NEW TO FIDDLING? Here are some general rules of "jamming":

IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO WORK ON A FEW POPULAR TUNES SO THAT YOU CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE JAMMING ON THE 2ND AND 4TH SUNDAY OF THE MONTH.

SOME OF THE COMMON TUNES PLAYED ARE FROM :

Westphalia Waltz - Page 289
Sally Goodin' - Page 246
Old Joe Clark - Page 207
Angeline The Baker - Page 22

THE FIDDLER'S FAKEBOOK by David Brody

ADDITIONAL COMMON TUNES ARE:

Ashoken Farewell
Arkansas Traveler
Soldier's Joy
Faded Love
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Wayfaring Stranger

Back to home

Be in tune.
Before starting and whenever in doubt, use an electronic tuner, or a tuning pipe. Most music stores sell them for various prices. They aren't too expensive, but well worth the money if you aren't able to tune your instrument by ear.


Be on the right chord. Play the chords as backup to the person who started the song. When you are invited to play the melody, you may accept or decline.
Remember the chord progression.

Stay with the beat.

It is helpful to write down, in a notebook, some of the tunes that are played. Find out what key the tune is in. You may want to listen to, and try to play, the tunes before the next jam.

Have fun and don't beat yourself up. It takes a while to learn the "ropes".

If you have any tune suggestions, please email:

Cafiddlers@aol.com