bunnyhillsv.com Blog

If you decide to learn how to play an instrument be sure your teacher can play. Mine plays really well, here he is playing Orange Blossom Special at class this morning.

Don’t know why but watching this guy play added to the epiphany I had  the other day with Barrage. It finally hit me with the angle his fingers touch the strings. I tried it and felt a more natural and relaxed position for my hand. Pretty sure my teacher has been trying to get me to do this but it never clicked. Between this little video and Barrage I just cut loose and got my mind out of the way and just played. Got a little teary eyed with the achievement. I try too hard sometimes and think I’m never going to be any good at this then all of the sudden I take a leap forward.

I like the simple shuffle bowing example too. It didn’t hurt that I’ve been trying to play Old Joe Clark. A tune way out of my league but I didn’t know any better when I started out. My teacher tries to keep me focused on the easier stuff and he’s right those can be fun too but I like the challenge. I’ll post my version of Old Joe Clark soon.

Thanks Joe Ebel for posting that video on youtube.

Watching this musician changed how I play. I picked up the violin after watching several of their performances and must have channeled a morsel their talent. Tears came my eyes in relief that maybe I could actually pull this adventure off. I guess I got out of my head and just played.

Played fiddle for a group of girlfriends last night, a first. The “recital” was more of a comedy act reminiscent of Jack Benny. I think I’m evolving into the Jack Benny of Bluegrass. For those too young to know who he is…

Great Uncle Noel, Fiddle Champ and member of the National Old Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame.

He retired in 1976 and moved to St. Maries, Idaho, where he joined his brother, Walt, and picked up his fiddle after 40 years and started playing at the St. Marie’s Senior Center. He then joined the Idaho State Old Time Fiddler’s. He was a six-time Idaho State Champion, two-time National Champion, and honored by being inducted into the National Old Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame. He won senior fiddle competitions in Canada, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and California. He placed third in the National Fiddlers’ Contest in Weiser where he competed against 88 contestants.

He learned to play the fiddle by listening to his mother hum the songs when he was five years old. He played by ear. He could listen to a song and then play it. He had a six-piece band by the time he was 10 and played for a local radio station and for local farmhouse dances every Saturday night. By the age of 18 he put the fiddle away and didn’t play again until 1978 when he retired.

Noel Rolland Metzer, 91, of Mountain Home, died Monday, April 10, 2006, at a local hospital.