The Double Shuffle (Hokum Bowing). Let's take it from the start!

In this Double Shuffle lesson, - (aka Hokum Bowing), I teach a fiddle bowing technique equally at home in bluegrass, western swing and commercial country. I explain and demonstrate how to master the double shuffle pattern, starting really slow and simple. A free pdf of the hokum bowing patterns is available to subscribers (see bottom of the description).
The double shuffle is a syncopated pattern covering two bars of quavers, in a pattern of two, four threes and another two. A single lower note, usually an open string, makes up most of the pattern, while a note on the next string up starts each group of three, so that the bow is energetically rocking backwards and forwards. The upper note provides an accent which constantly pulls or pushes against the beat, providing a high level of excitement.
The double shuffle is found in several Old Time tunes including Cotton Patch Rag, Back up and Push and Beaumont Rag. Most famously it is used in instrumental versions of the Orange Blossom Special. This was a song written by Ervine T Rouse in honour of the brand new diesel-electric train running from New York to the "Orange Blossom State" of Florida, inaugurated in 1938.
In this video lesson I start with a single bar with 2,3,3, working really slowly. I then add the second bar of 3,3,2, giving the pattern 2,3,3,3,2. A helpful mnemonic is "With a one-and a- two and a three and a four and a five".
We gradually increase the speed, then start to add different upper notes. We then add doubled or drone notes on the accents. Finally we look at the chord sequence A/D/E/A used in the Orange Blossom Special chorus, and show some double stop variations commonly used by fiddlers when playing the tune. Finally I demonstrate how, once the pattern is mastered, it is possible to improvise on the upper notes.
Below are details of further fiddle resources from Chris Haigh
1. Patreon
2. Books
3. Subscription video courses
4. Website
5. Email to request pdf’s.
1. PATREON
This is a platform where anyone can directly help to support creative artists and get closer access to their work. You can join me on Patreon at three levels, for £4, £10 or £40 per month.

At the lowest level you get access to all my pdf’s and tune collections, plus many exclusive tuition videos not available to the public.
At level 2 you can join also me once a month for a group Zoom chat, and can request three backing tracks each month.
Level 3 gives you all the above plus a free lesson once a month, and access to all my backing tracks.
You can find me on Patreon at
/ thefiddlechannel
2. BOOKS
I have eight fiddle tuition books published by Schott, all widely available from the publisher, from Amazon, and many other outlets. All come with audio tracks illustrating the tunes and exercises.
Exploring Jazz Violin
Beginning Jazz Violin
Discovering Rock Violin
Exploring Folk Fiddle
Exploring Klezmer Fiddle
Hungarian Fiddle Tunes
French Fiddle Tunes
Exploring Country and Bluegrass Fiddle
You can order from
bit.ly/31ZWmgm
3. VIDEO SUBSCRIPTION COURSES
I have three video subscription courses
-
MUSIC GURUS- Exploring Jazz Violin. Based on my Schott book
Parts 1 and 2 are each £26 for 26 lessons, covering the first and second halves of the book
Part 1; tidd.ly/3SwHGhb
Part 2 tidd.ly/3SwHGhb
MUSIC GURUS Discovering Rock Violin. . Based on my Schott book
£35 for 46 lessons
tidd.ly/3SwHGhb
MUSIC GURUS Exploring Country and Bluegrass Fiddle. Based on my Schott book. 31 lessons for £31.99
tidd.ly/3SwHGhb
ACADEMY OF FOLK
Includes a folk fiddle primer course, with introductions to basic techniques and concepts plus an Irish Fiddle Course and Scottish fiddle course. A monthly sub of $9.99 gives access to all lessons
academyoffolk.com/
4. WEBSITE
My website is probably the most extensive and detailed summary of fiddle styles on the web, as evidenced by the range of top hits on Google for many fiddle styles.
www.fiddlingaround.co.uk
____________________________________________________________
TO REQUEST PDF’S, or ask any questions, CONTACT ME AT
[e-mail]

[@dogsnbows]

Love all of your videos as well as your sound on the fiddle. Thank you so much for all of the effort to explain the magic behind fiddling.

[@geeee1564]

A great explanation, and the inprov on Orange Blossom was the most exciting I ever heard.

[@ritabeazley5481]

You've made me laugh with this one Chris. I taught myself how to play this after years of having a go, struggling with it, and coming back to it lol! I can't count with orange blossom special I have to just do it 🤣 so well done you for an excellent lesson 🎻🎻🎻

[@gordonlynn8300]

this is the best instruction I've. seen so far .

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Many thanks Gordon!

[@peterbrazier4370]

Good break down thanks a lot

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Thanks Peter, you're welcome!

[@ssgiddyup]

You have so many videos! I was lead here from your OBS improvising video, not sure if I'd seen it. I had not and it's great of course. Since I know the pattern, the most helpful to me is going in and out of the hokum. It's the first actual instruction I've seen on that. Then gradually speeding up so we can hear it. Thank you! Sheryl

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Hi Sheryl, glad you found this useful!

[@johntait491]

Good background information Chris. Like you, I was stunned by OBS and it took me years of repetitive struggle to learn how to play the shuffle..!! There were no excellent players like yourself on KZbin to explain it..!! You really have provided one of the best explanations of this attractive bowing pattern that has been done to my knowledge. Thank you, you've done well..!! I'm off to play "Cotton Patch Rag" now...!! 👍

[@fabfaco8271]

J'adore votre façon de jouer et merci pour le partage de votre dextérité.

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Merci beaucoup!

[@kenthatfield4287]

When I was in England in 19 76 to 1977 all I heard on BBC One was shake rattle and roll and I've got me a combine harvester. I didn't hear any bluegrass music over there I'm glad that they have it now. I was showed how to do the shuffle by a man in Prescott Arizona whose name is Gary. He did square dances with the Mingus mountain band. He's now in New Mexico however he played in the Appalachian style which greatly included the shuffle in most of their music. I'm just now beginning to be able to play the Orange blossom special in a slow manner that is I practice it should get faster

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Hi Kent. I'm afraid bluegrass is still not heard by most people in the UK, unless they watch Deliverance or Bonny and Clyde!

[@MusicRepo]

Another brill tutorial. Thanks Chris 👍

[@TheFiddleChannel]

thanks!

[@panduwijayantho2314]

Nice

[@daniebrowne3295]

Hi Chris, I enjoyed your video very much and I have practiced it along with you. But not as fast or as good as yourself. Thank you for the lesson.

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Thanks Danie, glad you found it useful.

[@Yunamyhero]

You’re bow control! Well done 👏

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Thanks Peyton!

[@mississippisawyer9733]

I see that you have an erhu hanging on the wall. About twenty years ago I was at the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Athens, Alabama and there was a gentleman from China there with an erhu. He did not compete in the fiddle contest of course, however, he jammed with several groups and he and his wife were the darlings of the day. He was also asked to demonstrate the erhu by playing a tune at the evening session of the contest. He played a Chinese folk tune called “Horse Race”.

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Hi. Yes, it's a wonderful instrument! However, mine is purely for decoration.

[@ghb7089]

Yeah.. It is hard to get consistent sound for both directions. Though, I believe practice will make it. Thanks for the training routine. It really helped me to learn the bowing

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Glad you found this useful!

[@franksfiddle9031]

OK ... first time trying this with you Chris ... I wonder how many times I''ll have to update this before I even get the basic method at a reasonable speed :)

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Hi Frank. Take your time! It took me ages when I first learned it!

[@zachwaller933]

Great video, thanks Chris! :) has your country and bluegrass book been delayed a year? Your description here says it'll be out in October 2021 but I seem to remember other videos saying it would be out late 2020? Either way I'll probably buy it hehe

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Hi Zach. Glad you like the video. Yes, sadly the book has been delayed by a year due to the virus.

[@JimViolin]

Very good lesson, Chris! I've been playing Orange Blossom Special for many years now, and I really struggled at first in the early years. I really had no clue! I had to learn from audio only, slowing down recordings by the likes of Roger Churchyard and Scotty Stoneman. A pity you couldn't have done this video back in 1970 :) One thing I did notice, in your lesson, between 13'04 and 13'06 you do two up-bows, one after the other. Was this just because you were demo-ing close to the frog, as opposed to playing at normal speed around the bow mid-point?

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Hi. Glad you liked it. It's great to see someone paying such close attention to what I'm doing! My bow really has a mind of its own. At the section you point out, I probably did those two upbows in order to emphasise the final two phrases. But I wouldn't have done that at full speed. Also, when playing slow and teaching I tend to play near the heel, as here. Normally I would be closer to the middle.

[@jimdorans4527]

@@TheFiddleChannel Well, you have a good camera angle there, which takes in your face, fiddle, left hand and all of the bow. On the vids that I made, sometimes I couldn't get that angle, and eg on demo-ing a bowing point, only the fiddle, bow and bow hand were visible. I put a little ring of bright tape around the mid-point of the stick, so it was easier to see bow direction, and especially changes of bow direction. (btw I'm Worldfiddler, I'm logged on to another account).

[@TheFiddleChannel]

@@jimdorans4527 Hi Jim. People always complain when they can't see the left hand, so I always try to check before I start.

[@5858Heinz]

Chris, I have struggled with this tune as many have. My problem is big fingers causing either the fingernail to buzz, or the palmar part of the finger to dampen, the adjacent string, when playing the multiple double stops. Any recommendations?

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Hi Bob the only thing I can think of is to make sure your fingers are coming down vertically on the fingerboard rather than at an angle; this should decrease the amount of finger actually touching the string.

[@5858Heinz]

Thank Chris

[@MusicGeekmcgrath]

Can you use this in oldtime fiddle hope this isn't a stupid question

[@TheFiddleChannel]

Not a stupid question, but it is a tricky one to answer! You could find a way to use it in any old time song or tune, but it might not always be appropriate. The general ethos of old time is to stick close to the melody, not improvise, and not be too flashy- just the opposite of bluegrass. So if you are playing with serious old time players they might not approve.

[@d.l.loonabide9981]

Who's permission do you need?