Mary Riley's Comments

Hi again Mary...you can find hundreds of sheet mustic to traditional Irish music...Ceol tradaisiunta at The session.org..also try to pick up O'Neill's Music of Ireland by Miles Krassen, (Oak Publications) which has the sheet music for 1,000 celtic tunes...Good Luck...your fellow fiddler...Lou

Hi Mary....Here's my method from one New Englander to another...Practice....Practice....Practice...I know you will succeed, I am 68 years old and I practice...Practice....Practice...Also practicing Celtic Harp and whistle...Celtic music is just the greatest...I try to make my practice sessions fun...I wish the best...Regards...Lou

I see you are learning violin. I started to learn fiddle about, 5-6 years ago along with my then 6 year old daughter. She is now better than I am.

Hi Mary..!
I know, I know... this is late a bit... however :

Happy and Healthy 2008 to you and close ones...!

Full of music, lots of good times,... simply enjoy and be well..!!!!

Take care..!

wwm

Good luck with the fiddle!
Suzuki is a good way to learn tunes by ear, which is the way trad. music is usually learned.

My recommendation to learn Irish fiddle at home is to try Matt Cranitch's 'Irish Fiddle' book/CDs (Ossian/music sales) and Peter Cooper's 'Complete Irish Fiddle Player' book/CDs (Mel Bay)....
Matt's book is very beginner friendly. Peter's is a bit more advanced. Both show bowings and ornamentation ideas.

Also, Homespun has a bunch of great fiddle DVDs that you can buy, including some by Kevin Burke.

And check out youtube for LOTS of fiddle videos.

Have fun!