Fiddle Courses

Whether you're just starting out or have been playing fiddle for years, Peghead Nation has courses to help you develop your playing and tune repertoire. From beginning to advanced fiddle lessons with some of the finest players and instructors in roots music, you can delve into bluegrass, old-time, Irish, and other styles, building your repertoire of tunes and filling out your toolbox of techniques as you go. See introduction videos of all of our fiddle courses below, and check out free sample lessons as well. Enjoy!

Available Fiddle Courses

Beginning Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddle

with Chad Manning

Beginner

• 45 Lessons

• 34 Tunes

Learn how to get that fiddley sound by learning beginner-level fiddle tunes and bluegrass songs, with technique tips for both hands and basic theory.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Beginning Celtic Fiddle

with Emerald Rae

Beginner

• 24 Lessons

• 19 Tunes

Learn to play the fiddle from scratch using traditional Scottish and Irish melodies. With essential techniques for both hands.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Intermediate Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddle

with Chad Manning

Intermediate

• 48 Lessons

• 37 Tunes

Learn classic bluegrass and old-time tunes and improve your playing with fiddle techniques like unison drones, slides, pulses, and more advanced bowing patterns, as well as advice on improvising and soloing on bluegrass songs.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Old-Time Fiddle

with Bruce Molsky

Intermediate / Advanced

• 111 Lessons

• 110 Tunes

Get deep into the roots of Southern Appalachian old-time fiddling. Bruce breaks down the melody, bowing patterns, rhythms, and embellishments of each tune he teaches so you can really learn to play like Bruce and the old masters he learned from.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Folk and Bluegrass Songs for Fiddle

with Lauren Rioux

Intermediate

• 29 Lessons

• 7 Tunes

Learn to craft your own fiddle solos to folk and bluegrass songs by creating melodic and rhythmic interest using pickups, double stops, licks, and fills. You’ll work through each song in multiple keys so you can become comfortable with transposition on the fly, a crucial component for successful jamming.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Advanced Bluegrass Fiddle

with Chad Manning

Intermediate / Advanced

• 88 Lessons

• 66 Tunes

Learn fiddle in the styles of Kenny Baker, Stuart Duncan, Vassar Clements, Bobby Hicks, and other bluegrass greats by learning classic tunes, with improvisation exercises and advanced techniques.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Western Swing Fiddle

with Chad Manning

Intermediate / Advanced

• 33 Lessons

• 24 Tunes

Learn to play classic western swing melodies and solos from western swing fiddle greats like Johnny Gimble, Joe Holley, and others. For each song, you’ll learn the melody and a solo, along with tips on western swing fiddle technique, phrasing, improvisation.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Irish Fiddle

with Dale Russ

Intermediate / Advanced

• 34 Lessons

• 30 Tunes

Learn traditional Irish fiddle, with an emphasis on playing the dance music of Ireland, including jigs, reels, polkas, slip jigs, hornpipes, and more, with an Irish feel and ornamentation.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Fiddle Styles Workshop

with Brittany Haas

Advanced

• 24 Lessons

• 24 Tunes

Meet some of the best fiddlers on the planet in these intimate workshops that get to the root of a host of individual fiddle styles. Includes 24 complete tunes and transcriptions.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Old-Time Fiddle Styles

with Bruce Molsky

Intermediate / Advanced

• 9 Lessons

• 17 Tunes

Learn a variety of old-time fiddle tunes in different regional styles from great players of the past. Bruce teaches a variety of classic tunes, with advice about bowing, double stops, ornamentation, and ideas for more listening and learning.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Improvising for Fiddlers and Violinists

with Alisa Rose

Intermediate / Advanced

• 9 Lessons

• 13 Tunes

Learn to improvise and connect to your own creative impulses through musical games, simple exercises, and fiddle tunes. You’ll explore improvisation fundamentals of rhythm and pitch, learn how to create and vary melodies, use small building blocks or motifs to build a solo, practice scales and arpeggios, and much more.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Creative Jam Skills

with Lauren Rioux and Brittany Haas

Intermediate

• 7 Lessons

• 6 Tunes

Learn techniques to take a new tune or an old tune you love to the next step—with bowing and phrasing ideas, chordal and rhythmic exploration, and soloing practice.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Intro to Jazz Violin

with Aaron Weinstein

Intermediate / Advanced

• 9 Lessons

• 8 Tunes

Learn to play jazz violin from the ground up with acclaimed violinist and mandolinist Aaron Weinstein, who teaches you pre-composed solos for eight jazz and swing classics based on improvisation devices like melodic variation, repeating motives, using harmonic entry points, and more. Includes rhythm tracks, analysis of each solo, rephrasing suggestions, and more. Appropriate for mandolinists as well as fiddlers.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Theory for Mandolin and Fiddle

with Chad Manning

Intermediate

• 43 Lessons

• 6 Tunes

Learn the basics of music theory as it relates to four-string instruments tuned in fifths. Chad’s practical approach will deepen your knowledge of chords, scales, and arpeggios, and help you integrate them into your playing.

Course Details

Sample Lesson

Fiddle Performances

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Joe K. Walsh with Scott Nygaard, Alisa Rose, and Mark Schatz: “Clouds”

Peghead Nation mandolin instructor plays an original tune with a great crew of his fellow Peghead instructors.

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Stash Wyslouch with Zoe Guigueno and Bruce Molsky: “Prodigal Son”

A trio of Peghead Nation instructors play a traditional song made popular by Dock Boggs.

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Bill Evans, John Reischman, Chad Manning, Mike Witcher, Jim Nunally, and Mark Schatz: “Sierra Blanca”

The California Bluegrass Reunion band plays a Bill Evans original tune at the Peghead Nation 10th Anniversary Party.

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Alisa Rose with Scott Nygaard, Jesse Appelman, and Mark Schatz: “The High Road”

Peghead Nation fiddle instructor plays a Tim O’Brien tune (with two O’Boys) at our 10th Anniversary Showcase.

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Joe K. Walsh with Scott Nygaard, Alisa Rose, and Mark Schatz: “Juneau What it Means to Miss Alaska”

Founding member of Mr Sun plays an original tune with a great crew of his fellow Peghead instructors.

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Dan Gabel with Chad Manning and Jason Loeks: “The Last Lamplighter”

Peghead Nation President and Co-founder plays an original song with our fiddle instructor during our 10th Anniversary Showcase.

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Bill Evans, John Reischman, Chad Manning, Mike Witcher, Jim Nunally, and Mark Schatz: “Stoney Lonesome”

A powerhouse group of Peghead Nation instructors plays a bluegrass classic at our 10th Anniversary Showcase.

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Charlie Torch: “Red Rocking Chair”

Peghead Nation fiddle instructor Chad Manning plays a traditional song with his band that includes siblings Jasper and Jayda Manning, Tyler Stengall, and Mark Schatz.

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Peghead Nation’s 10th Anniversary | We Want to Hear from You

We’d love to hear what you’ve learned on Peghead Nation. Record a video of your playing and share it with us on our social media channels to help celebrate our 10th!