Posted by fiddlepogo on Wednesday, June 10, 2009
My wife and I had business in the area of Sebastopol (California, not the Crimea!) and the business more or less taken care of, we were driving through downtown Sebastopol, and I saw People's Music.
Since I'd been doing a lot of driving, the dear wife felt it would be a good break for me, so I went in. There just happened to be a fellow enquiring about the quality of a fiddle they had, so you know me, I just had to chime in, and they offered to let me demo the fiddle which I did.
It wasn't anything fancy, only $120!
It took a bit to get it tuned up acceptably, but I did demonstrate it. Then their resident Old Time fiddle instructor came out front, and of course we got to talking about fiddling. I asked him to play something, and he did a very nice Old Time tune, well played, in what looked to me to be clearly an upbow accent approach- all his sawstrokes were up-down, up-down, and his Georgia Shuffles (bj, take note!) had the accent on the upstroke (i.e., BACKWARDS, bj, BACKWARDS! ;^)).
I asked him if he was aware that many would call him an upbow fiddler, and he said yes, that that was the way he learned.
I also told him about the Fiddle Hangout, although I warned him that I am known here as fiddlepogo, and notorious for my long bowing posts! (edit... er, um, make that- excessively long posts about bowing! ;^D... cause I sure ain't a long-bower!)
I'm hoping he'll show up here, although he is very busy with the store, it seems.
And then the store closed, and we were on our way back home.
Then I checked out the location of Coffee Katz cafe in Sebastopol, which hosts jam sessions, just in case I'm ever back in Sebastpol on that Saturday (can't remember if it's every Saturday, or just one a month- it's on folkjam.org)
7 comments on “Fiddlepogo's Friendly Encounter With An Upbow Fiddler!”
Humbled by this instrument Says:
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 @12:22:17 PM
Yeah, Michael, I see "the accent on the upstroke" all the time at the bluegrass festivals, especially "Uncle Penn" and "Gold Rush" and "Cherokee Shuffle" and actually some guys throw it in everywhere.
mudbug Says:
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 @1:40:25 PM
Michael, Is that long-bowing posts, or long, bowing posts?
It's always fun to check out new music stores.
OTJunky Says:
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 @2:30:23 PM
It's "long, bowing posts"...
--OTJ
Rene Says:
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 @4:32:28 PM
long bowing or long boring :) (just kidding)
ChickenMan Says:
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 @6:35:13 PM
HA Rene, I inwardly chuckled and said the same thing - tongue in cheek of course. Then I read your post.
Michael, I think I may have leanings toward up-bow accenting when playing Irish tunes. I just recently "stepped outside" myself in the middle of playing Irish ditties and observed it happening. Then the notes got messier as I focused on the bow... unfortunately that happens often when I have to split my focus with these jigs and reels.
bj Says:
Thursday, June 11, 2009 @6:55:52 PM
Um, Michael. He does GA shuffle the correct way. You're the one who does it backwards.
And since you just acknowledged him as "the Resident Old Time Fiddle Instructor" then he must know how to do it right. :-)
fiddlepogo Says:
Thursday, June 11, 2009 @9:52:50 PM
But if he's an admitted upbow fiddler, and you think he's doing it the correct way, then YOU must really be an upbow fiddler too, now, admit it! ;^D
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