Ask Craig: FAQ for oldtime fiddle
Here Craig Judelman gives answers to some of the most common questions oldtime fiddlers have. Of course, in oldtime there are no "right" answers, but Craig's combination of experience and technical knowledge is surely...
Blackest Crow: Fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman
In this lesson, Craig Judelman teaches the classic ballad "The Blackest Crow" also called "As Time Draws Near" or "My Dearest Dear". A slow waltz, Judelman shows bowing options for playing in three and...
Gilsaw – fiddle lesson with John P. Williams
John P. Williams is a wonderful fiddler from the "Little Dixie" region of North Missouri. This part of the country was strongly influenced by a handful of outstanding fiddlers of the older generation, and...
Shortnin’ Bread: Fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman
In this lesson Craig Judelman teaches the classic American folk song "Shortnin' Bread". In some versions of the song, shortnin' bread is fed to sick children on the plantation in an effort to provide...
Liza Jane – banjo lesson with Hilarie Burhans
In this video, Hilarie Burhans of Athens, Ohio teaches the tune "Liza Jane" on clawhammer banjo. This is a fairly standard "festival" version of the tune, and one that she's been playing for more than...
Oldtime Rhythm Guitar: North Carolina Breakdown (lesson + TAB)
North Carolina Breakdown is thought to have been written by Fiddlin’ Arthur Smith, one of Tennessee's greatest fiddlers (1898-1971). While Arthur's heyday was primarily from the 1920s-1950, he returned to the studio in 1962...
Elk River Blues – fiddle lesson with Dakota Karper
In this video, West Virginia fiddle teacher Dakota Karper shows how she plays Ernie Carpenter's classic Elk River Blues. A common tune at many jam sessions, it's fun to break out something slow and...
Leather Britches: oldtime rhythm guitar lesson
Oldtime backup guitar can play a variety of roles, depending a great deal on skill, setting, and personal preference. But first and foremost, it must lay down a strong rhythm, outline the harmony, and...
Twin Sisters: Oldtime Rhythm Guitar Lesson
“Twin Sisters” is a classic D tune with countless variants, all related to an Irish tune called “The Boys of Bluehill.” The guitar tab presented here is played with the capo on the second...
Chinquapin Hunting – fiddle lesson with Dakota Karper
West Virginia fiddler Dakota Karper teaches the popular tune Chinquapin Hunting. This version is most closely related to that of Virginia fiddler Norman Edmonds. Chinquapin Hunting is played in the cross tuning AEAE (low...