Chord Charts (Especially Useful for Octave Fiddlers)

Download Common_Fiddle_Chords_for_Standard_Tuning.pdf (110.4K)

These are fiddle chord charts for the chords most commonly used in Old Time, Irish, Scottish and other “folk” styles of fiddling. Full chords are composed of three notes: the root note, the 3^rd (“flatted” 3^rd for minor chords) and the 5^th harmony notes. On a fiddle, one can only play partial chords, composed of any 2-note combination of the root, 3^rd or flatted 3^rd or the 5^th. Owing to the way a fiddle is played (with a bow), the notes must be on adjacent strings.

Bluegrass fiddlers make extensive use of chords (usually called “double-stops”) when not playing a solo. In Old Time, Irish and Scottish playing, chords are used primarily by a second fiddler. A good second fiddler will often mix chordal accompaniment with playing the main melody in unison, the main melody an octave lower (especially when playing a baritone/octave fiddle) or a harmony melody. Different regional styles will emphasize different techniques for the second fiddler; for example, in certain regions of Ireland, simply playing the tune in various combination of unison and an octave lower is favored. In other styles, the second fiddler plays primarily chords; which works particularly well with a baritone fiddle. A viola is sometimes used as well for the same purpose.

In any case, any fiddler who ever intends to play second fiddle in a duet best know his or her chords. The bowing techniques for chord playing include long bowing and the “chop” (used extensively by Darol Anger—he has a lesson on the chop on YouTube). Experienced players will use various other techniques such as the birl (called a treble in Irish playing), various shuffle patterns and so forth. We intend to create a video lesson on bowing methods for second fiddle some time in the future.

Comments

[Arrokgab]

order an designer fake to take huge discount