Major Chords for the Fiddle
Chording with the fiddle is similar to what a guitar player does when (s)he strums the guitar as an accompaniment. The chords shown below can be played with a long bow, or shuffled using the single, double or triple shuffle. To begin using chords, find a simple three chord tune in a major key and follow the “guitar” chords that would be used in playing the tune. Play on the two strings that are used in forming the chord. Sometimes it helps to loosen your bow a bit when playing double strings.
Major Chords
Any two note combination of the notes listed for each full chord will suggest the chord. Use your ear and pick out the one you think sounds best in part of the song.
A G/D D/A A/E
1/1 1/0 0/0
notes used A, C# and E
B G/D D/A
2/1b 1b/2b
notes used are B, D# and F#
Bb G/D D/A A/E
2/0 0/1b 1b/1b
notes used are Bb, D and F
C G/D D/A A/E
3/1 1/2 2/0
notes used are C, E and G
D G/D D/A A/E
1/2# 2#0 3/3
notes used are D, F# and A
E G/D D/A A/E
2/1 1/1 1/0
notes used are E, G# and B
F G/D D/A A/E
1/2 2/0 2/1
notes used are F, A and C
G G/D D/A A/E
0/3 3/1 1/2
notes used are G, B and D
Copyright Beverley Conrad 2000 All Rights Reserved
This article was previously published in The National Old Time Fiddlers Newspaper
|