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...
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...
Why Do A Preacher Like Chicken So: fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman
In this video Craig Judelman teaches an original Garry Harrison tune "Why Do A Preacher Like Chicken So." It's a fun, if demanding, three-part tune in C (standard tuning). Unlike most oldtime...
Sally Ann, the Gal I Like: Fiddle Lesson with Craig Judelman
In this lesson Craig teaches a tune that he learned from Bruce Greene. Bruce learned it, in turn, from Snake Chapman.
Recording of the tune by Snake Chapman, on...
Old Cumberland: fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman
In this lesson Craig Judelman teaches a great modern oldtime tune: Old Cumberland. It's just a little crooked and thoroughly addictive, plus not everyone plays it (yet). Earl White's version has been...
Kansas City Rag: Fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman
In this lesson Craig Judelman teaches the classic Midwest tune "Kansas City Rag". This tune was well known in the repertoires of Missouri fiddlers Pete McMahan, Jimmy Gilmore, Lyman Enloe, and...
Old Folks Get in Bed: fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman
In the 1920s, Georgia fiddler Oscar Ford and fellow bandmate Walter Morris made a number of great recordings including this one: Old Folks Get in Bed. Craig Judelman teaches this great...
Banging on the Hood: Fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman
In this video, Craig Judelman teaches a rockin' tune from the The Georgia Mudcats. It's a fun C tune with some quick A minors in there too, so it sounds a little...
Circle Bowing: fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman
This next video in the series on oldtime fiddle technique dives into circle bowing - a key component of what makes oldtime fiddling so unique and driving. By continuously playing one string...
Oldtime Bow Holds: lesson with Craig Judelman
There's lots of confusion about how to hold the bow in oldtime fiddle. In this video Craig Judelman breaks down a variety of different bow holds and discusses their various merits. There's...