Learn to play the fiddle

Learn to play the fiddle Fiddle courses and lessons from an experienced and enthusiastic teacher

08/08/2026

Bowing patterns to make your Irish reels less mechanical, and give them lilt and lift instead. The Maid Behind the Bar, in this video, is a popular session reel, but it needs good bowing to make it flow.

Try this pattern out here, and gradually you will find yourself using it in other reels with even knowing it!

In the next part in this series, we will look at some bowing for the reel Drowsy Maggie.

Make sure you FOLLOW me for more Irish fiddle tips, tunes, techniques and tutorials.

15/07/2026

Do you want to get that elusive Irish sound into your playing? Master rolls, cuts and other ornamentation? Understand bowing patterns that give you tunes lift and energy? Learn exercises and get practice tips that will take your fiddle playing to the next level? Follow along, there's all that and more here...

04/07/2026

Super-charge your fiddle practice today with my little 10:10 rule.
Take 10 seconds, and in that time decide what you are going to practice for 10 minutes.

Make it super specific. Not -- 'this tune'. Instead, try:

- one bar on a loop
- a phrase
- a string crossing section
- super slow smooth bowing
- some chords
- crans
- a bowing /slurring pattern
- your 4th finger
- your tuning on the high B
- your pulse
- jig emphasis
- cuts
- a rhythm drill

Do that one thing relentlessly, with proper focus, for 10 minutes. Set a timer if you want. Then after that play whatever you want, just for the joy of it.
Try it, it'll change the way you practice. And follow me for loads more fiddle playing advice.

03/07/2026

Sometimes you don't write a tune, it just arrives. What does this tune make you think of? Drop your name suggestions in the comments.

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