Hi everyone! I am (was) one of those players who needed sheet music and often because I could read music, I was asked to play the harmony parts. Really, I never learned the original melodies and when I wanted to join in, by the time I searched through my music, the tune was over. The group I played with would want me to learn to play 20 tunes and I found it overwhelming.
So, I found a fiddle teacher and made myself a goal of learning some of the basic tunes, one at a time. I think I learned about 15 tunes that year. This year since my teacher (Julie Fitzgerald) was performing all over and unavailable to teach, I signed up for this website, thanks to Patti! I have learned many of her tunes and I am now going to many jams. At first I didn’t know many tunes at the jams, but I made a goal of picking 2 tunes and learning them each time I went to a jam/square dance. I made a bucket list of tunes I wanted to learn and started choosing the easiest ones (mostly waltzes at first) Now I am able to play most of the tunes, still have lots more to learn. Loving being “sheet music free” and feel so liberated. I am finding now that I am better able to join in on some parts of tunes I don’t yet know, by ear.
Even my friends are commenting on how much I have improved and are amazed at the number of tunes I have learned this year. It gets easier, you just have to try. Now, as long as I can hum a tune, I can figure it out by ear. It does take a leap of faith to put yourself out there, but has been well worth it for me! Loving my musical journey and the support I have been given.
Hope this helps by letting people know it will come together and get easier. You just have to do it!
Carol
