Andrew VanNorstrand performs with his brother Noah VanNorstrand and Chris Miller in the Faux Paws, a contemporary folk band that plays fiddle tunes and original songs with just about the best groove around. The Faux Paws are making an album and you can get involved and find out more here. The time window is closing soon!

Andrew grew up playing fiddle and guitar and touring with his family band Great Bear and dominating the contra dance scene, playing every contra dance and festival you can imagine all over the US, and recording albums including “Dancing Again” and “Rawr!”. He is a prolific composer, creator of tunes and songs, his singer-songwriter album is “That We Could Find a Way to Be”.

Andrew and I talk about early training in genre dabbling, the depths to which music can be explored, the purpose of dance music, choices in production, perfectionism and exploring a musical choice that wasn't expected, and much more. We touch on why Andrew stopped playing for dances and why a crowdfunding campaign is an opportunity to make a connection and personalize a tiny part of the content wave that flows over us. Andrew describes some new choices the Faux Paws are making with their current album.

Find the musical multiverse of Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand's music on Bandcamp.

You can hear Noah VanNorstrand's interview for the Fiddle Studio Podcast here.

The tune for this week is a tune of Andrew's called Lost River.

Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Here are my Fiddle Studio books and my website Fiddle Studio where you can find my courses and mailing list and sign up for my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

If you're a reader and a fiddler, here are some recommendations for books from children's books to YA and general fiction that feature fiddlers and fiddling. Some of these books have even been known to inspire folks to pick up the fiddle!

Kids books:
Mole music
Just Enough and Not Too Much
Fiddling Sam
Nina’s Waltz
A Fiddle for Angus

YA or chapter books:
The New Policemen
Little House on the Prairie
A Girl of the Limberlost
Fiddle Fever

Thriller/Detective:
Violin conspiracy
An Equal Music
As I walked Out One Midsummer Morning
The Busker
The Fifth String
Fiddle Game
Keeper of Secrets
The Gentle Care for Broken Thing

War:
Long March Home
Simon the Fiddler
Cold Mountain
Master & Commander

South/Mountain Culture:
Fiddler’s Ghost
The Devil’s Dream
The Insolent Breed
The Grapes of Wrath
Refuge by Dot Jackson

Healing:
Come and Go, Molly Snow
Soldier's Joy
Paddy on the Hardwood

Romance:
Carnal Innocence
Fiddler’s Dream
The Devil and Preston Black

Our tune this week is the Irish jig Donnybrook Fair.

Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Here are my Fiddle Studio books and my website Fiddle Studio where you can find my courses and mailing list and sign up for my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

We talk about the personalities of the different major and minor keys. What makes C sound so different from A on the fiddle? Why do players try out a tune in different keys, and how do the keys lay out on the instrument?

Our tune is the Irish E minor reel Maid of Mt. Kisco. Love this one!

Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Here are my Fiddle Studio books and my website Fiddle Studio where you can find my courses and mailing list and sign up for my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

This is my second conversation with Rachel Eddy, since I forgot to record the first one! We talk about finding flow in fiddling, learning tunes off recordings (or not), remembering tunes, singing, some great stories about Rachel's dad and his fiddle journey, and some ideas for fiddle students to help relax and get balanced while playing.

Rachel Eddy (they/them) hails from West Virginia, where they grew up steeped in Appalachian music and dance. Rachel’s multi-instrumental talents and soulful singing bring a powerful energy to the stage. In addition to being a performer, Rachel is passionate about teaching. They have taught fiddle, banjo and guitar at the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins WV, at Sore Fingers Summer school in the UK, and different various weekend workshops from the hills of West Virginia to Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, London and Wales.

Contact Rachel at reddytojam@gmail.com

Rachel's website is https://www.racheleddymusic.com/

The tune this week is Rose in the Mountain, played live by Rachel on the podcast!

Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Here are my Fiddle Studio books and my website Fiddle Studio where you can find my courses and mailing list and sign up for my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

We're talking about tapes on the fiddle, or stickers, or fingerboard stick on charts, or whatever you're curious about. Did you use tapes when you started? What are they useful for and how long does it make sense to use them?

Our tune is Broken Down Gambler, an Old-Time reel in G.

Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Here are my Fiddle Studio books and my website Fiddle Studio where you can find my courses and mailing list and sign up for my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

When I talk about articulation I'm referring to the beginning of the note, or the attack, and how long the note is generally. Articulation, or catching the string, or getting a "scrubby" sound, has a huge effect on your sound.

Our tune is Dusty Miller, an Old-Time modal reel in A.

Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Here are my Fiddle Studio books and my website Fiddle Studio where you can find my courses and mailing list and sign up for my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

Have you wondered what it's like to compete in a fiddle competition? So have I. So I signed up for one and we'll see how it goes. I talk a little about how I'm planning to prepare.

Our tune for this week is Old Billy Hell, a half length crooked Old-Time tune.

Our album release party contra dance will be May 30th at 7pm in Baltimore at the Mobtown Ballroom. Come on down!

Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Here are my Fiddle Studio books and my website Fiddle Studio where you can find my courses and mailing list and sign up for my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

A repeat this week, as my family is on spring break. This very early episode has been pretty popular, and has a lovely slip jig for the Irish fiddlers. It's never a bad time to break out the old metronome. I'll be back with Old-Time tunes for you next week! -Meg

This episode features the fiddle tune House of My Own and describes working with the metronome and how it could help your fiddling.

Slow tempos for fiddling are 70-80 bpm (beats per minute) and tempos for dancing are 110-120 bpm.

Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Here are my Fiddle Studio books and my website Fiddle Studio where you can find my courses and mailing list and sign up for my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!