Learning Chunks™ below.

By the way, if you’re new to chord backup, I recommend simple rhythms: quarter and half notes. More advanced players can try hoedown, offbeat bouncing, the chop and other rhythms.

Learning Chunks™

Kerry Polka, A Part, Second Quarter

Melody: D3-A0-1-0-D3-1-0

Chords: C Major (G0D1) / D Major (G1D0)

Arkansas Traveller, A Part, First Quarter

This Learning Chunk (tab, sheet music and mp3 snippets) is available to All-access users.But you can learn this NOW with a free trial subscription. Sign up here. 🎻

Swallowtail Jig, A Part, Fourth Quarter

This Learning Chunk (tab, sheet music and mp3 snippets) is available to All-access users.But you can learn this NOW with a free trial subscription. Sign up here. 🎻

I’ll Fly Away

 

Further learning

This process of micro-practice helps you to overcome The Physical Challenge of Fiddling.

This lesson is part of a series called “Power Practice Habits” 💪🏽. I’ve started to take notes on all the little unconscious things I do when I practice. I’m trying to translate these strategies so that you and other fiddlers can also use them too.

Many of these strategies are based on the idea of a practice loop; alternating between something basic and something more challenging (or at least different).

For example, practice loops can be used to learn and practice note-reading.

Learn more about this in the Note-reading for Fiddlers course. And you can find more Power Practice Tips in the How To Practice Fiddling course. Here are a few related lessons to check out:

 

Want to know more about chord backup? I’m actively creating lessons on this right now (September 2021). Here are some to get you started:

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