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@Thomas B.
You've got me thinking about my quest I embarked on, starting 2½ years ago, when I decided to learn to play the Fiddle.
...I'm still on this journey!
I've added quite a bit of interesting info and examples of music to the 'Genre' section of this forum, but I know there is sooo much more to explore!
This adventure of mine has never stopped being exciting! Even though some genres can get confusing they have ALL been worth learning about, because I have discovered wonderful music. Some tunes are hard to play, some are just plain fun and others are so beautiful they haunt me.
I ask myself enough questions it keeps me searching. So, here's a fairly recent video that shows a FABULOUS variety of genres for comparison. Michael Burnyeat chose great examples to play - 30 different fiddling styles and you can hear the differences!
Here are the 30 styles listed in order of play:
Scottish, Irish, French Canadian, Canadian Old-time, American Old-time, Métis, Cape-breton, Texas style, Bluegrass, Western Swing, English, Gypsy Jazz, Cajun, Country, Swedish, Klezmer, Prairie Canadian Old-time (Calvin Vollrath), West Coast, Contemporary, Ukrainian, New England, Breton, Blues, Shetland, Mariachi, Jazz, Maritimes, Choro, Folk (fiddle backup), Czech.
Whew! ...and y'all thought I was crazy with 10 tunes for the Christmas Party! 🤣
- Emily





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@Thomas B. , @Ripton -
The thing that drives me a little crazy about Fiddle Styles, is trying to wrap my head around 'sub-genres' - styles within a genre.
Music Style boundary lines can get VERY blurred - even between genres!
Here's a short, interesting look at 'Regional Styles' of Irish Traditional music by Chris Haigh.
"Regional Style in Irish Traditional music - Fact or Fiction?"
Here's a good thread to check out!
https://fiddlerman.com/forum/c.....t/#p122960
- Emily

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@Ripton -
🤣 You can't have too many Fiddling Books... can you?
@Thomas B. -
We've been talking about Mardi Gras and you may be interested in how 'Cajun', 'Creole' and 'Zydeco' Fiddle music is similar to 'Old Time' - with double stops and shuffle bowing.
You've probably heard examples since Maine has a large presence of Acadian Culture - this is some FUN music to play!
Mitch Reed resides in Maine, now - moved up from Louisiana a while back.
In this video, Mitch talks about some differences you'll hear down South, as well as in Northern Louisiana 'Acadian' music.
- Emily

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I have to say something very weird. You woke me up ELCBK!!! My father always used to say that most answers are right under our noses and you just nailed it!!! Fiddlin' began actually 6 generation ago in my family, and it all started with my French(Acadian) gr gr great grandfather, David Thibodeau. He was known to fiddle to his kind of music which was exactly as you described. I have been trying to find that perfect genre that Thomas loves and have been wholely unsuccessful until now. All I had to do was look in front of my nose. Thank you so much. YOu may not know what you did, but I sure did my friend.

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@Thomas B. -
I am SO happy I could help you make that connection! 🤗
Besides the the link (in my previous post) to the "Cajun Fiddle" Thread, you will find music of interest in the "French Canadian Fiddle" thread, here:
You might have also heard the traditional 'Down East' Style tunes around where you live - made famous by Fiddlers like "Don Messer" and popular in the Northeast.
Hope you both find something you'd love to try!
- Emily

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Here's some styles of Fiddle Music you may not have heard.
Ran across a Beth Bahia Cohen Jam from the August 2020 Fiddle Hell Online Festival.
It's a wonderful demonstration of tunes from Romania, Klezmer, Hungary, Greece and Turkey! She also explains a little about the scales & microtones.
I have really enjoyed taking several of Beth's workshops during the last few Fiddle Hell Festivals - she's an excellent instructor!
Sorry, the video image isn't great (sitting in front of her computer to interact), but the sound IS!
Tunes in order:
ROMANIAN:
Hora de la Munte -Gm
Hora Mare – Am
Geamparele - D/E
Hora de la Cimpulung - Dm
KLEZMER:
Hora Di Sapozhkelekh – Am
Husidl – Em
Dave’s Bulgar – Dm [Dave Reiner]
HUNGARIAN:
Dunantuli Ügros - Am & A
Lorincreve A - 2 men’s dances
2 Wedding songs from Őrdőngősfűzes – Am
Gyimesi Kerekes – Am
GREEK:
Tourna - Bm (Asia Minor)
Kalamatianos from island of Naxos – A
Kalamatianis: Ti Thalassa tii Galani - A
Kalafatikos - Syrtos from island of Hydra - A
TURKISH:
Sala Sana – Am
Tapan camin sarmini – E
Karpuz Kestim Yiyen Yok – Am
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