Can you feel nostalgic for a life you've never known? Suffused with her much-loved warmth and wit, Emma John's memoir follows her moving and memorable journey to master one of the hardest musical styles on earth - and to find her place in an alien world. Emma had fallen out of love with her violin when a chance trip to the American South introduced her to bluegrass music. Classically trained, highly strung and wedded to London life, Emma was about as country as a gin martini. So why did it feel like a homecoming? Answering that question takes Emma deep into the Appalachian mountains, where she uncovers a hidden culture that confounds every expectation - and learns some emotional truths of her own.
The first book clearly showing the beginner how to play the fiddle. Includes many illustrations showing how to hold the bow and fiddle properly and many exercises to develop good bowing technique and learning how to play in tune. Great beginnner fiddle lessons.
The perfect introduction to bluegrass and traditional fiddle tunes. Sections include: Fiddle Tunes, Hornpipes, Waltzes, Jigs, Strathspeys, Reels, and Improvisation. The 43 traditional fiddle standards covered in the book comprise the core fiddle tune repertoire. All songs are demonstrated on the included CD! Each song is taught in a basic standard" arrangement and then in an advanced variation."
From the author’s preface: “This book was conceived four years ago, almost to the day, at a time when I was teaching fiddle and mandolin in New York City. It was my idea then, with my students in mind, to compile a book of the most often played, most important and most interesting fiddle tunes from the various Celtic and North American traditions. The tunes were chosen by cataloging a large number of recordings by tune title. A tally was taken to find out which had been recorded most often. This established a foundation of material that could not be left out. To this list I added the names of other pieces which had not been recorded as frequently, but which I knew were played regularly and with respect. I admit to sprinkling the collection with a few lesser known tunes which happen to be personal favorites, but I am sure they will hold their own when placed next to the old war horses of the fiddler’s repertoire. . . . Although I started out with my students in mind this book has turned out to be the book that I’ve always wanted and I hope that it will serve the advanced player as well as the beginner.”
Mel Bay's Complete Fiddling Book is a compilation of arrangements of traditional tunes by several outstanding practitioners of the art of fiddle playing: Craig Duncan, Bill Guest, Dave Reiner, Frank Zucco, and Joe Castle. From The Arkansas Traveler to The Yellow Rose of Texas, over 300 colorful fiddle tunes populated this book's 205 pages. Scant on text or historical notes, but long on musical content, the Complete Fiddling Book is a great resource for any fiddler or teacher in search of a delightful, toe-tapping repertoire. Although most of the tunes are written for solo fiddle, the last ten pieces are arranged as fiddle duets. A masterful solo collection presenting a vivid assortment of fiddling styles and repertoire. On the companion DVD, fiddler Craig Duncan and guitarist Robert Bowlin perform 34 favorite tunes which are played at a slow and medium tempo to demonstrate many fiddling techniques. Split-screen filming features close-up angles of both the left hand and the bow. This DVD is the perfect companion to the Complete Fiddling Book, bringing the teacher right into your living room. Compilation of arrangements of traditional tunes Over 300 colorful fiddle tunes populate the 205 pages Most for solo fiddle, but the last ten pieces are arranged as fiddle duets Intermediate to advanced in difficulty Split-screen companion DVD of 34 tunes performed by Craig Duncan and guitarist Robert Bowlin.