A Post by Adam Sweet, CEO: What are some good fiddle tunes for a beginner?

So as you know, I teach violin and many fiddle styles including celtic, bluegrass, klezmer, jazz, western swing, texas style and Quebecois.

Someone recently asked me to suggest some tunes a beginner can learn.  I decided to include some more advanced  tunes as well

Camptown Races comes to mind, as does Liza Jane, Buffalo Gals, Shady Grove (it's in Bm but doable), Shortnin' Bread, Oh, Susanna, Cindy, Dixie, Wildwood Flower, Soldier's Joy, Going to Boston, Flop Eared Mule, Skip to My Lou, Girl I left Behind Me, Old Joe Clark, Cripple Creek...all basically level 1 tunes except maybe the last 3 or so.

Slightly more advanced would be Mississippi Sawyer, Arkansas Traveler, Rose Tree, Over the Waterfall, Newcastle, Southwind, Si Beg Si More, Sandy River, Salt Creek, Chinky Pin, Cotton Eyed Joe, Cameron Highlanders, Scotland the Brave, Harvest Home, Ash Grove, Amazing Grace, Swinging on a Gate, Fisher's Hornpipe, Snowflake Reel

Every fiddle player needs to learn the "double shuffle" bowing pattern. Here are some good tunes to practice with it:

Orange Blossom Special, Back Up And Push, Rubber Dolly,.

Now we get into some jigs! Here are some easier ones: Irish Washerwoman, Garry Owen, St Patrick's Day (inna mornin), Haste to the Wedding, Road to Lisdoonvarna, Swallow Tail, Kid on the Mountain and Pipe on the Hob.

How about some Polkas? I like: As we Went Out On The Ice, Kangaroo, Kerry, Spare Leg, Andy Boyle's, Britches full of Stiches.

Dance Forms: What are Jigs?

The original term "jig" is believed to have originated from the French word "gigue," which was used to describe a similar type of dance. The term was adopted in England and Scotland in the 16th century and evolved to refer to both the dance and the music that accompanied it. Over time, the term "jig" became associated with a distinct musical style characterized by lively rhythms and fast tempos. Today, the term is still used to describe a variety of traditional music styles that incorporate these elements. 

Jigs are dance forms that are comprised of 6 eighth notes per measure, 9 eighth notes per measure or 12 eighth notes per measure:

• 6/8
• 9/8
• 12/8

The Coleraine - Single Jig

Single Jigs usually emphasize the 1 and the 4 beats per measure and the pattern is usually some form of quarter note, eighth note pattern.  Here are some of my own versions of single jigs

Clumsy Lover Jig

Double Jigs usually de-emphasize the 1 and 4 beats, allowing all 6 notes to be played in the measure

Here are some of my own versions of Double Jigs

The Butterfly/Kid on the Mountain

Slip Jigs are in 9/8, which means they have an "extra" beat like a "hop", which is why they are often called Hop Jigs.  They can vary between the quarter note/eighth note pattern of single jigs.  Here are some of my own versions of my favorite slip jigs.

Merrily Kissed The Quaker

Slides are in 12/8 and can sound like the double jig (6/8) or single jig, but never like the slip jig (9/8) Examples:

• Road to Lisdoonvarna
• Merrily Kissed the Quaker
• Star Above the Garter