Cape Breton Prince Edward Island Fiddle Tunes For Clawhammer Banjo

The island of Cape Breton & its close neighbor, Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada are home to two of the oldest, strongest, and most vibrant fiddling traditions in North America. Cape Breton gave rise to a professional Celtic-based fiddling scene to rival anything coming out of Scotland & Ireland. Prince Edward Island’s traditional fiddlers developed lively, idiosyncratic styles every bit as musically compelling as anything you’ll hear on archival recordings of iconic American old-time fiddlers from the Appalachians. This book features 136 tunes from these two distinct but related fiddling traditions, collected by the author directly from master fiddlers, and arranged note-for-note for clawhammer banjo with as much flavor and nuance as possible. These settings of reels, hornpipes, jigs, marches, strathspeys, airs, and other fiddle tunes are all eminently playable and fully benefit from the author’s half-century of experience playing banjo, arranging for banjo, writing banjo instruction books, and researching fiddle-music traditions. Here’s what you’ll find in this volume. 136 fiddle tunes arranged for clawhammer banjo in clear tablature Over 40 musical examples & exercises Instruction on basic and advanced techniques Fingering diagrams & detailed fingering suggestions A systematic approach to playing up-the-neck A thorough treatment of playing triplets, grace notes, and other characteristic ornaments in clawhammer Guides on how to approach playing various kinds of fiddle tunes A framework for understanding the modes encountered in fiddle music Historical notes on the tunes and musical traditions Biographical information on source fiddlers 169 audio illustrations available online Note: Most audio illustrations for the tunes in this book are drawn directly from the author’s CDs, Devil in the Kitchen, Frails & Frolics, Island Boy, and Northern Banjo.

Over 425 reels, jigs, set-tunes, waltzes, marches, strathspeys, and airs transcribed from the playing of traditional fiddlers make this a must have title

13. The Role of Radio and Recordings -- 14. The Repertoire -- 15. "It's Amazing How Quick It Did Go Down"--16. "If Everybody Does a Little Bit, Great Things Can Happen" -- 17. "There's Been a Big Revival of Music on the Island" -- Appendix A. Musical Examples -- Appendix B. Lists of Interview Sessions -- Appendix C. Lists of Collected Tunes -- Appendix D. Pronunciation Guide -- Appendix E. Discography and Suggested Listening -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index

This comprehensive collection features over 100 note-for-note skillfully-crafted clawhammer banjo arrangements of “old-time” Southern fiddle tunes, in clear tablature - with suggested guitar chords at a wide variety of skill levels. It contains most of the tunes played in concert or recorded by author Ken Perlman and renowned Appalachian-style fiddler Alan Jabbour, plus over 50 more classic tunes from Ed Haley, Edden Hammons, John Salyer and many other iconic roots fiddlers. Also included: • Instruction on basic and advanced techniques • Tips on improving your musicianship • How to play syncopated rhythms and melodies in clawhammer style • Frameworks for dealing with crooked tunes and modal tunes • Historical notes and picturesque backstories • Ken Perlman demonstrates all tunes and most musical illustrations on 124 online audio tracks *Online Audio Includes: 24 tracks featuring excerpts from recordings of the author performing with the virtuosic fiddler Alan Jabbour, to whom the book is dedicated.

One of the world's top players addresses nearly every aspect of the popular 5-string banjo style known as clawhammer or frailing. Chapter themes include fundamentals; advanced and experimental techniques; arranging and backup; how to play reels, hornpipes, jigs and other fiddle tunes; how to approach such genres as ragtime, bluegrass, klezmer, blues, calypso, and a wide variety of national and regional music; alternative tunings; setup and accessories; and historical background. Features 120 tunes along with numerous exercises and musical examples in crystal clear tablature; all tunes illustrated by author on two accompanying CDs.

(Banjo). A complete guide for beginning and advanced banjo players! From Ken Perlman, here is a brilliant teaching guide that is destined to become the handbook on how to play the banjo. The style is easy to learn, and covers the instruction itself, basic right and left-hand positions, simple chords, and fundamental clawhammer techniques; the brush, the 'bumm-titty' strum, pull-offs, and slides. For the advanced player, there is instruction on more complicated picking, double thumbing, quick slides, fretted pull-offs, harmonics, improvisation, and more. The book includes more than 40 fun-to-play banjo tunes.

This book is designed to be a “one-stop shop” for tune playing on the 3-finger style 5-string banjo. It contains the scales, techniques, and theory that you need to become an accomplished melody player, presented in a structured way to help you make the most of your practice time. These skills are then applied to a wide-ranging collection of 40 reels, jigs, polkas, and old-time tunes spanning the American, Irish, and Scottish traditions. The Toolkit features over 100 downloadable audio tracks including exercises, examples and guitar backup for all of the pieces to ensure an enjoyable learning experience. Suggested accompaniment chords are also provided to facilitate jamming with friends. Written in banjo tablature almost entirely in gDGBD tuning, a few arrangements require single-string tuning alterations, and a capo is occasionally needed to play a whole step higher. Although written for the intermediate to advanced player, extensive right and left-hand fingerings are provided to facilitate the flow and ornamentation of these timeless melodies. Includes access to online audio.

This meticulously researched anthology presents detailed biographies and transcriptions, including bowing, ornamentation, and accentuation of 39 fiddle tunes as played by 25 Newfoundland fiddlers from locations throughout the island. For unparalleled authenticity, the author’s live field recordings of each tune are available online, offering a unique perspective of the various types of tunes and techniques favoured by past and present Newfoundland fiddlers. Newfoundland, a former British colony, possesses a rich and varied cultural heritage due to its history of unique settlement patterns. Beginning in the 16th century, European migrants from Ireland, Scotland, West-Country England, and France settled on the island, bringing with them their various cultural practices, including their fiddles! This collection provides insight to the backgrounds, geographical locations, and musical preferences of the individual players, and how music-making and the role and status of Newfoundland fiddlers have evolved over time. The tunes included here vary from original compositions and revival collectors’ treasures, to reinterpreted versions of timeless Irish, Scottish, and French tunes. Together, they form a part of the modern-day Newfoundland fiddling tradition. This book will delight fiddle players and any musician who wishes to further enhance their repertoire and technique, or simply learn more about the island of Newfoundland and its music. Includes access to online audio.