In this fiddle meditation, we'll slowly explore "Old Joe Clarke" with meditation, callandresponse, looping, visualization and other practice strategies.

To prepare, take a full tune lesson here:    • Old Joe Clark  Fiddle Lesson  

The intention is to relax body, breath and mind so you can perform better. Enjoy the sound of the music and feeling in the body.
Start by getting a good sound on a single note. Then add complexity: scales, melodic chunks and larger sections of the song.
Work through a cycle of steps. Each time you start the cycle, you'll return your awareness to the body and breath by playing a single note. This powerful practice will keep you grounded in a good, relaxed sound.
There are a few points in the lesson where you'll be prompted to practice on your own. The A drone will continue.
Try this on other tunes you know! Then let me know how it goes...
I'm glad you're here.

Let's begin...

1:06 Center
3:18 Adding complexity: D1, rhythms, textures
4:50 Breathing & Relaxation
5:45 First 4 notes of the song
6:47 Audiation: hearing music in your head
8:04 Transpose down an octave
9:12 Alternate between high and low octaves
10:05 Add hoedown rhythm
11:22 Gradual speedup
12:35 Center
12:55 A Part, First Quarter
13:41 Bar 3
13:59 Loop Bar 3
15:14 Transpose down an octave
17:30 Add Slur twoseparate two bowing
19:11 Alternate between octaves in a Loop
20:45 A Mixolydian Scale
21:29 On your own: Scale practice
23:15 Offbeat accent
24:15 Offbeat accent on A Mixolydian
26:15 Tremolo on open A
29:01 A Part, Second Quarter Loop
30:39 A Part, Third Quarter Loop
31:18 A Part, Fourth Quarter
32:22 A Part, Fourth Quarter Loop
34:51 Whole A Part fast
35:31 Jam session tip
36:06 Whole A Part Slow
38:45 Center
39:58 Whole A Part Low octave
41:24 Add Texture Variation: Tremolo
42:10 Droning Double stops variation
45:50 Center with Gratitude


A detailed outline with supplementary content is available through FiddleHed.

I offer workshops in this format twice a month. I follow these with guided practice sessions: students practice on their own and I prompt them with practice strategies.

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