I think what has helped me are:
Having a collection of repertoire recordings (mp3's) was a game changer for me in the last ten years. More specifically, having a collection and listening to it over and over and over and over for years. It made it possible to learn tunes faster and with less effort.
The most?
Probably a combination of factors.
“What’s helped you the most on your fiddle journey?”
For me, I’d say it has been having an excellent/professional teacher. A competent and engaged teacher notices what I can’t see, hears what I don’t hear, and knows what I need to work on better than I might. Getting immediate feedback is very valuable. And being expected to complete practice assignments certainly compels me to practice what I should rather than play what I’d like.
quote:b
Originally posted by RobBob
I did play Carnegie Hall once, albeit in Lewisburg, WV and on banjo. ;-)
I played Carniegie Hall in NY twice. That's where Stuyvesant HS held its graduation. I played clarinet in the HS band.
quote:
Originally posted by EarwormLearning piano starting about age 4, learning clarinet and playing in various ensembles starting about age 10, and btw marching band may have helped more than I realized. Singing everywhere I went (and go), learning, writing, memorizing & presenting speeches and participating in plays. And learning to play nice with others.
Similar. but also taught myself guitar at 15 and banjo at 29 (I was playing guitar in an old time band and used banjo to help me learn the melodies). Started fiddle at 31.
Reading and Understanding the..... DOTS.
This past weekend, I heard my fiddle played by two incredible fiddle players. It was great hearing my fiddle played from a different angle. Not sure if it helped, but it def inspired me!
Patience
Time was the best thing for my fiddle journey, I took Suzuki for classical 22 years ago for two years with my then 8 year old daughter (Father Daughter activity), then stopped. My Daughter had been bugging me to get a fiddle and start playing again, I finally did it in September of this year, started lessons in October, and now I have 8 tunes I am playing, I am playing Irish, Scottish and Old Tyme fiddle tunes, what a ball!
In the end, learning by ear has been the most amazing thing for my fiddle playing, 8 tunes, no music!
Edited by - Rusty23 on 12/18/2023 06:17:12
Using chord tones to go over the chords in a progression, say like a new swing tune or any tune with a more complex chord progression. Playing along with the tune using arpeggio’s of the chord tones only to start with. Then building more complex riffs from there.
Learning by ear. Unquestionably the most important thing.
My teacher.
I've cut back on my in person lessons, with the holidays and all...I go back to see him next week and I can see the importance of that face to face interaction. Not only is the fiddle aspect of it important, it's also the camaraderie.
The support and encouragement from my husband helped the most seconded by a very negative fiddle teacher who never thought for a minute that I would stick with it, I determined to prove him wrong....he wasn't my teacher for very long. Am i where I feel I should be, nope, but I have persevered and I'm better than I was but not as good as I'm gonna be.
