How About Online Instruction?

I'm so excited! Bluegrass College is getting better than ever. This is the most amazing collection of bluegrass musicians on any educational site that I've ever seen. Rob Ickes, Missy Raines, Keith Little, Tim Stafford, Butch Baldassari, Ron Stewart, Jeremy Garrett, Mike Bub, Bill Evans, me, well, you get the idea... : ) You can download all kinds of stuff, mp3s, videos, transcriptions, all of the highest quality, and for an extremely reasonable price. For anyone trying to learn bluegrass, whether it be as a beginner just learning the ropes, or as a more advanced player trying to get some sweet new licks, it's got it all. Every tune has three different speeds and two different difficulty levels. I swear, it is the coolest! This is the brainchild of American Fiddle Method guru, Brian Wicklund. He never disappoints. OK, if you decide to sign up, and you should, I'm not kidding, use my instructor code so they know I sent you. It's, are you ready, get a pencil, I'll wait..........
ML001 Like, ML, my initials, and the number 001. Got it? You even get a free download if you use an instructor code!

There are also so many great forums like Fiddle Hangout and FiddleFork as well as fiddle groups on Facebook and other social networking sites. And don't underestimate the power of our friend Google when searching for the fiddle and music information you need. I've recently discovered (thanks to one of my vigilant students!) Intonia, a great piece of downloadable software that can help track your progress on improving your intonation.

How Much Should I Practice?

Try to practice at least 30-45 minutes 4 to 5 days a week. Don't try to practice every day. That can be an unrealistic goal, which can make you feel like you have failed right out of the gate. Also, the brain and the muscles need time to process the information you are feeding them. I often use the analogy of bodybuilding (not surprising, as I come from the 'Arnold State'). Your muscles don't grow while you are lifting weights. They actually grow in between the times you strain them. Your brain and your 'fiddle muscles' work the same way. If you feel the need to play every day, make a couple of days just for fun tunes, or use those days to listen to great fiddle players you love and admire.

Should I Go to a Camp?

Absolutely! Camps are a great way to improve your playing as well as your on-the-fly learning skills and overcome jamming shyness. Also, camps help you network with other players and make fiddle friends for life. Check out www.fiddle.com (home page for Fiddler Magazine, another must-have!) and click on 'events' to find an incredibly comprehensive listing of camps around the world. Be sure to ask other players you know, as well as your teacher to see if a particular camp will be right for you. Don't forget about FIddleStar camps, run by yours truly! They're kept small on purpose so you can get the most out of your learning experience.

What About Contests?

I love fiddle contests. A person can learn so much from competing, if it's done right. A while back, John Blasquez (wonderful multi-instrumentalist and teacher in the Bay Area of California) sent me some musings about contests - advice, rules, that sort of thing. As we gear up for contest season I thought I would throw in a link to his page on the subject. there's some really great stuff in there that I think all contest fiddlers, seasoned and otherwise, should ponder. You can find it here.

Also, please check out this great site originally dedicated to the making of a documentary about the National Fiddle Championships. It has grown into a wonderful resource for fiddlers and teachers and fans.

What Should I Practice?

Keep it varied! I often encourage my students to identify several problem areas (i.e. intonation, rhythm, bowing technique, double stops, etc.) and attach a separate day of the week to each area and focus just on that for the day. As an example' Monday ' Intonation (scales with a tuner, arpeggios slowly, double stops one note at a time) Tuesday ' Bowing (practice all tunes with shuffle bowing, make sure tunes are all down bow/down beat,
add more artistic slurs to older tunes)

Try to incorporate as many things into your week as you can. Keep it interesting!