TMS Fiddle/Banjo Workshop

This video is from a workshop that Paul Kirk and I taught in the spring of 2024. The theme was the interaction of fiddle and banjo. Historically, the earliest Appalachian fiddle tunes were predominantly played with just fiddle and banjo. This was an era before commercial recordings and before guitars were readily available. We taught the workshop in a more conversational and interactive way.
The tune Old Yellow Dog Come A-Trottin’ Through the Meetinghouse was our choice. It’s an old tune predating the American Civil War. The fiddle part can be played with some common melodic patterns or stripped down to the basics. For banjo players I demonstrated three ways to play this. The first was a very basic bum-ditty rhythm version. I taught that. Then I showed the same tune filled in with the same patterns in a melodic fiddle version. That version was more for reference than a suggestion of style. I then showed a more basic version with some simple stylistic choices to emphasize important notes and the underlying rhythm.

[@F_later]

I do love the pure fiddle & banjo souds. Important though : keep up the rithm and stay in tune. This one is FAB !

[@user-lm8sl1gg6z]

Arty POPS! Love it all. xo

[@rappstephen]

Means a lot coming from you.

[@bonnyshiplet9634]

Thank you! Enjoyed listening, especially when you both were in the upper register!

[@rappstephen]

Thanks Bonny!

[@warrenhuff7349]

Excellent playing by both!

[@rappstephen]

Thanks!

[@ArkRed1]

MON-roe did something like that called, "The Old Grey Mare Came A-tearin' Out Of The Wilderness". Great banjer playing by Bobby Thompson.

[@rappstephen]

Thanks for the info. Seems there were a lot of song and fiddle tune takes on this old tune.