Learning the Fiddler's Ways (Keystone Books)

This book is written for everyone who wants to know more about fiddling -both oldtime and bluegrass - and about the people who keep an old folk art very much alive. Some readers will follow the author and his partner, Bob Doyle, and learn to fiddle - or to fiddle better. Some will follow Matthew and Bob and their mentor, Sam Bayard, and learn how to start collecting folk tunes. All readers will learn to listen more keenly whether as players of other instruments, square dancers, callers, and enjoyers - by catching the enthusiasm of the colorful and dedicated folk artists introduced here. Bob and Matthew started with a desire to learn fiddling, partly for fun and partly for ideas lobe used by a band they were forming. This desire led them into the Buffalo Valley, a central Pennsylvania farm region where the fiddler's art is esteemed, and to close acquaintance with well-known fiddlers there.In their quest the author and his partner found that the fiddler's art is bound up with his tunes - and his personality. This discovery led them to collect tunes both for their own value and for insights into fiddlers' tastes and styles. A major development in the Buffalo Valley has been the introduction of the bluegrass style as a complement to the oldtime style.The elements of the book are: discussions of bowing and fingering techniques, illustrated with diagrams; transcriptions of favorite Buffalo Valley tunes, with comments on ornamentation and repertoire; and introductions to leading area fiddlers, with emphasis on their experiences and lore. To enhance authenticity, much of the exposition is in the form of dialogues transcribed from interview tapes. Photographs show the fiddlers in action as well as the character of their surroundings. A glossary explains special terms.Learning the Fiddler's Ways will be of interest and value to members of folk music and dance groups, to students of folklore, and to the growing number of people who attend folk festivals as observers or participants.