BUILDING BLOCKS FOR GaspÉ REEL

Hi fiddle friends,

Whenever I’ve been asked to formally write down my teaching approach, I’ve hesitated… mainly because I don’t have “laminated lesson plans.” I see each player as an individual, and we explore tunes by leaning into their personal strengths.

Building Block Style

That said, I do tend to follow a “building block” style, which I can share in the form of sheet music, audio files, and a bit of written guidance. I begin with a basic melody that is simple, pleasing, and able to stand on its own. I recommend that everyone (from beginning to advanced players) find the “bones” of a piece before embellishing it.

Adding layers

Once playing the basic melody feels comfy, I offer layer upon layer of ideas. Generally, when I’m teaching, I try to focus on one technique at a time, though not always.

Fingering hand vs. bowing

In the lesson below, fingering techniques are featured. As for bowing, I feel it should be free, with the simple guideline of a down bow on the first beat of each measure and slurring many of the fast notes. My thinking is that if you’re tackling tricky fingering, you likely already have some experience with bowing patterns. If not, stay tuned for my REEL BOWING TUTORIAL, coming soon.

Listen

Lastly, I can’t encourage you enough to really get to know the tune. Listen to other fiddlers play it. Delight in their choices. Try out what you hear them play. Keep your playing flexible and fresh, rather than planned and static. As I find videos I like, I will post them at the bottom of the page!

Philosophy

I always say…to fiddle is a verb. It’s your interaction with the tune that makes the difference between simply playing a tune from the fiddle “repertoire”… and fiddling.

With that, have fun with this classic Québec tune!

Gretchen

PS

Foot Percussion

I added a bonus video from my archives at the end to teach the Quebec Foot Percussion!