PODCAST · music
Fiddle Studio
by Meg Wobus Beller
The glasses clink and the talk and laughter grow louder. In the corner of the pub, musicians sit and play traditional dance tunes that make your feet want to stomp and slide. Join fiddler Meg Wobus Beller as she brings you along into the world of fiddling and traditional music, from bow-grips and double stops to Old-Time tunes and Irish jigs.
Episodes
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Our Top Five Classic Old Time Tunes in G
Charley and I compare our top choices for Old Time classic G tunes. What is a classic tune? What tunes are on Charley's list? What tunes are on my list? Listen and find out! Then we play Barlow Knife. Get my Old Time Tune Pack 1 at fiddlestudio.com with detailed teaching materials for…
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Frets to Fiddle Pt. 2 (Icy Mountain)
Today we talk about controlling the bow on the string, another fun challenge for folks who are picking up the fiddle. I play the version of Icy Mountain from Ward Jarvis that's cross tuned AEAE from the Milliner Koken collection. The B part should NOT have been repeated, oh well! Here is the bow...
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Frets to Fiddle Pt. 1 (Kaw River)
My husband is learning to play the fiddle, and with Charley's permission I discuss some of the issues he's running into playing an instrument without frets for the first time. This time we talk about left hand tuning issues. Next time will be the bow. A lovely version of Kaw River, a Texas style...
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Too Much Nothing (Amazing Grace)
Wow, it's good to be back! This episode is an update on what I've been doing and what I've been thinking about. Hope to be back with more fiddle topics, interviews, and tunes for you all soon. For my anti-tech writing, check out my Substack A Life Outside or my short (FREE) book Turn It Off: A…
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Megan Lynch Chowning (John Rice)
Great interview this month with seven time National Fiddle Champion and creator of the FiddleStar site, Megan Lynch Chowning! Megan doesn't compete in fiddle contests anymore, or judge them, or go to them, so I was very curious to hear about why. We talk about fiddling in California, fiddle...
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The Wild Shoats (Moonshiner)
My interview this month on the Fiddle Studio Podcast is a conversation with The Wild Shoats, formerly The Shoats. Check out their fabulous brand new album Yell in the Shoats, just out! This is a relatively new band with three talented Old-Time fiddlers. I've heard them called both an Alt-folk…
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Austin Scelzo (Trouble in My Soul)
A bluegrass fiddler and a contradance fiddler walk in to a bar...and discover they both have degrees in music education. This month I talk with Austin Scelzo and we don't hold back discussing what we think is lacking in classical music and public school music education and training. Austin and I...
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Judy Hyman (Three Shoes)
I could never pick a favorite interview, but this one was up there! The conversation this month is with a heroine of mine, Judy Hyman. Judy co-founded the Horseflies in Ithaca, NY in the late 1970s and has played and taught Old-Time and Alt-Rock fiddle ever since. She now composes music for film...
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Oliver Scanlon (Chris Glidden's)
We’re having a conversation with Oliver Scanlon, a fiddler and traditional musician based in Syracuse NY. Originally from Vermont, Oliver learned fiddle from the great Pete Sutherland. He played, performed and recorded extensively with Pete over the last 10 years of Pete’s life with Pete’s Posse,...
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Dakota Karper (Coyote Howl)
An interview with West Virginia Old-Time fidder and fiddle teacher Dakota Karper. We talk about fiddle and banjo, starting her folk school the Cat and the Fiddle, improv and interpretation in Old-Time tunes, teaching beginners and developing young musicians using the Old-Time repertoire, and her...
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Bruce Molsky (Can I Change My Mind)
I was honored to chat with Bruce Molsky on the Fiddle Studio Podcast this month. Bruce has a new album out with Darol Anger called Lockdown Breakdown. We talk about getting into Old-Time and sticking with it over the years, trying to sound like your heroes, picking up new tunes, the Berklee...
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Alicia Svigals (Dybbuk Honga)
Klezmer violinist and composer Alicia Svigals is widely considered to be the world's leading klezmer fiddler, often called the Queen of Klezmer. She was a founder and a longtime member of the Grammy-winning group the Klezmatics. She has performed with and written music for violinist Itzhak…
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Charley Beller (Won't Come 'Till Morning)
Hey, it's episode 100! We hear from Charley Beller, Irish flute and guitar player and contra dance musician from Baltimore, Maryland and my spouse. Charley has played guitar on most of the podcast episodes, but this is the first time he shares on the podcast! What's it like to learn a dozen…
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Why we squeak (Cumberland Gap)
Why does the fiddle squeak? If only we knew. Hang on, we do know! I offer lots of diagnosis and advice for how to get to the bottom of squeaking. Together we can not squeak as much. The tune for this week is Marion Reece's version of Cumberland Gap. I teach fiddle lessons! Find out more at...
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The best age to start (Horses in the Canebreak)
What is the best age to start? There is an exact and definite best age to begin playing the fiddle and if you don't start then you're doomed. I'm kidding. The tune for this week is Horses in the Canebreak. I teach fiddle lessons! Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching I also have a website for...
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Why play the fiddle? (Sally in the Garden)
People play the fiddle for all kinds of reasons, and as a fiddler and fiddle teacher they often tell me all about it. I talk about some of the variety of reasons I've heard from adult fiddlers for why they're voluntarily choosing to take up this rewarding and challenging new hobby! Our Tune this...
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Busking on the fiddle (Old Aunt Jenny With her Night Cap On)
Busking is playing in the street for money. I've done it. In fact, I've done in New York City in the subway! A few thoughts on busking, and some busking stories. Fun tune this week, Old Aunt Jenny With Her Night Cap On. I teach fiddle lessons! Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching I also have…
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I try to play jazz (Cluck Old Hen, Ed Weaver's version)
Recently I tried to play jazz. It got me thinking about jazz, so I share some thoughts about playing jazz as a violinist, how I approach it, what it's like, how I practice, and how I take a solo. The tune is Ed Weaver's Cluck Old Hen. In the words of my friend Shane, it's a "nice, meditative…
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Consider the mandolin (Shippensport)
Have you thought about playing the mandolin? You could do worse. Welcome back to our regularly scheduled episodes, featuring a bunch of Old-Time tunes for the rest of June and July. We get caught up and talk about the mandolin. You may already know this, but the mandolin is tuned the same as a...
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BEST OF: Double Stops and Drones (Tail Toddle)
Starting summer vacation this week so I'm replaying an episode I recorded in December of 2022 about double stops and drones. I'll be back next week with Old-Time tunes. My course for double stops and drones can be found here. This episode covers how Megan helps her students learn to play double...
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Ellery Klein (York Street Stepper)
This week I have a conversation with Irish fiddler Ellery Klein. Ellery Klein performs across New England with the fiddle, flute, and guitar trio Fódhla and nationally with the three-fiddle Celtic powerhouse group, The Bow Tides, whose debut album, Sailing On, was released in 2022. She also…
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Harmonizing on the fiddle (Stoney Steps)
Let's talk about playing harmonies on the fiddle. How can you get started with learning and playing harmonies and how do you get better at coming up with them on the fly? Our tune this week is the Irish single reel in D, Stoney Steps. I teach fiddle lessons! Find out more at...
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Andrew VanNorstrand (Lost River)
Andrew VanNorstrand performs with his brother Noah VanNorstrand and Chris Miller in the Faux Paws, a contemporary folk band that plays fiddle tunes and original songs with just about the best groove around. The Faux Paws are making an album and you can get involved and find out more here. The…
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Novels with fiddlers (Donnybrook Fair)
If you're a reader and a fiddler, here are some recommendations for books from children's books to YA and general fiction that feature fiddlers and fiddling. Some of these books have even been known to inspire folks to pick up the fiddle! Kids books: Mole music Just Enough and Not Too Much…
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Trying a Tune in Different Keys (Maid of Mt. Kisco)
We talk about the personalities of the different major and minor keys. What makes C sound so different from A on the fiddle? Why do players try out a tune in different keys, and how do the keys lay out on the instrument? Our tune is the Irish E minor reel Maid of Mt. Kisco. Love this one! I teach...
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Rachel Eddy (Rose in the Mountain)
This is my second conversation with Rachel Eddy, since I forgot to record the first one! We talk about finding flow in fiddling, learning tunes off recordings (or not), remembering tunes, singing, some great stories about Rachel's dad and his fiddle journey, and some ideas for fiddle students to...
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Tapes on the Fiddle (Broken Down Gambler)
We're talking about tapes on the fiddle, or stickers, or fingerboard stick on charts, or whatever you're curious about. Did you use tapes when you started? What are they useful for and how long does it make sense to use them? Our tune is Broken Down Gambler, an Old-Time reel in G. I teach fiddle...
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Articulation on the Fiddle (Dusty Miller)
When I talk about articulation I'm referring to the beginning of the note, or the attack, and how long the note is generally. Articulation, or catching the string, or getting a "scrubby" sound, has a huge effect on your sound. Our tune is Dusty Miller, an Old-Time modal reel in A. I teach fiddle...
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Signing up for a Fiddle Competition (Old Billy Hell)
Have you wondered what it's like to compete in a fiddle competition? So have I. So I signed up for one and we'll see how it goes. I talk a little about how I'm planning to prepare. Our tune for this week is Old Billy Hell, a half length crooked Old-Time tune. Our album release party contra dance...
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BEST OF: Practicing With the Metronome (House of my Own)
A repeat this week, as my family is on spring break. This very early episode has been pretty popular, and has a lovely slip jig for the Irish fiddlers. It's never a bad time to break out the old metronome. I'll be back with Old-Time tunes for you next week! -Meg This episode features the fiddle...
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Tricia Spencer (Big Taters in the Sandy Land)
This week we have an interview with Tricia Spencer! Tricia is a well known, award winning Kansas fiddler who grew up on her family’s farm learning the tradition of old-time fiddling knee to knee from her grandpa and grandma, Vernon and Iona Spencer. Tricia takes us on a deep dive into Kansas and...
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Problematic Tune Names (Magpie's Nest)
Have you ever been uncomfortable saying the name of a fiddle tune? How about tunes with slurs in the title or the Irish tune I Buried My Wife and Danced on her Grave? Without using racial slurs, I discuss problematic fiddle tune names, how I think about them and approach them. Find the…
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Gripping the Fiddle (Madam if You Please)
This week we talk about where the fiddle neck meets the hand. Different ways to grip the neck of the fiddle and how it can change- even while you're in the middle of playing! Our tune is Madam if You Please from a jam at the ArtHouse Bar. I teach fiddle lessons! Find out more at...
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The Five-String Fiddle (John Blessing's Delight)
Hear all about playing and performing on the 5 string fiddle with a bonus question from last week with Jenna Moynihan. Hear about Jenna's fiddle and how she uses it! Jenna's Interview: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2040333/14620847 John Blessing's Delight is an Irish jig in G major. I teach fiddle...
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Jenna Moynihan (Brenda and Bill's)
An interview with Jenna Moynihan, a fiddler and an extraordinary member of the Boston music community. Jenna performs with harpist Mairi Chaimbeul, the Seamus Egan Project, the Hanneke Cassel Band, and has appeared as a soloist at Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops. In addition to touring,...
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Genres of Fiddling (Billy in the Lowground A)
Let's talk about the different kinds of fiddling you find around the US and Canada. I share what I know about the genres more closely related to dancing and dance music, and a little about fiddling along with songs. Our tune for today is a version of Billy in the Lowground in the key of A, played...
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When to Stop Playing the Fiddle (Chinquapin Hunting)
What?! Stop playing the fiddle? Why would I ever do a podcast on that topic, and who am I to tell anyone what they should do or not do? Our tune for today is Chinquapin Hunting, a three part tune in A, played in cross A tuning. (I originally put the wrong tune up- even I can't keep these Old-Time...
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Supercharge Your Practice (Old Granny Rattle Trap)
Listen in to hear how you can supercharge your practicing, or at least give it a refresh. This is the last podcast devoted to a topic from my new course How to Play Faster, which is available now on Fiddle Studio! A quick addendum to the description of mindful practice: I somehow blanked on the...
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Janie Rothfield (Waiting for Sandy)
Janie Rothfield is a powerhouse Old-Time fiddler and banjo player who performs and teaches at camps and weekends all over the country and the world! Janie shares what she thinks is important for fiddlers to learn and work on. Is it the fingering or the bowing? Hear all about Janie's Jumpstart…
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Unlocking the left hand (Preston's reel)
Any time you mess with the left hand technique it's going to interfere with your playing. With this in mind how are some ways you can work on unlocking your hand gradually, or consider what's it like to drop everything and completely relearn the left hand. I made a mistake with the tune. I call…
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Slow practice vs. rhythms (Ne'er Shall I Wean Her)
Slow practice and rhythms are two different ways to practice and make your playing faster. But how does slowing down help? And how is that different from practicing with rhythmic variations? Our tune for today is Ne'er Shall I Wean Her, a jig from a session at the ArtHouse bar in Baltimore,...
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Moving around the circle of fifths (Tommy Mulhaire's jig)
How to create speed by taking the thinking out of the left hand. My current favorite exercise for beginning and intermediate players. The tune for today is Tommy Mulhaire's, a jig by Tommy Mulhaire (or maybe by Martin his son). I teach fiddle lessons! Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching I...
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The biggest mistake I see (The Birds hornpipe)
When I play out in the community and see folks who are still learning to play the fiddle, what is the biggest mistake I see them doing? Listen and find out! The tune today is The Birds, from a session with Brendan Hearn, Connor Hearn, and Dan Isaacson at the ArtHouse in Baltimore. I teach fiddle...
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Brad Kolodner (Stony Run)
An interview with fiddler and clawhammer banjo player Brad Kolodner. We talk a lot about the banjo, but Brad does more than just banjo. Topics include growing up as the children of folk musicians, the commercialization of Old-Time music, and the lack of women on bills at Old-Time Festivals. Hear...
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BEST OF: How to play in tune (The Kilmovee)
FIRST AIRED ON JANUARY 10th 2023 (BEST OF) Let's talk about how to improve your tuning on the fiddle. If you're struggling with this, you're not alone! We'll explore three key elements in tuning your hand on the fiddle; where your hand is on the fingerboard, finger spacing and placement, and the...
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Not every note is equal (La Moquine)
What is it that makes fiddling sound like dance music? Why does it sound so different when you hear a classical violinist play a fiddle tune, what's missing? We're talking about the variety of accents, volume, and quality of tone within the running notes of a fiddle tune. It's what makes the…
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Jamming vs. Practicing (Sleeping on the Floor)
How does jamming help with your fiddle playing and how does practicing help your fiddle playing. We dive into this topic, exploring how each can help you improve on the fiddle and when one might be a little more useful to meet a specific playing goal. Our tune this week is called Sleeping on the...
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Lissa Schneckenburger (For Grada)
This week we hear from New England fiddler Lissa Schneckenburger. Lissa has been performing and recording New England fiddle and folk music for the past 20 years. Her fiddling is one of a kind, intensely danceable, with virtuosic technique and fluidity. She shares what it was like to fiddle as a...
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Tilting the Bow (Half Past Four)
The bow hair can be flat. The bow can tilt away from you. The bow can tilt towards you. How does tilting the bow affect your tone and why and how do different players in different genres use this technique? The tune today is Half Past Four, a tune played by blind fiddler Ed Haley from West...
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Harmonies in Fiddle Tunes (Boys Them Buzzards Are Flying)
Harmonies are a great addition to fiddle tunes, in most cases, and with some exceptions and guidelines. Get the lowdown on when it's appropriate and welcome to harmonize, a little about why you might not want to harmonize in an Irish Jam, and how to get started learning and creating your own...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The glasses clink and the talk and laughter grow louder. In the corner of the pub, musicians sit and play traditional dance tunes that make your feet want to stomp and slide. Join fiddler Meg Wobus Beller as she brings you along into the world of fiddling and traditional music, from bow-grips and double stops to Old-Time tunes and Irish jigs.
HOSTED BY
Meg Wobus Beller
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Fiddle Studio have?
Fiddle Studio currently has 111 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fiddle Studio about?
The glasses clink and the talk and laughter grow louder. In the corner of the pub, musicians sit and play traditional dance tunes that make your feet want to stomp and slide. Join fiddler Meg Wobus Beller as she brings you along into the world of fiddling and traditional music, from bow-grips and...
How often does Fiddle Studio release new episodes?
Fiddle Studio publishes regularly with 111 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Fiddle Studio?
You can listen to Fiddle Studio on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Fiddle Studio?
Fiddle Studio is created and hosted by Meg Wobus Beller.
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