Fiddle Tunes in Tab Julie & Julia Start a Fiddle Blog Directory of Tunes

Swallowtail Jig Revised

By on Monday, June 6th, 2011 | No Comments

This morning I was with a student who was struggling with the B part of Swallowtail Jig. If you have my book, 43 Fiddle Tunes in Tab, you can see how it’s tricky at that spot.

For her, I changed two things to simplify the part. I changed the D# to a D natural. Most people play it that way. And I eliminated the cut getting into B part, substituting a quick bow move instead.

Some of the jigs I’ve posted here, Out on the Ocean, for example, are intermediate to advanced. This version of the Swallowtail Jig is intermediate. It’s more approachable for a relative beginner.

 

Fiddle tab chart of Swallowtail Jig
Swallowtail Jig in Fiddle Tab

The pdf of Swallowtail Jig makes a better copy.

Out on the Ocean

By on Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 | No Comments

Out on the Ocean is an Irish jig I noticed when I got the Patrick Mangan album, Farewell to Ireland.  I liked the sound of it. I found it in one of my books and had it on the music stand for a while.

But, I didn’t really make it mine. There was one part I wasn’t satisfied with. I let the tune slide by, unfinished.

Then, I found a neglected CD in a pile of clutter. (Sorting through my clutter is a major hobby.) It was the live album by Martin Hayes,  Live in Seattle.

Aside from marveling what a great performance he turned in for that album, I heard that jig again. Now I had to learn it. It was close to being learned already.

The one part got straightened out to my taste and now I play it often. The tab version published here is my take on the tune.

Fiddle tab chart for Out on the Ocean, an Irish jigHere is the pdf of Out on the Ocean.

Connaughtman’s Ramble

By on Friday, July 16th, 2010 | No Comments

I saved space on the pages of my book by using footnotes and tidbits of tab. These one bar or less fragments were meant to be substituted when desired.

In my many years of teaching I found that substituting a fragment, or a bar, was not an easy skill for most students.

Now that I am publishing online, I don’t have to be so frugal with space. I can simply publish two or more variations of a whole tune. No need for note of foot.

Here are two versions of Connaughtman’s Ramble. This is a well known session tune. It was brought to me originally by one of my students who got it at a fiddle workshop in Boston.

Fiddle tab chart for Connaughtman's Ramble-Basic

Basic version of Connaughtman's Ramble

The pdf of Connaughtman’s Ramble-Basic.

The advanced version has rolls and grace notes. These, of course, are not graven in granite. You can use some or all.

Fiddle tab chart for Connaughtman's Ramble-Advanced

The pdf of Connaughtman’s Ramble-Advanced.

Road to Lisdoonvarna

By on Friday, March 19th, 2010 | No Comments

Last year at this time, I was doing a little recording for Ricko Donovan. I have some counterpoint on his My Darling Asleep from the Lucky Sevens album.

He told me that Lisdoonvarna has a meet up once a year that attracts hundreds of single men and women. Going to the big social gathering may be what the writer of this tune had in mind.

Here is the pdf of Road to Lisdonvarna.

Smash the Windows

By on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 | No Comments

Here is another tune from my book that I’m revising. A slightly simplified version replaces a couple of rolls and an idiosyncratic little walk up on the repeat of the B section.

I’ve been penciling these changes in for my studio students. Now you can see what I do.

The tune is also called Roaring Jelly, I believe.

Someone said this is a favorite tune of Mac users. I don’t know what’s up with that.

And, finally, here is a pdf for better results printing: Smash the Windows

The Dutchman’s Pipe

By on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 | No Comments

Irish jig by Elan Chalford

This is a jig I wrote recently. I like to play it in a medley with Connaughtman’s Ramble and The Northern Jig.

You can download the Dutchman’s Pipe pdf.

Inspired by Liz Carroll’s playing of The Northern Jig on the In Play album, I use a long linear figure to connect the parts from low high as she does, or high to low. It’s a genius move.

Ten Penny Bit

By on Saturday, January 16th, 2010 | 2 Comments

Fiddle Tab of Ten Penny Bit

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar. These bits were parts of a dollar, pieces of eight. Each one was worth about 12.5 cents. When one of them got really worn, you had a Ten Penny Bit.

Download the tune as a pdf file.

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