The Fiddle Handbook is a treasure trove of information spanning the whole range of fiddle playing. It looks in detail at the most commonly played styles among today's fiddlers. From America, there's old time, bluegrass, Cajun, Western swing, country, blues, rock, klezmer, and jazz, while from the British Isles there's Irish, Scottish, and English. There is also a quick romp through Eastern Europe and beyond, from the spike fiddles of Africa and Asia to the Chinese Erhu, the fabulous Indian Sarangi, and the mysterious Norwegian Hardingfele. A wealth of musical examples – ornaments, bowing patterns, scales, modes, exercises and complete tunes – are faithfully reproduced in the audio tracks to give you a taste of each style. And finally, the book answers once and for all the hoary old question, “What's the difference between a fiddle and a violin?” The answer, of course, is that fiddle players have more fun....

This book and accompanying audio are an excellent introduction to the fiddle andold-time music. The lessons are designed to help the reader develop a solidfoundation on the instrument. The book employs a practical teaching style, rather than traditional methods and conventions. A brief history of the fiddle is presented first, followed by a visual overview of the instrument, basic technique and playing style. Twelve jam session tunes are included, along with a commentary on jam session etiquette and an extensive discography of suggested recordings. Theaudio includes slow and up-to-speed versions of all the exercises and tunes. Includes access to extensive online audio