The Glory-Beaming Banjo

For the past year or so, the idea of learning to play the fiddle has become a growing fascination. Approaching five years of playing the banjo in March 2013, the "devil's box" seems like the next logical step in my old-time musical education. This winter, I've finally decided. As a Christmas gift from my wife, I'm now on the hunt for a solid, entry-level instrument. Considering how many fiddlers I know, playing with others is not my main goal in learning a second instrument, but rather to improve my ability to accompany a fiddler on banjo and further understand the music itself. Picking Up the Melody Learning the basic melody of a tune can be difficult at times with a banjo. I've considered learning to become a world-class whistler or investing in a couple harmonicas to better pick up melodies, but a fiddle seems most fitting. After all, old-time music is primarily "fiddle tunes." Improving My Ear While I've gotten much better at getting ...