String Teachers' Page

Lesson-Plans for some basic music theory, playing by ear, ornamentation, harmony and Improv

After putting on some Fiddlewidget workshops for acoustic players,the material was organized into lesson plans. These lesson plans are presented here for teachers working with High School and Middle School age string players.

If you missed the concept of Fiddlewidget's mapping of the instrument, click the link below to run that short video.

Fiddle (Violin) Video

(This video does not get into using the Fiddlewidget for higher positions, but it does map them, up to 5th position. Click here or the Higher Positions link at the top of this page for an in-depth treatment of how to do that.)

This visual aid can be incorporated into the lesson plans as suggested, or not used at all. It functions as a map, a visual aid, and a fun little interactive toy that people seem to enjoy playing with. By keeping students engaged and thinking about what it shows them, we cover up the theory with a layer of fun, and keep them "in the game" longer. If that sounds like a good idea read on:

Objectives	Chord Progression
Where chords come from; the chromatic scale	Where chords come from; the Major Scale
Nashville Numbers and the root major chord	Dominant and Sub-Dominant chords
Navigating the Fingerboard	Harmony; Identifying the Lead
Harmony--the tenor and baritone parts	Harmony; Cleaning up the Rough Spots
Ornamentation	What's Next?

Available from nationally known music suppliers, or call Bruce Haney at (423) 349-6715
or email at bfhaney@chartertn.net.