Fiddle Instruction Tunebooks

I do believe we have one of the largest selections of fiddle tune books anywhere today! Specializing in Cape Breton fiddle books that we import from Canada, we also have a grand selection of Scottish, Irish, American and the ocasional Eastern European and Jazz book.

A Complete Guide to Learning the Irish Fiddle Book with CD $34.95; Video $39.95

Paul McNevin

Everything you need to know about the Irish fiddle, from the first notes and tunes to advanced solos and ornamentation.

A Fiddle Lesson $29.95

DVD from Natalie MacMaster. Intermediate level. Includes booklet with the tunes.

A Fiddle Player's Guide to Jamming $14.95 with CD

Carl Yaffey and John Sherman

A really excellent book on the topic indicated by the title. It includes everything you need to know about playing with other people. Chapters include anatomy of a jam session, chords and keys, perdcussive vamping, melodic fills, harmony lines, taking a solo, double stopping, and most imoprtant jam session etiquette and rules! Also included are words and chords for several of the most popular songs and a CD for learning to play along! This is an incredible book- not too big but full of really important content for the beginning aspiring bluegrass, old-timey or folk musician.

A Guide to American Fiddling $17.95 book and CD

Andrew Carlson

A teaching book with six very informative chapters on historical background and technique. Tunes are arranged in order of difficulty cooresponding to the techniques described in the text. The CD both demonstrates the melody and offers back-up tracks. Tunes are a combination of old-timey and standard New England repetoire. Highly recommended for the beginning to intermediate fiddler.

Bluegrass and Country Fiddle $59.95

Taught by Kenny Kosek

6 CD's and a book teaching Bluegrass fiddle. "All-in-all these tapes are down-right excellent. I couldn't recommend a better way of learning…short of moving in next door to Kenny Baker." Bluegrass Unlimited.

Children's Fiddling Method $9.95

Cheryl Ann Wheeler

An excellent instruction book and not just for children. In fact I really wouldn't recomment this for children; this is a very adult book. You can put brown paper over the cover title and picture if it embarasses you. No phisical is technique is included; the value of this book are the additions, improvisations and ornaments that follow each tune. Fiddling is very much improvisational and I wish I could do more alone those lines! CD or DVD is available to go with.

Children's Graded Fiddle Solos Vol 1 $19.95 with CD

Carol Ann Wheeler

A much needed book! Twelve traditional tunes, mostly from the old-timey repetoire are notated in three different skill levels, from rank beginner to the advanced student. CD gives audio version of each level, as ornamantation increases accordingly. Bowings and chord progressions are indicated throughout. NOT JUST FOR CHILDREN; GREAT FOR ANY BEGINNING TO INTERMEDIATE PLAYER!!!

Fiddling Chord Book $9.95

Craig Duncan

Unique offering of all the two note basic and not-so-basic chords you would ever need to play double stops on the fiddle. Diagramed both in standard notation and tablature.

HOKUM:Theory and Scales for Fiddle Tunes and Fiddle improvisation $18.95

Leon Grizzard

This book was written for three purposes:(1) to teach music theory and scales as applied to fiddle tunes in the American/Celtic traditions;(2) to teach fiddle improvisation;(3) to present additional material for the fiddler who wants to play in other popular styles. Clearly laid out and explained, this book will be extremely helpful in expanding a fiddlers' musical understanding of their craft. Examples are illustrated with familiar repetoire exerpts. Highly recommended.

Improv for Violinists $19.95 for book with CD

John Henry Gates

The purpose of this book if to teach you to teach yourself to improvise. On beyond memorized patterns and licks, this book will help the musician in you come forward and improvise within the chord structure of the tune. Starts with a good strong music theory set of lessons in a work-book layout and then has you improvise along with the CD. Great!

Improvising Violin $19.95

Julie Lyonn Lieberman

Written for the violinist who longs to leave the confines of the written page, Lieberman breaks donw all of the components necessary to master imporvisation in jazz, blues, swing, folk, rock and new age styles, offering dozens of helpful tips on theory and technique. Includes excecises, riffs, patterns, chord charts in all twelve keys and quotes and anecdotes from the famous (but not necessarily rich). The books is from 1995, so the amplification system section does not of course include some of the latest hot items to make your fiddle louder. The music never dates! Highly recommended.

Interview with a Vamper $17.50

Peter Barnes

Piano accompaniment techniques for traditional dance music. Indispensable. Spiral.

Irish Fiddle Playing, A Guide for the Serious Player $19.95 with CD

Phillip John Berthoud

This book is aimed at people who already play fiddle. It deals with subjects that are normally neglected such as improvisitation, the psychology of playing the fiddle, bowing, interpretation, and effective practice. It includes good versions of popular session tunes with good accompanying text. Well done and highly recommended.

Jazz Violin $21.95

Matt Glaser and Stephane Grappelli

A book on jazz violin that looks at the playing of Grappelli, Joe Venuti and Stuff Smith, among others.

Latin Violin $24.95 with CD

Sam Bardfeld

How to play Salsa, Caranga and Latin Jazz vilolin! This book was written for vilinists who want to learn to play in the Afro-Cuban tradition, known throughout the world as Salsa or Latin music. The book is composed of four sections: a brief historical overview, a section on how the music works including techniques and transcriptions, a section that outlines the music featured on the accompanying CD amd finally, the original recorded versions of the transcribed solos, sample montunos, and charts for the play-along material covering different Afro0Cuban forms. And a glossary defining the Spanish terms used in the music! A great book: nothing else like this is available!

Learn to Play Real Cajun Fiddle $59.95

Michael Doucet

6 CDs and a 40 page book of lessons with Cajun virtuoso Doucet.

Mel Bay's Complete Irish Fiddle Player Book and CD $29.95

Peter Cooper

Tunes and good instruction on bowings, ornaments etc. with each tune. Lots of helpful text.

Rockin' Out with Blues Fiddle Book/CD pack $21.95

Julie Lyonn Lieberman

This book is designed to provide you with all of the tools needed to play well in a blues or pop/rock setting. Arranged in a series of short technical lessons with CD back-up for each lesson. Go for it!

Sensible Scales Plus! for Violin and Fiddle $14.95

Julianna Waller

This volume is an excellent resource for beginning, intermediate and advanced players. Arranged by skill , each section is concise and easy to understand. Presentation of scales and arpeggios include excellent fingerings and an emphasis on bowing and rhythmis variations. Beginngers are supported with rote and music notation as well as specific goals to accomplish. One special feature is an intense focus on the development of the intermediate player through two-octave scales, arpeggios and chord progression arpeggios. Advanced players will be challenged by three-octave major and minor scales presented in increasing rhythmic values. Finally, scales in sixths and thirds are offered for continued study and development of double stops. Well written, well presented, and highly recommended!

Teach Yourself Bluegrass Fiddle $17.95 with CD

Matt Glaser

Teach yourself authentic bluegrass. Clear instructions from a professional; basics, bowing and left hand techniques, solos, backup, personal advice on performance and much more. Plus a complete selection of the best bluegrass songs and tunes to learn from.

The American Fiddle Method Vol 1 and 2. $24.95 each with CD

Brian Wicklund

Great instruction, explanation and tunes from the fiddler in Stoney Lonesome Bluegrass Band. This is THE most comprehensive the thorough set of books I have seen yet. Plus awsome and amusing illustrations. Highly recommended by Kate!

The Cajun Fiddle $22.95 with CD

Craig Duncan

Includes CD.

The Scottish Folk Fiddle Tutor $19.95

Christine Martin and Anne Hughes

Beginning fiddle book for Teens or Adults. Mostly Scottish tunes with a CD for listening. Nice, clearly written book.

The Scottish Folk Fiddle: Third Position $12.95

Christine Martin

Always wanted to go up the neck? This lovely little collection demistifies the third position and gives you tunes to do it with. I'll be trying it soon!

The Violinist's Guide to Fiddling $14.95

Mark Weeg

This book is meant for classical violinists and advanced fiddlers. It includes "difficult" tunes or more complicated versions of standard tunes, notated from real life performances. Traditional bowing and chord patterns commonly used by fiddlers are explored for the benefit of the classical player. Chords are included. Solo variations and or back-up harmonies are included for many of the tunes. Traditions cover the gamut, from Irish to Cape Breton to Bluegrass to Old-Timey. Partucilarly challenging for the average fiddler (like me) would be Parazotti's E flat tune, "The Banks". A popular tune in the Scottish and Cape Breton repetoire, I would recommend it as a particularly exciting and delightful piece!