SickOfNewYork - Posted - 02/20/2009:  21:18:56

I have been trying to learn to play the fiddle for a number of years. Being a programmer by trade, I decided to write a program that would help. As it is now, you can load tablature text files and display the song on the onscreen fingerboard and on the onscreen staff.
If you would like to try this (free) program, please do so and let me know what you think it needs. (This is a DOS program, so it will not run in 64-bit Windows versions.) There are also several song files included, and instructions for making your own.
If you would like to try it out, here's the link:
http://home.windstream.net/laonabos...ownload.html
and click on the "Virtual Fiddle" link.
--SONY

bsed - Posted - 02/21/2009:  05:45:24

I took a brief look (or tried to), and it seems your program is either not Mac-friendly or I just don't know how to use it.

Just call me Dwight.

bj - Posted - 02/21/2009:  05:49:03

SONY, I think bsed's response is going to be typical here. Computer-geeky this group is not. Give 'em a conventional windoze and mac install and they'll be happy as clams. ;-)

^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^
So many tunes. So little time!

Me on the Web --
http://doneinstyle.com
My inspiration:
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh14633812588807237

Sam Shazaam - Posted - 02/21/2009:  06:24:51

You might try something other than DOS. Another programming language would make the program more portable and better suited for other platforms. There are DOS emulators but as the language gets further into the past no one bothers to keep them working with newer equipment. I am a user of LInux and open source material.

Your idea is fundamentally a good one.

SickOfNewYork - Posted - 02/21/2009:  08:56:13

Sorry, the program is not MAC friendly, and that's only because MAC has never been programmer-friendly. I do plan on porting to Windows eventually, mainly to take advantage of the Sound system, but since I normally program in DOS, that is where my own skills lie.

Thanks for the input, guys.

BanjoBrad - Posted - 02/21/2009:  09:40:00

I sort of hate to bear bad news, SickOfNewYork, having programmed in DOS and CP/M for many years myself, but Tabledit has these features and more. And it is available for windows and iMacs (the intel macs).

But it is nice to know somebody still works with DOS. I went to the iMac when MS stopped supporting W98. I still have compilers for PL/I somewhere around here, plus the manuals, if you're interested.

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Brad
"D n A, the keys of life.", Big Jim Griffith
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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SickOfNewYork - Posted - 02/21/2009:  11:36:14

Fantastic! That's what I had been looking for before I started vfiddle.
I tried tabledit and I had my doubts at first because all of their demos were for guitar or accordion or (anything but fiddle). But I tried some other files and wow!
This is not bad news at all, as half the reason I write programs is to help me learn something. But this definitely changes my mind about doing any Windows version.

As far as working with DOS, where I work we stil have machinery that uses DOS operating systems, as I'm sure we will for another decade or so.


Thanks again.

quote:

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Originally posted by BanjoBrad

I sort of hate to bear bad news, SickOfNewYork, having programmed in DOS and CP/M for many years myself, but Tabledit has these features and more. And it is available for windows and iMacs (the intel macs).

But it is nice to know somebody still works with DOS. I went to the iMac when MS stopped supporting W98. I still have compilers for PL/I somewhere around here, plus the manuals, if you're interested.

Forum Rules and Guidelines
FHO FAQ

Brad
"D n A, the keys of life.", Big Jim Griffith
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.PricklyPearMusic.net
ezFolk Page
Tucson Old Time Music Circle Home Page

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hump3dc - Posted - 02/22/2009:  09:24:57

Re: Computer aided learning
My wife and I play fiddle and mandolin and use the computer as our back up jamming partners. We use TableEdit, Sonar 7 and Finale PrintMusic. We are primarily interested in Celtic music and I have over 200 arranged for 2 violins, bass, guitar and piano and occassionally I'll add a banjo.

We find this to be a fair substitute to live musicians jamming. It is never as good but we learn a lot of songs this way. I haven't learned how to program the grace notes necessary for good fiddle songs.
As info
David

falcanary - Posted - 03/16/2009:  10:58:14

Yep, i've been using TablEdit for some time. Recently, I transcribed some popular Cajun tune solos that I play. I'm constantly working on more. See my webpage for more.
http://www.wadefalcon.com/cajunfiddletablature/

WF

~~~Q~~~
WF

kygarv7 - Posted - 03/23/2009:  12:45:47

I like to use Sony Sound Forge to slow down tunes without lowering the pitch. You can take a masterful performance and slow it down to where you can hear every note and slur. It just takes a little longer to learn and memorize. I usually only get about 6 seconds at a time, but it works!

fiddlepogo - Posted - 03/23/2009:  13:49:49

If I can find a MIDI version of a tune I like, I slow that down in Windows Media Player to learn it.
Many of these are from hetzlersfakebook.com.

I have also learned tunes from abc files with an abc tune player.

There are SO many fiddle tunes that I don't want to bother learning it with sheet music until I KNOW I like the tune.

Michael- Old Time 90% of the time!

"It''s hard to take yourself seriously when you''re singing about chickens!"

http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1088
for mp3s, blog, and "Michael''s Old Time Fiddle & Banjo Hour" (hifi & lofi audio streams)

Edited by - fiddlepogo on 03/23/2009 13:52:12

SickOfNewYork - Posted - 03/23/2009:  14:22:00

Thanks for the songs. I downloaded them and (FYI) I could load them into the viewer, but need to use the editor.

quote:

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Originally posted by falcanary

Yep, i've been using TablEdit for some time. Recently, I transcribed some popular Cajun tune solos that I play. I'm constantly working on more. See my webpage for more.
http://www.wadefalcon.com/cajunfiddletablature/

WF

~~~Q~~~
WF

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