Blog Feed: Fiddler's Folly

Cell Phone Diary

Published on 2011-07-09 15:08:00

Even if I can't remember what I've been doing, my cell phone has always been ready and willing to record moments in time. Of course, any time low lighting or movement of your subjects is involved, the pictures look almost as hazy as my memory. Spring and summer have found me busy with all the normal tasks that seem to fill one's time when the warm weather comes, but I have managed to kick back a bit and relax. To that end, my cell phone relates this brief recollection of events.To the left, an i [..] > read more

Fiddle Rescue Results

Published on 2011-04-27 20:00:00

Some of you may remember that last October I posted about my then recent acquisition - a very old fiddle in need of some serious help. Paul Strelau from the Student String Shop in Fairport, New York took on the challenge (giving me plenty of time to > read more

Old Yella Dog

Published on 2011-03-13 20:44:00

Woof! Another favorite tune of mine (well, come to think of it, I wouldn't really be posting tunes I didn't like would I? lol.), Old Yella Dog, is a great cross-tuned tune.According to Charlie Acuff, (check out the YouTube video below) Old Yella Dog > read more

Susannah Gal

Published on 2011-01-15 15:39:00

Time for a new tune, wouldn't you say? It's been some time since I've gotten to play, but now that winter has set in and the holidays are over, it's time I got reacquainted with my fiddle.Susannah Gal has been one of my favorite tunes for quite some > read more

Totally Self-Serving Christmas Wish List

Published on 2010-12-20 20:05:00

What fun would Christmas be if you didn't make up your own wish list once in a while? I'm tired of shopping for everyone else! So, in the interest of being totally selfish, with a good deal of humor thrown in, here is my fiddle-ish wish list for 2010 > read more

Get Your History On!

Published on 2010-11-28 17:33:00

On a recent trip to New Haven, CT, I was most fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the Yale University Collection of Musical Instruments. Located at 15 Hillhouse Avenue, it is definitely a must see stop on any walking tour of Yale. Admission is > read more

Fiddle Rescue Project

Published on 2010-10-24 11:49:00

We're knee deep in Fall here in the Finger Lakes and the leaf piles are ripe for jumping in. It's a great time of year to get outside for some last-minute fun before the snow arrives. When you get out for a bit of adventure, however, you never know w > read more

Arkansas Traveler

Published on 2010-09-05 15:40:00

In the continuing vein of demystifying incredibly notey tunes, this week's lesson tune is Arkansas Traveler (and as long as I don't think about a big, purple dinosaur singing about a bumblebee, it's a pretty cool tune. lol.).My teacher seemed to thin > read more

Whiskey Before Breakfast

Published on 2010-08-09 12:50:00

Described by my teacher as a "notey" tune, Whiskey Before Breakfast has a jaunty, energetic lilt to it and gives you the opportunity for lots of string crossing practice, double stop practice and shuffle bowing practice. Did I just say 'practice' thr > read more

More Shuffle Bowing Practice

Published on 2010-07-18 17:24:00

Summer is flying by and I haven't been practicing like I should. (Ah, confession is so good for the soul. lol.) You're also probably aware by the dates of my blog posts that I haven't gotten in much writing either! Sorry about that!I do, however, che > read more

Profile: The Rockridge Brothers

Published on 2010-06-12 10:18:00

Who would have thought that awesome American old-time music would be coming to us from Sweden? I certainly didn’t. Not until a trip to the Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg, NY in the summer of 2008. It was there, on a sultry Sunday morning that > read more

Finger Exercises and Unison Notes

Published on 2010-05-30 08:57:00

Great News! I have my teacher back! I am so happy that I'm longer self-directed. lol. Even though I love my fiddle, I freely admit that I am not particularly disciplined at forcing myself to work on trouble spots, practicing with regularity, etc. Hav > read more

Water Bound

Published on 2010-05-16 09:48:00

A few weeks back, I began jotting down the names of tunes that my longtime musician friends play when they jam together. I not-so recently set about joining them somewhat regularly (How do you like that English? lol), but still don't know that many t > read more