REEL BOWING PATTERNS • INTERMEDIATE

In these lessons, I introduce several standard bowing patterns.

As it Comes (aka Sawing)

Nashville Shuffle,

Georgia Shuffle

3+3+2 (aka Gretchen’s Favorite)

I like to use Devil’s Dream as our test tune because it has a lots of notes, lots of places to try patterns, and even spots where certain bowings don’t work. Each pattern is written out and walked through in the audio, with tips and tricks along the way.

LESSON 1: Hearing Patterns & ACCENTS

LESSON 2: lEARN THE BASIC MELODY

As I mention in the audio above, make sure you know the tune. Listen to it, hum it, get it in your ear. Fiddling is learned by listening and watching.

LESSON 3: OBSERVE

The bowing will really start to work when you have several frames of reference. Check out these fiddlers and just notice what they are doing. TIP: Look for the “gear” symbol on youtube where you can playback at a slower speed. After you play through the lessons below, come back to watch again, notice patterns, and maybe try on some of these ideas.

LESSON 4: AS IT COMES (SAWING)

Each note ges it’s own stroke, but adding accenting patterns elevate this classic bowing. Listen to learn more.

LESSON 5: THE NASHVILLE SHUFFLE

Slur 2 /separate 2 resulting in a natural accent on beat 2 and 4. Listen to learn more.

LESSON 6: THE GEORGIA SHUFFLE

One long bow followed by slurring the next three notes, resulting in a natural accent on the down bow on beat 2 and 4. Listen to learn more.

LESSON 7: 3+3+2 PATTERN

Three separate/three slurred/ 2 separate resulting in a syncopated accenting pattern. Listen to learn more.

LESSON 8: PERSONALIZE

Below is an audio of me playing around. Enjoy! And remember to head back to the videos in LESSON 3 with fresh eyes and ears. Did these great fiddlers even do ANY of these bowing patterns!? I wonder. Fold in ideas to your version of Devil’s Dream.

LESSON: Reel Bowing Patterns (Intermediate)