🎻 The opportunity I see too many fiddle teachers missing

Hi Reader!

Maybe it's because I work in customer support outside of Irish fiddling, so my brain naturally tends toward troubleshooting a situation...

But one thing that makes me internally sigh a little bit is when a teacher is asked a question about something they know how to do, but rather than give a direct answer, they redirect you somewhere else to find the solution.

It strikes me as a missed opportunity to share your unique takeaway. Yes, we all learn from somewhere and have our musical influences -- and we should credit them!

However, part of the reason I like to attend workshops taught by other pro musicians is so I can hear their individual take on topics we all teach.

Another reason is so I can hear the questions that attendees are asking.

The main theme I pick up is "how are you doing that" or "how do I make this sound stylistically correct"?

This could be bowing, variations, ornaments, anything really!

And while there is certainly more than one right answer, and sometimes there are time constraints preventing a more thorough deep dive, I believe there is a way to share a quick tip that answers the question specifically without waxing poetic for half an hour on the subject (though there's a time and place for that too).

Here are a couple examples:

1. There are a lot of different bow patterns you can use (some better than others). One specific pattern I see a lot is a three note slur on an up bow beginning on the last note of a group of 3 or 4 eighth notes.
2. This fiddle player is particularly notorious for "bending the note" and playing their second finger C on the A string somewhere between a C natural and a C sharp. Try that out to sound more like them!

I just posted The Booley House (recorded by The Gloaming) in the Tune Library this week, and had a similar hyper-specific style moment. In the album version, Martin Hayes mostly plays an E in the second phrase of the A part, but in the Live recorded version he almost always plays a G instead.

Makes for an easy variation tip!

On another note, my duo Shannon Lee has three upcoming shows here in early July -- we're looking forward to some cooler weather up north for a few days, then back closer to home for Saline's Michigan Celtic Fest next weekend!

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead -- and I encourage you to dig deep and ask your teacher/peers for specific how-to's when it comes to getting the real feel for Irish fiddling!

~Hannah