What's the difference between a violin and a fiddle?
A fiddle is a violin with attitude!
Minnesota Fiddlers
MSFA SloJammers
Are you a beginning or intermediate fiddle player who wants to learn more about old-time music? The Minnesota State Fiddlers Association holds a monthly slow jam for fiddlers wanting to learn old-time, Irish, Scandinavian, Canadian, and hey, maybe even a Cajun tune or two.
Each month, a MSFA volunteer will teach a tune or two. The rest of the time is spent in a "circle" jam session with the tunes slowed down so that everyone can participate. Fiddlers are encouraged to bring recording devices. So if you've taken violin lessons and want to try your hand at fiddling or are accomplished in old-time/bluegrass/Irish in another instrument and want to work on your fiddling, come join us.
Guitar, mandolin and other non-fiddle players who want to benefit from the slower tempos to learn how to accompany fiddlers are more than welcome to join us.
Click here to be on the email notification list.
Click here to see the SloJammer music repository
Upcoming SloJammer dates:
Jam on Upper Midwest Tunes
Come learn and jam on tunes that used to be played in this region.
Lead by “Clawhammer” Mike Sawyer on
Wednesdays, 6:30 - 7:30 (sharp)
March 7, 21, April 4, 25
Highland Park Community Center
1978 Ford Pkwy, Saint Paul, MN 55116
$1-$5 suggested donation (no one will be turned away)
All acoustic stringed instruments welcomed.
MSFA SloJammers
Saturday, April 14th, 2-4:30 pm,
CANCELLED DUE TO BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
PBnJ Slojam
Saturday, April 28, 2018 2pm - 4:30pm
Mississippi Library
410 Mississippi Street NE, Fridley MN 55432
click here for directions
South Of The River SloJam
Thursday, May 3 6pm-8pm
Robert Trail Library
14395 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN 55068
click here for directions
South Of The River SloJam
Thursday, June 7 6pm-8pm
Robert Trail Library
14395 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN 55068
click here for directions
South Of The River SloJam
Thursday, June 21 6pm-8pm
Robert Trail Library
14395 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN 55068
click here for directions
Minnesota Fiddle Tunes Project
The MSFA SloJammers have transcribed and are still learning the tunes from the Minnesota Fiddle Tunes CD project.
Click here access the sheet music to the Minnesota Fiddle Tunes.
The transcribed tunes include the following favourites:
Kettlescrubber
Flop-Eared Mule
Minnesota Waltz
Swedish Schottische
Dick Halverson's Waltz
Sherburne's Polka
Reinlender etter Ringnesen
Rangers Waltz
Medley - Old Red Barn/Steamboat Quickstep (Uncle Jim's)
Knute's Waltz
The Girl I Left Behind Me
Stoltman's Dad's Waltz
Click here to get a copy of the CD.
For videos of many of these tunes, go to YouTube.com and find the JumpStart Your Fiddle
channel. You can also like the Minnesota State Fiddle Association SloJammers on Facebook to get posts of sheet music, videos and upcoming events and jams.
Click here to see Anabel Sanford Wirt teaching Steamboat Quickstep and Red Barn Jig