Things You'll Need:
- Fiddle Scales Tablature Fingering Chart
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Step 1
Learn the difference between a fiddle and a violin. The instruments are the same. The difference is in the style of music you play. Call it a violin when you play classical music and a fiddle when you play bluegrass or country.
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Step 2
Get familiar with your fiddle. Find a chart that shows you the notes on the neck of the fiddle. You can purchase one in a local music store or find one on the Internet. Make sure the chart shows you which finger to use to play the note and where the corresponding note is on the music staff. Learn how to tune your fiddle either by ear or using an electronic tuner.
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Step 3
Get familiar with the sound of the strings on your fiddle before you pick up the bow. Pluck the open strings. Put your fingers down on the neck and pluck the strings again. You'll notice the very sharp twang the notes produce. The fiddle is a stringed instrument like the guitar, but its short scale doesn't allow for "sustain." Getting sustain requires using the bow.
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Step 4
Hold the fiddle in front of you at a slight angle and rest your chin on the chin rest. Pick up your bow and drag it slowly across one of the strings. The slower you draw the bow across the string, the longer the note will last. Practice moving the bow back and forth across the strings while pressing your finger down on different notes. You create the rhythm with the bow and the notes you play are determined by where you place your finger. Practice doing the two actions together.
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Step 5
Learn to read music. It doesn't have to be traditional music. Fiddle players these days tend to use tablature instead. Tablature is a graph representing the strings on your fiddle. Tablature indicates the string you play and which note to play by labeling the fretted note on the string. Many fiddle players find this method much easier to use.
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Step 6
Train your ear. Listen to your favorite songs and try to copy what you hear. Try to play along with the songs and improvise your own parts. The best way to learn to play is to actually play. Fiddle players are much more laid back than other kinds of musicians. Most of what they learn comes from playing by ear. Give it some time and keep practicing. You'll be surprised by how quickly you begin to get a feel for the music.
