Top 10 hit from 1979. Fuses Country Rock and Rap in a story lyric about Satan challenging a fiddler in the state of Georgia (USA). *It used to be that as soon as one would pull out a fiddle in a bar, somebody would inevitably heckle you for “Orange Blossom
Archive | Note Name – Finger Number
Notation alternative that simply tells the note name and the typical 1st position finger number.
Sweet Georgia Brown
By fiddlejamman on March 24, 2013 in Artist Level, Blues Scale, By Ear, By Knowledge, Cornerstone Styles, Fiddler’s Tab, G major, Gigger Level, Gypsy Jazz Violin, Jamming 102, jamming 103, Jazz, Lesson List, Major Scale, Mixolydian Mode, Music History, Note Name – Finger Number, One-Room-School-House ORSH, Staff Notation, Style Studies
Classic Jazz tune from 1925 that is covered in all kinds of jazz settings from ragtime to modern jazz & lounge groups. I will especially focus on this song in the Gypsy Jazz style. Here’s the melody and chord chart to get us started. There have been many, many interpretations
Oh When the Saints Go Marching In
By fiddlejamman on March 16, 2013 in Beginner Violin, By Ear, By Sight, Fiddler’s Tab, Folk Fiddle, Jammer Level, Jamming 101, Lesson List, Music History, Note Name – Finger Number, One-Room-School-House ORSH, Staff Notation, Style Studies
A Spiritual typically considered to be associated with New Orleans, LA culture. The prayerful lyric of: “Oh Lord, I wanna be in that ‘number’ (dance, song), when the saints go marching in (to heaven on the Christian religion’s ‘judgement day’).” Usually associated with the early jazz music called “Dixieland.” E-Z
It Don’t Mean a Thing (if it ain’t got that swing)
By fiddlejamman on March 14, 2013 in Artist Level, Bb major, By Ear, By Feeling, By Key, By Knowledge, By Scale, Fiddler’s Tab, G minor, Gigger Level, Gypsy Jazz Violin, Harmonic Minor Scale, Jamming 102, jamming 103, Jazz, Lesson List, Major Scale, Master Class, Music Mechanics, Note Name – Finger Number, One-Room-School-House ORSH, Staff Notation, Style Studies
Famous song, written in 1931 by Duke Ellington (music) and Irving Mills (lyrics). Recorded by too many to mention here. Often played in the gypsy jazz style. Sounds fun and easy with it’s “do wop” sing-along anthem, but can actually be rather difficult to solo over. I’ll attempt, in typical
Gypsy Sound – Anatomy
By fiddlejamman on March 11, 2013 in A minor, By Ear, By Knowledge, By Sight, D minor, E minor, Fiddler’s Tab, G minor, Gigger Level, Gypsy Jazz Violin, Harmonic Minor Scale, Jammer Level, Jamming 101, Jamming 102, Jazz, Lesson List, Music History, Note Name – Finger Number, One-Room-School-House ORSH, Staff Notation, Style Studies
The anatomy of the gypsy sound is characterized by the Harmonic Minor Scale. Classically trained violinists will probably already know this scale well, but if you are a fiddler, or just used to jamming to rock and blues based music, as I myself was at one time, then this
Amazing Grace
By fiddlejamman on February 20, 2013 in “Tater”, A major, Beginner Violin, By Ear, By Key, By Knowledge, By Scale, By Sight, Cornerstone Styles, Country, Fiddle Tunes, Folk Fiddle, G major, Gigger Level, Jammer Level, Lesson List, Major Pentatonic Scale, Major Scale, Note Name – Finger Number, One-Room-School-House ORSH, Staff Notation, Style Studies
Description: This very popular Christian spiritual tune* has crossed many style boundaries. Countless students have requested it from me over the years. I’ll include it here. I’ve included it here in two separate but popular and fiddle-friendly keys: G & A. The G version is lower and sweeter sounding, and
Acadian Two-Step
By fiddlejamman on February 18, 2013 in A major, Artist Level, Bluegrass Fiddle, Blues, By Ear, By Feeling, By Key, By Knowledge, By Scale, By Sight, Cajun-Zydeco, Cornerstone Styles, Country, Fiddle Tunes, Fiddler’s Tab, Folk Fiddle, Gigger Level, Jam-Along Tracks, Jammer Level, Jamming 101, Jamming 102, jamming 103, Lesson List, Mandolin for the violinist, Mixolydian Mode, Music Mechanics, Note Name – Finger Number, One-Room-School-House ORSH, Staff Notation, Style Studies, Wit & Wisdom
Description: This one’s a bit more challenging, but well worth the effort. I personally love the whole Cajun “thang” (see Side Notes below). I honestly do NOT hear this tune much at Pickin’ Parties and jams, but it is pretty cool, and the chords are easy enough to teach others