April Verch on Learning by Ear

Canadian fiddler April Verch offers some simple techniques and exercises for helping you pick up tune by ear.

[@duncanandrew3307]

Lots of tutors say the same things, but almost none as clearly and simply as you. Well done and thank you.

[@donaldmadigan4393]

April ,Don Madigan while visiting my son in Scottsdale Arizona came across your teaching on You Tube. Excellent content & enjoyable.Many thanks keep up that Ottawa Valley music,you do it so well.Hope to see around he music circuit soon.

[@georgeghetia5114]

Thank you for your great KZbin lessons, April! I've been playing violin for 56 years, and met my first fiddler in southern Ohio (Athens) in after 15 years of conventional study. I fell in love with fiddle, have always played by ear and have habitually had a tough time following the AABB format of traditional fiddle tunes. Hope you keep making your informative instructional videos -- at least until I am lucky enough to attend one of your acclaimed workshops.

[@919dds]

You are a make a very good teacher. Hope to see more of you and your lessons.

[@reesetyra902]

Great video and great playing! I am a viola player who has been playing for only a few years and watching these makes me realize how much I haven't gotten yet. Thanks again for the video.

[@thereelpiper]

Thanks for posting the tips for learning by ear. Helps to take away some of the mystery. Nicely organized. And love your style of music.

[@dougnickerson]

I learned this tune from you and some mandolin tabs and it has been very successful when playing on the "street"

[@mandomedic]

THIS is an excellent lesson. Thank you.

[@Fiddlinjosie]

Love the tune you selected for this demonstration! And you played it in perfect Cape Breton style! ; )

[@akimbogeo]

You speak beautifully. I wish more people enunciated as well as you do.

[@RonnieMinh]

Thanks April. Good stuff and much appreciated.

[@ericw751]

Wise counsel by a master!

[@drgayle100]

Excellent instructin. Thank you SO much!!!!!!!

[@stephen4251]

Very helpful and useful tips. Thanks!

[@guitar1977man]

Awesome lesson!😄

[@sgtcrab1]

Very good! I find a mandolin great for finding tunes as since it is fretted it takes the mystery out of sharps and flats!

[@leopardtiger1022]

Yes clear good thank you please add the music sheet to make the lesson complete.

[@Mete0r27]

Best!

[@robertshorthill4153]

It helps me to loop a measure several times, then start again with that measure and including the next measure. Do this several times. Always start at the beginning, include the next measures. Play several times. Loop the sticky measures several times 'til they sound and feel right. Start at the beginning of whatever half of the tune you are working on, always looping. Looping is the best way to get through a difficult measure. When you can play both parts of the tune from beginning to end, take a few minutes for a break then play it again, from the start to the end. Do this for about 15 or 20 minutes. Put down the instrument and walk away for a bit. The tune should remain in your mind for a good while. Come back to the instrument and the tune later. After a couple days of this, you should pretty well have it down. Remember to loop those phrases that are most difficult, 'til you get 'em. Cheers, fellow musicians. Bob

[@dougnickerson]

And Of course it is a bit difficult not to be distracted by your beauty :)

[@cherylsuppa5327]

I love it,,,what is the name of the tune?

[@petet6909]

The Blackthorn Stick

[@bradmichaud4811]

what is the name of this tune? I've heard it be played at Cape Breton sessions whenever an Irish band visits here.

[@lukedeaton]

The Blackthorn Stick thesession.org/tunes/702

[@johngross9394]

I already play by ear. It's the sight reading I'm trying to get better at. Great tips though. Thanks

[@erminejose4188]

I followed online violin and piano tutor lesson 1 till 10, sheet music is free there, She has sheets for introducing first finger where u play notes of open strings and first finger only Slowly 2nd , 3rd and fourth. Or u can write your own exercise, make sure you include quite alot of string crossings and keep practicing the exercises... my sight reading improved in 2 weeks... its ear that I'm trying so hard to train

[@jrsforest187]

If you can whistle a tune, you can play it.

[@larrycounce4509]

Who made your fiddle?

[@nourinouri200]

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