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:
South of the River (SOTR) Jam
Thursday December 13 (6pm. - 8pm)
Rosemount Library
14395 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN 55068
click here for google map
South of the River (SOTR) Jam
Thursday Jan 10, 2019 (6p.m.-8p.m.)
Westcott Library
1340 Wescott Rd, Eagan, MN 55123
click here for google map
Slojammers Jam
Saturday, January 12 (2 p.m. - 4 p.m.)
Ridgedale Library
12601 Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka, 55305
click here for google map
Theme: Recently composed fiddle tunes!
Bring your favourite new fiddle tune.
Plain Blaine northern Jam (PBnJ)
Saturday, January 26th (2p.m. - 4:30pm)
Johnsville Library
12461 Oak Park Blvd NE, Blaine 55434
click here for google map
South of the River (SOTR) Jam
Thursday Jan 31, 2019 (6pm. - 8p.m.)
Rosemount Library
14395 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN 55068
click here for google map
Annual Meeting of MSFA
Saturday Feb 2nd, 2019 (11am - 1:30pm)
Ridgedale Library
just before the jam listed below:
Learn an Irish-set for St. Patricks day
Saturday February 2nd, 2019 (2 p.m. -5 p.m.)
Ridgedale Library Room 172
12601 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305
click here for google maps link
South of the River (SOTR) Jam
Thursday Feb 14, 2019 (6 pm - 8 pm)
Westcott Library
1340 Westcott Rd, Eagan, MN 55123
click here for google map
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 .
What's the difference between a violin and a fiddle?
A fiddle is a violin with attitude!