Learning to play by ear.

[La Folia]

15 hours ago, Don Noon said:

While I agree that your basic gathering of amateur fiddlers is most commonly going to play simple "square" tunes so that everyone can join in, the upper levels of the craft I think can be as demanding as classical playing, although perhaps in different ways with rhythm and bow movements that would be totally foreign to classical music.  Here is an example (one of my favorites)  of "4 bars of this, followed by 4 bars of that" that is anything but simple:  Fiddle Tune

This is a great example.  Both players have excellent technique with both hands, and they have obviously been well taught.  Just look at his bowing at the beginning.  I don't think anyone could reasonably expect to play anything so well without excellent teaching.

[Violadamore]

42 minutes ago, Rue said:

I feel like that too.  That's why I got myself a bass guitar a couple of months ago.  It's something different, but still within my interests.  It's something new to explore, so I'm both excited (so much to learn) and still relaxed about it - since my goal is to see how far I get, but with no pressure to get there...if that makes sense?

Other interests have more pressure...like learning a piece for a concert, recital etc.,  if I have to learn/improve technique in order to perform.

So far...no bands have been knocking on my door to have me play Handel's Bouree on the bass...

Audacity is what you need.  Then your Northern wilderness won't be trackless any more.  [puns intended ]

[Bill Merkel]

as far as just playing goes, classical is a style.   you can have any number of bars of classical that is just one sustained note...

[jezzupe]

1 hour ago, Bill Merkel said:

as far as just playing goes, classical is a style.   you can have any number of bars of classical that is just one sustained note...

all you need is one

 

[Rue]

1 hour ago, Violadamore said:

Audacity is what you need.  Then your Northern wilderness won't be trackless any more.  [puns intended ]

 

1 hour ago, Bill Merkel said:

as far as just playing goes, classical is a style.   you can have any number of bars of classical that is just one sustained note...

I can sustain one note!!! 

Pure musical genius that I am! 

[Bill Merkel]

i was listening to violin makers on youtube and one fiddler played something slow that could have easily have been a snip of something from the classical repertory.  but for classical its sound was wrong, it wasn't shaped right, and vibrato was like one or two wide jerks then nothing.  so playing-wise classical is a style.  you can country fiddle classical or you can violin classical too 

 

re: sustaining one note, just play full bows of open strings listening to the resonance instead of the string and try to bring it out and you're playing classical.  if you're successful at it, pretty advanced classical actually