All Your Fiddle Questions Answered: Behind the Scenes Q&A
Recently I hosted a giveaway on my Instagram page to celebrate the one-month anniversary of the release of my first album, Tea for Tunes. Part of the contest was to comment on the giveaway post with your fiddling questions for me. I got so many great questions, that I decided to compile them all into a post on my website.
Whether you’re curious about my fiddling past, how to differentiate between a hop jig and a slip jig, or what tunes to arrange for an orchestra, it’s all in here!
About Me
“How long have you been playing the fiddle?” ~Hannah B
I started with classical Suzuki lessons when I was five. About three years into it I was getting bored with classical music, so my teacher had the great idea to introduce fiddling. In 2004 or 2005 I saw Celtic Woman in concert in their early years of touring which kickstarted my interest in Irish traditional fiddling. However I really got serious about learning the meat and potatoes of Irish fiddling in 2014 when I began attending the Swannanoa Gathering Celtic Week.
“What’s your favorite Appalachian fiddle tune to play?” ~Leandra A
I don’t play a whole lot of Appalachian fiddle tunes even though I’m from North Carolina originally. But I do like “Kitchen Girl!” I pair it with “The High Road to Linton,” which is more of a Scottish Tune. North Carolina has quite a lot of Scots-Irish ancestry, leaning more heavily on the Scottish side, so I suppose it makes sense! Here’s a video of the set:
“What is your biggest fiddling challenge? Or maybe you have conquered it. In that case… what WAS your greatest challenge?” ~Kelly S.
I always believe that I’m in a constant learning process, but I’ll answer both sides of this question!
The biggest fiddling challenge I have overcome is “unleashing” my bow arm to lock in the phrasing and lilt of Irish music. In 2012 you would not have recognized my playing — it was stiff, awkward, and my right and left hands were all out of alignment. I was able to fix this and increase my flexibility in part thanks to my rigorous classical violin degree, but also because I changed my bow hold to further up the stick. It’s a lot easier for me to maneuver the bow there, especially on reels.
These days I struggle most with talking while I play! This may not seem like a necessary skill to master, but when you’re playing tunes in a session, it’s good to be able to tell backers what key you’re going into. I have a very soft voice and find it hard to project loud enough, especially in a noisy, crowded pub. It’s also a struggle to yell out a key without losing my place in the tune.
“How old were you when you started playing and at what age do you think would be a good age for a child to start playing?” ~Margy R
I started Suzuki violin at age 5, although some start even younger! At that age I was old enough to pick which instrument I wanted to try, and ultimately stuck with it. Suzuki is great because you start with ear training instead of having to read sheet music straight away.
“If you could travel to any place you haven’t already visited to learn their traditional style fiddle music, where would it be?” ~Alison H
Northwestern Spain — particularly Asturias or Galicia. These places have different branches of Celtic music, so it’s somewhat familiar to styles I already know. Also the landscape is absolutely beautiful, and looks like a wonderful place to explore. I’d love to dive into the music culture there!
“What’s the most embarrassing moment you’ve had where a string has broken or you’ve hit a sour note?” ~Sursie M
(Knock on wood) no string breaking so far! Sour notes are so normal on fiddle that I don’t get embarrassed by them. I have enthusiastically dropped my bow in the middle of a set before, although clearly it didn’t embarrass me too much because I can’t remember the specific gig where it happened! These days I’m mostly playing virtual sets on live video, and I’ve messed up so often that it just makes me appreciate that my audience is connecting to me in a real, human way. But that doesn’t mean I don’t cringe in the moment or while watching the replay!
“When you were first getting started, which fiddler(s) did you look towards for inspiration?” ~Caitlin B
Mairéad Nesbitt definitely drew me into Celtic music as a whole, and then I started to learn about the individual cultures within that broader label. Kevin Burke and Martin Hayes played on William Coulter CDs, which my dad and I listened to a lot. Alasdair Fraser really helped me cross over from classical to Celtic, because the 18th century Scottish tunes he plays in his earlier CDs really pay homage to both traditional fiddling and classical compositions.
I also have a few early influences from my first year at the Swannanoa Gathering when my interest in fiddling pivoted from hobby to career choice. Andrew Finn Magill was my first fiddle teacher, and his background in classical music made him an ideal guide in developing my technique. I also learned from Kimberley Fraser, who started my love for Cape Breton fiddling.
“What have you learned the most after releasing the album?” ~Kristina P
The whole album process seems to be building up to the day you launch it. But in reality that’s just the beginning — the selling and promoting doesn’t stop once you’ve made your creation available. The day I launched Tea for Tunes was really just like any other day, although I was certainly proud of what I accomplished to get to that point. It doesn’t stop there though — after the fact you have to remind people you have a product to sell! I’ve learned to not be afraid of selling, promoting and reminding because in these days, not everyone will see every post I make about the album. It’s been fun to be creative with this process!
All About Jigs
“What differentiates a double jig from a slip jig and a single jig in regards to bowing pattern, emphasis, and general rhythm?” ~Elizabeth C
Definitely a fiddler question! Quick recap: Double Jigs are in 6/8, Slip Jigs are 9/8 and Single Jigs are 6/8 or 9/8. As far as emphasis goes, Slip Jigs felt in 3, Double Jigs in 2 or Single Jig Slides in 4.
Usually when you’re emphasizing a strong down beat, you’ll want to take advantage of gravity and play those notes on a down bow. You won’t always hit the first note of every measure with a down bow, and that’s okay! But listen for certain parts of the tune that need that strong down beat, particularly when you’re transitioning from part A to part B and vice versa.
In slip jigs the same thing applies with phrasing and strong downbeat, but you’re just adding on another beat to each measure. Typically double jigs and slip jigs are a bit more note-y than slides or single jigs. You’re more likely to end on down bows in slides with a quick up bow pick up to hit the strong down beat at the beginning of the next line.
Depending on your tune type, it often helps to subdivide with the strong beats coming through (One-and-a, Two-and-a or One-and-a, Two-and-a, Three-and-a, etc).
“On the fiddle, so you emphasize a different rhythm when playing a hop jig versus a slip jig?” ~Annie
Hop jigs have heavier downbeats, which you’d emphasize by accenting the bow. The emphasis is much smoother on slip jigs, so while there are strong and weak beats, it’s not as obvious as hop jig emphasis. I sometimes even “hop” my bow off the string, whereas it’s more connected and fluid in slip jigs. The tempo doesn’t make much of a difference. Check out this Instagram post I made for video examples!
“What is the difference between a double and a single jig?” ~John R
Double jigs are in 6/8 and mostly comprised of two groups of three eighth notes. Single jigs can be in 6/8 or 12/8, but they tend to have more “quarter-eighth” note patterns. When single jigs are in 12/8, they’re also called slides. Check out my comprehensive list of Irish Tune Types here!
Ornamentation
“Favorite kind of ornamentation for fiddle? And do you prefer specific techniques or jigs and reels?” ~Stefan F
I love some of the more northern-style bow triplets! And I’d have to say jigs and reels — the ornaments are fun, but to me the real heart of the music is in the tune phrasing.
Strings
“What strings do you use?” ~Francesca D
I play two fiddles fairly regularly. On my 1700s Bavarian fiddle I use Evah Pirazzi medium gauges, and on my 1970s Paul Hilaire fiddle, I use Peter Infelds for G, D and A and a Kaplan E to help prevent squeaking. The sound of these really complements the personality of each fiddle — Evahs are more rich and mellow, Peter Infelds are crisp and bright.
“Do you change your own strings? Is it tough?” ~Connor C
I do, and it’s not! But I procrastinate… It’s a good idea to change them every 6-12 months depending on how often you play. I waited at least a year and a half on this last one — oops! Now I’ve scheduled it into my calendar to change them in March 2021 and am adding more levels of accountability. It’s really not hard, I just don’t like having to constantly retune every few minutes after changing them — a small price to pay for the upgrade in tone quality!
Other
“What would be a great tune to arrange and play with my orchestra?” ~Perry H
Máiréad Nesbitt’s CD with Irish Orchestra, Hibernia has great examples, but you could also take any tune and embellish on it, build out an arrangement. Something more modally could be fun and open up a lot of chordal options!
