5 Irish Fiddle Tunes to Play for St. Patrick's Day (With Sheet Music)

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Grab your violin and get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with these 5 Irish songs that sound great on the fiddle!

If you want more Irish Fiddling fun, check out my course, Learn to Play Irish Fiddle in my online studio.

In addition to these great Irish tunes, I’ve got several other tutorials on some fun fiddle classics, like Swallowtail Jig and Red-Haired Boy.

Let’s start our list of great Irish fiddle tunes to play on St. Patrick’s day with a little Whiskey in the Jar!

Whiskey in the Jar: Irish Fiddle Sheet Music

A classic Irish tune, Whiskey in the Jar is perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Need some help with adding in bowings?

2. Black Velvet Band: Irish Fiddle Sheet Music

I love this classic Irish song, Black Velvet Band. A little less rollicking than Whiskey in the Jar, but still a great Irish tune that sounds good on the fiddle. Black Velvet Band is in 6/8 time so remember the 8th note gets the beat!

3. Rosin the Bow: Irish Fiddle Sheet Music

While not one of the most famous of Irish songs, Rosin the Bow is one of my personal favorites when it comes to Irish music that sounds great on the fiddle. Need help rosing your bow? Find that and more beginner violin lessons here.

4. Irish Washerwoman: St. Patrick’s Day Fiddle Music

What St. Patrick’s day celebration would be complete without this class Irish fiddling tune?

If you need help learning to play this classic Irish tune, I’ve got a complete tutorial on how to play Irish Washerwoman (with scale warm-ups). Find the tutorial here.

5. Danny Boy: Irish Tunes for Violin

It might night be as lively as Irish Washerwoman, but Danny Boy is such a classic Irish tune that I had to include it in a list of great St. Patrick’s Day fiddle tunes. It’s a great song to end your celebration on, and hey, you can always jazz it up!

If you want to download any of these Irish songs, sign up for my online studio where you’ll get access to 800+ violin lessons and access to a downloadable sheet music library with over 200 songs and books just for violin and fiddle). See you over there!

Enjoy fiddling this St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy Practicing!

3 Easy Fiddle Tunes for Violin (Free Sheet Music)

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These 3 fiddle tunes for violin sound a lot more difficult than they are! If you are learning to play the violin or teaching yourself to play violin, you’ve probably heard these 3 famous fiddle tunes. I’ve also got tutorials for each tune to show you how to play them and impress your fiddling friends!

No matter what your level of playing, stick with your fiddling practice routine. Before you start playing, always warm-up with my fiddling warm-ups and scales. Then start practicing slowly. Gradually ease up the tempo. Remember, as you play faster use less bow. If you are really ready to start fiddling, check out my favorite fiddle books

Helpful Resources

Devil’s Dream Violin Sheet Music

Devil’s Dream is a classic fiddle tune. Do you see the pattern? Almost every measure is repeated twice. The measures with string crossings (measures 3-4 and measures 9-10) can be tricky. Practice them slowly in the middle of the bow. Also for measure 3, make sure you have your first finger flattened to cover both the B on the A string and the F# on the E string.

===>Click here for the Devil’s Dream Tutorial.

 

Swallowtail Jig Violin Sheet Music

Like many Irish Jigs, Swallowtail Jig is in 6/8 time, meaning there are 6 notes in a measure and the 8th note gets the beat. Quarter notes get 2 beats and dotted quarter notes get 3 beats. In the first full measure keep your first finger down on the D and A string at the same time so you can quickly play those notes.

===>Click here to download the free sheet music for Swallowtail Jig. You can also learn all the tips and tricks of Swallowtail Jig with my video lesson on Swallowtail Jig for violin. There’s also a play-along track for Swallowtail Jig on the violin and a fiddle duet for Swallowtail Jig.

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Irish Washerwoman Violin Sheet Music

Once you’ve gotten a handle on 6/8 time, try sheet music for Irish Washerwoman. Keep fingers down as much as possible to help you play the notes quickly.

===>Click here to get the free sheet music for Irish Washerwoman + my tutorial!

P.S. If you’re tired of that cheap violin you bought on Amazon and you’re ready to REALLY enjoy playing the violin, I’m here to help you out! I’m on a mission to ban VSOs (violin-shaped-objects). Check out my ultimate guide to he best teacher-approved beginner and intermediate violins.

NOW you can practice happy :)

Mahler Themes for Violin (Free Halloween Violin Sheet Music)

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If you are looking for some lovely, dark and mysterious violins songs for Halloween, look no further than this deliciously tenebrous collection of themes from Mahler’s Symphony No.1, Movement Three.

If you aren’t familiar with this symphony, listen to the recording. I know you’ll love it!

All violin Halloween songs are going to be in minor keys. Minor keys always sad, scary or spooky, so of course our Halloween song for this month will be in a minor key!

There are three types of minor scales and for this song, I’ve chosen a harmonic minor scale since it matches the song best. That means we’ll have a big stretch between the B flat and the C#—so reach for it!
(If scales are confusing you, my scales course can help you out!)

The main theme of this movement is repeated over and over again as a round. A round is just a type of duet in which someone starts playing a simple melody, and then two or four measures later, another instrument starts playing the same melody and the theme just gets layered over and over again like the layers on a dark chocolate devil’s food cake.

One thing that will make this song really sparkle is vibrato. If you’re already using vibrato, I’ll talk about some great sections where you can add it in. And if you’re not learning vibrato, now’s the time to start! Take a look at my violin vibrato course here.

During the video lesson to this Halloween violin song, I’ve included two play-along tracks. One is just the solo, so feel free to play the duet part with me. Or play along with either part when I play a duet with myself in the next play-along.

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Mahler Symphony No. 1 Sheet Music With Warm-Up Scale

Here’s the free violin sheet music for this Halloween violin song, along with the warm-up D minor scale and arpeggio.

Download the free Mahler Symphony No. 1 Themes Sheet Music and Warm-Up Scale Here

Mahler Symphony No. 1 Themes Violin Duet Free Sheet Music

Grab a friend or play-along with me! The violin duet for makes this spooky song even better!

Download the free sheet music for Mahler Symphony No. 1 Violin Duet Part Here

Watch the Video Lesson and Play-Along tracks to this violin song for Halloween below!

How to Play Minuet No. 1 By Bach on the Violin (Free Sheet Music)

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Minuet No. 1 by J.S. Bach is a great song for violin and I’m going to show you how to play this charming classical piece on the violin Scroll down to download the free violin sheet music for Minuet No. 1 by Bach and watch the video tutorial on how to play Minuet No.1 on the violin.

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Key Signature for Bach Minuet No. 1 on the Violin

What key is Minuet No. 1 in? G major! That means one sharp, F#. Think “high two, high two, low two, low two” for your finger pattern. High 2nd finger on the G and D strings and low 2nd finger on the A and E strings.

What Time Signature is Minuet No. 1 In?

3/4 time! Remember Minuet is a type of dance, so imagine dancing to this song and you’ll get a feel for 3/4 time.

For more information on time signatures, check out my course Music Theory for Violinists: Everything You Need to Know for Note Reading, Rhythm, and Music Notation. ver 6 and a half hours of lessons to answer all of your questions on music theory!

Want In-Depth Tutorials on Every Song in Suzuki Book 1?

I’ll teach you everything you need to know to master every song in Suzuki Book 1. I teach you rhythm, song construction, phrasing and dynamics, bow preparation, as well as measure by measure tutorials, play-along tracks, and duets! Check out the full course here.

How to Play Irish Washerwoman on the Violin (Free Sheet Music)

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Irish Washerwoman is a great song for violin and I’m going to show you how to play this awesome fiddle tune! Scroll down to download the free violin sheet music for Irish Washerwoman and watch the video tutorial on how to play Irish Washerwoman on the violin.

Key Signature for Irish Washerwoman on the Violin

What key is Irish Washerwoman in? G major! That means one sharp, F#. Think “high two, high two, low two, low two” for your finger pattern. For more help with key signatures, check out my complete scales course with over 150 lessons on scales.

What Time Signature is Irish Washerwoman In?

Irish Washerwoman is in 6/8 time. This time signature is very common for Irish jigs. It means the 8th note gets the beat and there are six 8th notes in a measure. The good thing with Irish Washerwoman is that it’s almost all 8th notes! So the rhythm doesn’t change much.

For more information on time signatures, check out my course Music Theory for Violinists: Everything You Need to Know for Note Reading, Rhythm, and Music Notation. ver 6 and a half hours of lessons to answer all of your questions on music theory!

How to Get Irish Washerwoman Faster on the Violin

The trick to getting Irish Washerwoman faster on the violin is a trick I call “playing in a circle.” Play one measure at a time very slowly but repeat that one measure, like playing in a loop or circle. Once you can play it cleanly at a slow tempo, gradually speed each measure up.

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Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Free Sheet Music for Violin)

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If you want to learn to play Come Thou Fount on the violin, you’re in the right place! This hymn is absolutely gorgeous on the violin. I’m going to teach you how to play Come Thou Fount for the violin in first position and in third position.

For even more easy hymns along with intermediate third position parts, join my online studio to download my hymn book, Favorite Hymns for Violin. It has over 50 of my favorite hymns transposed into easy to read key signatures for violin. You’ll get Favorite Hymns for Violin in addition to several other downloadable violin books and over 200+ songs and sheet music for violin.

More Third Position Resources for Violin

Third position on the violin allows you to play two higher notes! But it does much more than that. You’ll notice some songs, like Come Thou Fount can be played entirely up in third position very comfortably. You can even play those notes you usually play in first position still in third position. Try it! I think you’ll like it!

Check out these other articles and videos on learning third position!

What is Third Position on the Violin and Why is it Hard?

Easy Scales in Third Position for the Violin

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Christ the Lord is Risen Today (Free Easter Sheet Music for Violin)

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If you are looking for some perfect Easter hymns for the violin, Christ the Lord is Risen Today is a great one!

For even more easy hymns along with intermediate third position parts, join my online studio to download my hymn book, Favorite Hymns for Violin. It has over 50 of my favorite hymns transposed into easy to read key signatures for violin. You’ll get Favorite Hymns for Violin in addition to several other downloadable violin books and over 200+ songs and sheet music for violin.

Key Signature for Christ the Lord is Risen Today on the Violin

Christ the Lord is in the key of D major. That’s F# and C#. For more scale lessons check out my complete scales course with over 150 lessons on scales.

Practice Spots for Christ the Lord on Violin

In the tutorial, I’ll talk about locating your practice spots for any song. In this Easter hymn for violin, the practice spots are the measures with 8th notes! Practice those measures first!

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Sign up for my free newsletter below and you’ll get updates anytime I upload new song tutorials (plus get some free violin printable goodies as well!)

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How to Play Swallowtail Jig on the Violin (Free Sheet Music)

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Swallowtail Jig is perhaps one of the most famous of all Irish fiddle music jigs. It’s peppy and dance-like but also has a distinctive minor quality, which I think adds to its allure. If you have been wanting to learn how to play Swallowtail Jig on the violin, this song of the month is for you!

During this lesson you’ll learn an E minor scale in 6/8 time to match Swallowtail Jig. Learn tips and tricks to make the E minor arpeggio a cinch.

(If scales are confusing you, check out my guided scales course here.)

Then we’ll talk through several practice items to make Swallowtail jig easy on the violin. I’ll also show you some ornaments, slides, and turns you can add in to make this jig sound great on the fiddle!

If you want to play Swallowtail Jig as a fiddle duet, scroll down for an easy duet part!

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Swallowtail Jig Free Fiddle Sheet Music With Warm-Up Scale

Here’s the free fiddle sheet music for Swallowtail Jig, along with the warm-up E minor scale and arpeggio.

Download the free Swallowtail Jig Sheet Music and Warm-Up Scale Here

Swallowtail Jig Fiddle Duet

Grab a friend or play-along with me! The fiddle duet for Swallowtail Jig is pretty easy so you can play-along with the main part even if you’re not quite ready to tackle all those notes in the real jig. Plus, playing Swallowtail Jig as a duet is tons of fun!

Download the free sheet music for Swallowtail Jig Violin Duet Part Here


Watch the Video Lesson and Play-Along tracks below!

Easy Stephen Foster Songs for Violin (Free Sheet Music)

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Stephen Foster wrote over 200 songs in his short life. I’ve picked out 7 of my favorite Stephen Foster Songs for violin. You’ll find all 7 of these Stephen Foster songs are relatively easy for violin since I transposed the sheet music into easy key signatures for the fiddle. Scroll down for free Stephen Foster fiddle sheet music, but first…

Who Was Stephen Foster?

We’ve all heard of “Camptown Races” and “Oh Susanna” since we were children. You’ve probably become familiar with some of his beautiful tunes like “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair” or “Beautiful Dreamer.” Stephen Foster may be one of America’s most popular songwriters, but his short 37 years were filled with contradictions. He’s known as “the father of American Music” even though he never took any formal composition courses. Many of his songs feature Southern themes even though he only visited the South once. His compositions remain popular today and are played on nearly every instrument in both classical and country settings. You might argue he’s the most successful American songwriter, and yet, he had no formal training in music and taught himself to play the many instruments he knew.

I love those contradictions. I think they add to the beauty of these simple, yet timeless tunes.

Let’s jump right in and talk about my 7 favorite Stephen Foster songs for violin!


All of these songs are available for download on my Sheet Music Library as part of my online studio membership. Click here to learn more.

Camptown Races for Violin (Free Sheet Music)

Let’s start with the easiest Stephen Foster song for violin, Camptown Races.

Camptown Races is in the key of G major, which means you’ll have “low 2s” on the A and E strings. If you can do 4th fingers on the A string for those E’s, great. That will save you a string crossing. If not, using open E is fine too.

(If you’re confused about key signatures and low 2s and high 2s and all that confusing fingerboard “stuff,” check out my scales course! Trust me, it will all make sense!)

Join my membership to download the Violin Sheet Music for Camptown Races.

Oh! Susanna Free Violin Sheet Music

Next up on our list of easy Stephen Foster songs for violin, “Oh! Susanna.” I’ve always enjoyed this song since I’m from Alabama, although I’ve never played banjo. This song doesn’t have a lot of “gotchas.” It’s in the key of D major, the favorite key of every violinist. So sit back, and enjoy playing this easy Stephen Foster fiddle tune!

Old Folks At Home (Swanee River) Free Violin Sheet Music

“Old Folks at Home,” a.k.a “Swanee River” is another easy Stephen Foster song for violin. You’ll notice a lot of repletion which makes this an easy fiddle tune. Once you get that first line down, you’ve got most of the song learned. We’re in D major again so that mean’s “high 2s” on the D and A strings.

The only thing to note is that you should “swing the 8th notes.” I could have written this song with the 8th notes written as dotted 8th/16th notes, but that would have made it look more confusing. If you know this song, you’ll recognize that the 8th notes in that first measure aren’t all equal. You’ll need to swing them, which means making the first 8th note longer and the second 8th note shorter. Long-short-long-short. Sometimes hearing the rhythm in your head is so much easier than seeing all those dots and extra lines when it’s printed.

Enjoy this easy violin tune!

Angeline the Baker Violin Sheet Music

Angeline the Baker is a classic Stephen Foster tune for fiddle. It’s popular in bluegrass playing for good reason. Once you get this fiddle tune down, you can really let it fly. It’s in D major so after you’re through repeating it as many times as you like, just play a “D” at the end you’ll be set.

Beautiful Dreamer Free Violin Sheet Music

Now we’re getting down to my real favorites. I think Stephen Foster’s slow, lyrical songs sound absolutely breath-taking on the violin. Add a little vibrato and you can turn this simple song into something that can literally make you shed a tear.

(New to vibrato? Check out my vibrato course here!)

Let’s talk about the few “gotchas” in Beautiful Dreamer for violin. First off, look at that C# in measure 4. That’s probably the most awkward note in the song. It’s a “high 3rd finger” on the G string. Stretch for it, no I mean really stretch for it! It’s usually higher up there than you think. I wouldn’t worry about 4th fingers for those D’s that bookend the C#, just play open D. But use the open D to allow you the time to stretch for that C#.

We’re in C major which means low 2s all around. And those long tied notes? Yep, just asking for a little vibrato!

Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair (Free Violin Sheet Music)

Another one of my favorite Stephen Foster songs that sounds absolutely beautiful on the violin. This lyrical tune is smooth and flowing and perfect for vibrato practice.

Alright, let’s talk about Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair for violin. First off, I really struggled with what key to put this fiddle tune in. G major is the best fit for the left hand but I hate that first note is on an E. You have two options, neither of which are great. Start on an open E, but just don’t play it super loud or it will sound shrill. Or play it with a 4th finger on A. But take your time. Set up the 4th finger and test it by lightly plucking before you play with the bow.

Since we’re in G major, your finger pattern will be “High 2, High 2, Low 2, Low 2.” That’s my mantra for G major: high 2s on the G and D strings, low 2s on the A and E strings.

Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair is very free-flowing with a lot of ritards and fermatas (where you hold the note for however long you see fit—like the first note). Imagine yourself singing this song and you will instantly hear where you need to slow it down and speed it up again.

Other than that, sprinkle in some vibrato and enjoy!

Hard Times Come Again No More Free Violin Sheet Music

Lastly on our list of Stephen Foster fiddle tunes, my absolute favorite, “Hard Times Come Again No More.” I think this one always gets me because the lyrics are so poignant and memorable. Add to the lyrics the heart-wrenching, plaintive quality of the song and you have a timeless classic.

This song always makes me realize, no matter how bad I think I have it, I really don’t have it that bad. It takes me back through the years and makes me imagine all the heart ache of previous generations. It makes me incredibly grateful for the wonderful quality of life I enjoy.

I’m not a great harmonica player. In fact, I know two songs and this is one of them. But I love playing it on harmonica. It fits the instrument so well. (Side note: don’t ever try to play harmonica while flying on a long cross-country by yourself a couple thousand feet in the air. I’ve tried it. Not a good idea…)

Let’s get into “Hard Times Come Again No More.” Like the song says, this is a dirge. You can let the rhythm ebb and flow, no need to be super exact. Think of it like an a cappella singer and you’ll paint the right picture. I like to add a little ritard at the end of each phrase (before the rests) for a nice semi-ending before continuing on. We’re in good ole D major here so you can focus more on bow and tone quality for this slow, lovely tune.

I hope you enjoyed these lovely Stephen Fosters songs for the violin. Let me know what other songs you would like to see.

~Happy Practicing!

How to Play Shenandoah on the Violin (Free Sheet Music)

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This month, learn how to play a beautiful American folk song on the fiddle, Shenandoah! Shenandoah is tricky since it’s slow and there’s some difficult tied notes. Watch the video for my tips on how to practice tied notes.

I’ve also included an easy violin duet part for Shenandoah so if you’re just starting out, or if you want to enjoy some nice harmony, try it out!

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How to Play Red Haired Boy (Jolly Beggar Man) on the Violin: Free Sheet Music

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This month’s song is an old traditional Irish fiddle tune that is also a popular bluegrass favorite: Red Haired Boy, also known as the Jolly Beggar Man.

This tune has the typical swinging dotted 8th note rhythm of the hornpipe. In this rhythm, the eighth notes follow a pattern in which the first eighth note is slightly longer than the second eighth note.

Some violin players find the notation of dotted eighth notes and sixteenth notes quite overwhelming to read. Sometimes it is simpler to see the song in plain eighth notes and add your own “swing” to the eighth notes. I’ve included two version of the fiddle warm-up and song in this month’s song of the month so you can pick which one you like!

Click here to download The Red Haired Boy free violin sheet music!

Watch the video lesson and play-along tracks for Red Haired Boy below.

 




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Scottish Fiddle Tunes Free Sheet Music

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If you’re a violinist and fan of the Outlander series you’ve probably also fallen in love with the soundtrack, which features some great traditional Scottish fiddle tunes. As soon as I heard these songs, I had to grab my fiddle and give them a try. You’ll find there are some tricky sections and some difficult rhythms, but if you’re familiar with the soundtrack, you can let your ears guide you. Here’s the free sheet music for three of my favorite Outlander fiddle tunes.

Helpful Resources

While I love creating these violin arrangements, they do take a considerable amount of time to notate, arrange, edit, test-play, and upload. If you want to download and print all of this music (and much more), you can with my Online Studio Membership, where you’ll get access to all of my courses and my Sheet Music Library (a collection of over 200 easy, intermediate, and advanced violin songs). Learn more about becoming part of my online studio here!

Skye Boat Song Free Fiddle Sheet Music

Outlander’s theme song is undoubtedly one of it’s most beautiful and haunting themes. It also sounds great on the violin. The original song hails from the 19th century and the original lyrics deal with some events that actually take place in the series.

Skye Boat Song is in 6/8 time, so the eighth note gets the beat. I like slurring the first three notes of every measure for a nice smooth melody, but feel free to experiment without any slurs. Just make sure you use very small bows for those single eighth notes at the end of the measures, otherwise you’ll find you’re always getting trapped at the tip or frog. 

Here’s a beautiful recording by Katy Adelson that I love!

Join my membership to download the fiddle sheet music for Skye Boat Song here.

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Clean Pease Strae Free Fiddle Music

This song is fast! But don’t let that keep you back. The notes and rhythms are relatively easy. Start off slowly at first and as you speed it up, remember to use less bow to keep it under control. I would aim for the middle of the bow which will make all those string crossings a lot easier. 

Remember your key signatures. You’re going to be jumping back and forth between a “low 2” on the E string and an alternating “high 2” and “low 2” with those C naturals and C sharps on the A string. I threw in some accidentals to make it easy to remember!

Join my membership to download the fiddle sheet music for Clean Pease Strae here.

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Coming Through the Rye Free Fiddle Sheet Music

My personal favorite fiddle tune from Outlander is Coming Through the Rye. I love playing it slowly for the first verse and then speeding it up for the second. Notice at measure 17, it’s the exact same melody and notes as the first measure, just in faster notation. 

There’s also a lot of opportunity for ornaments in this gorgeous tune. Like I said, I like playing the beginning really, really slow. Enjoy making a beautiful tone and add in some vibrato if you can. I also like adding the open D string with the A string notes and the open A string with the E string notes.

For that little symbol on measure 15, add a little turn. Just go B, up to C# and back to B before going on to the A. You can add in these turns other places if you like. I also like including some slides into the important notes. 

When it gets going fast, just remember, small bows! 

Join my membership to download the fiddle sheet music for Coming Through the Rye here.

Happy Fiddling!

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Slow Easy Fiddle Songs (Free Sheet Music)

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I love playing slow fiddle songs on the violin. They are great for developing tone, smooth string crossings, and bow control. Plus the slow tempos give you time to think about intonation and finger placement. For slow songs, it’s imperative that your bow is straight since you will be using lots of bow! If you need some tips and exercises for playing with a straight bow, check out my guide to playing with a straight bow.

I’ve written down some of my favorite slow fiddle tunes for beginner and intermediate violinists (with free sheet music). If you want to know my absolute favorite, scroll down to the very end!

Looking for more great fiddle tunes? Try my favorite Stephen Foster fiddle tunes with free sheet music!


Ash Grove Free Violin Sheet Music

Ash Grove is a great, slow fiddle song for beginners. The key signature is in D major, so you will have high 2nd fingers on the D and A strings and low 2nd fingers on the E string.

Join my membership to download the sheet music for Ash Grove here.You’ll get this song and more as part of my online violin sheet music library.

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Loch Lomond Free Violin Sheet Music

Loch Lomond is a great Scottish fiddle tune that is dear to my heart. My ancestors hail from Scotland so this tune brings back fond memories of my visits to my ancestral homeland. Feel free to swing those 8th notes even though it’s not written in. (Swinging the 8th note means playing the first of every two 8th notes a little slower). In this version, I’ve included two verses with the second verse being an octave higher.

Enjoy this beautiful version by Nicola Bendetti.

Join my membership to download the sheet music for Loch Lomond here.

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Danny Boy Free Violin Sheet Music

Danny Boy is a timeless Irish tune that can be deceptively tricky on the violin. The slow tempo coupled with those long tied notes makes bow control paramount. Notice how those long notes always happen on down bows. That means you will want to plan out your bow placement and always make sure you are at the frog for those long notes so you have the entire bow to work with!

Watch one of my favorite violinists, Nigel Kennedy, play a gorgeous version of Danny Boy.

Join my membership to download the sheet music to Danny Boy here. 

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Will You Go, Lassie (Wild Mountain Thyme) Free Violin Sheet Music

This is a recent favorite of mine. It sounds great on the violin and there are lots of opportunities for ornaments and embellishments. Scroll down for a more advanced version with some embellishments written in.

I love this version with Hurdy Gurdy!

Join my membership to download the sheet music to Will You Go, Lassie?

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In this version, there is a key signature change in the middle from G major to D major. I added in some easy double stops and some triplets.

Download the sheet music for the advanced version of Will You Go, Lassie here.

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The Parting Glass Violin Sheet Music

Join my membership to download the pdf violin sheet music for the Parting Glass here.

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My favorite slow fiddle tune…

What’s my favorite slow fiddle tune? If I had to pick one, it would definitely be Ashokan Farewell. This classic slow fiddle tune has endless opportunities for turns, double stops, and other embellishments. Since Ashokan Farewell is copyrighted, I can’t publish the free violin sheet music here, but you can purchase this great fiddle tune. Find the sheet music along with my other top picks for fiddle books here!

Happy Practicing!

Swallowtail Jig Free Violin Sheet Music

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Swallowtail Jig is a great introduction to fiddling. It’s a relatively easy fiddle tune for the violin. It’s also, simple to memorize and lots of fun. Enjoy this free violin sheet music for Swallowtail Jig. If you are a little rusty on note reading, I’m also including a tablature-like version. Happy Practicing!

Download the sheet music for Swallowtail Jig here.

Check out a list of Easy Fiddle Tunes for the violin here as well as my top picks for fiddle books!

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Swallowtail Jig Tablature Version for Violin

()= A string { } = E string. Normal numbers = D string

A dash (—) means a slightly longer note

12 311 (1) 11311 (10) 3 

2 00 (0) 00(3 2 3 0) 32

311 (1) 11311 (1- 2 3 2 3 0) 3 2 3 1 1 1-

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Devil's Dream Free Violin Sheet Music

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Devil’s Dream is a classic, easy fiddle tune for the violin. Start slow and gradually get the song faster and faster. Keeping it clean at fast tempos can be a challenge with the string crossings, making this simple fiddle tune a great song that you can continually improve. I’ve included two versions, one in D major which can be easier to read for beginners, and one in A major that starts on the E string. Enjoy this free violin sheet music Devil’s Dream!

Plus, watch my video lesson and play-along on Devil’s Dream to get practice tips and help learning this awesome fiddle song!

All of these songs are available for download on my Sheet Music Library as part of my online studio membership. Click here to learn more.

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Devil’s Dream Free Violin Sheet Music in A Major

Download the sheet music for Devil’s Dream in A Major by joining my online studio membership.

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Best Fiddle Books for Beginner to Intermediate Violinists

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Do you want to learn to fiddle? If you are just beginning, do you wonder if it is hard to learn to fiddle? You don’t have to wait until you have been playing for months or years to start learning the fiddle. Whether you are just starting out or have been playing for some time, here are my top fiddle books for beginner and intermediate violinists.

Check out my favorite hymn books, scale books, free fiddle sheet music, and free fiddling warm-ups!

Learn to Play Irish Fiddle by Philip John Berthoud

Level: Very New Beginner—Intermediate Player

This fiddle book is great whether you are just starting or have been playing a while. In fact, you could use it as your first method book to teach you how to get started. The first section starts off with the basics of violin: tuning, where to put your fingers, bowing, and some simple fingering exercises. After some prep work, Section 2 kicks off with your first tune. A simple song using only open strings and first finger on D and A strings. There are several one-finger polkas and jigs which progress to two-finger songs and then finally three-finger songs.

What I love most about this book is that the easy one-finger songs you learn actually sound cool! With most method books, your first few songs sound like a simple children’s tune. But these jigs sound like jigs! You could stay on each song for several days or weeks, getting it faster and faster, learning to relax and get the classic fiddle sound.

As the book progress, it adds more advanced elements like slurs, ornaments, and grace notes with each song. By the middle of the book, the songs start reaching an advanced beginner or intermediate level. Learn to Play Irish Fiddle could be your go-to fiddle book to last a while!

Fiddlers Philharmonic By Andrew H. Dabczynski and Bob Philip

Level: Beginner—Intermediate Player

This is another fiddle book you could start using pretty soon after you learn the basics. It is a collection of songs, not a method book, so you will need another book (or a teacher) to show you the fingerings and notes.

The songs always have a solo version of the tune and then a trio so you could play it with friends. Sometimes the trio version is more difficult for more of a challenge. There’s a wide variety of styles, from American fiddling to Irish Jigs. You can also buy the series for every stringed instrument so your cello and viola friends can play with you.



Ashokan Farewell

Level: Advanced Beginner—Intermediate Player

This has to be my favorite fiddle tune of all times. I play it often, experimenting with various ornaments and double stops. This sheet music arrangement has lots of written-in ornaments like slides and grace notes, which can make this version tricky. However, if you leave out the grace notes and just play the tune, this could be easily accessible for a beginner. Developing a pure, sweet tone over long notes and adding vibrato make this song enjoyable for any level!

Devil Went Down to Georgia

Level: Advanced Beginner—Intermediate Player

What list of fiddle books would be complete without this iconic fiddle song. I guarantee you, if you are in the Southern part of the United States and you tell someone you play the violin, they will ask you, “Can you play Devil Went Down to Georgia?” Now, you can say yes! The beginning fiddle licks are manageable for advanced beginners. Some double stops and slides make this tune exciting for intermediate players.

The French Fiddler by Edward Huws Jones

Level: Advanced Beginner—Intermediate Player

If you want something a little different, this French fiddling book is a great option. Every song has two versions, an easy version of the song and a more challenging version.

While the notes aren’t difficult, it starts off with some rhythms that might be tricky for very early beginners. There are some 16th notes, 8th notes, quarter notes, and 8th rests along with some time signature changes. But once you get the rhythms down, the songs are easy and fun to play.

Mel Bay’s Complete Irish Fiddle Player By Pete Cooper

Level: Advanced Beginner—Advanced Player

If you have already been playing violin for a while, this book would be my suggestion for you. It’s a big book with lots of songs and information on Irish fiddling. The first song is The Irish Washerwoman to give you an idea of the starting level. Cooper slowly introduces the various ornaments in fiddling by adding one more advanced element for almost every song. You’ll learn various bowing patterns, grace notes, mordents, short rolls, and more.

If you want some fun and challenging duets to play with a friends, this is a great book for you. The songs aren’t ordered by difficulty, so you might have to flip through to find the easier ones. The rhythms can be tricky, but if you’re working through Learn to Play Irish Fiddle or the Complete Irish Fiddle Player, it shouldn’t be a problem.



The only thing that is more fun than playing fiddle, is playing fiddle with someone else!

Happy Fiddling!

Irish Washerwoman Free Violin Sheet Music

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Irish Washerwoman is a relatively easy fiddle tune that is well known around the world. I play through it almost daily, getting it faster and faster, adding ornaments, slides, and turns for a greater challenge. Enjoy this free sheet music for the classic Irish fiddle tune, Irish Washerwoman.

Download the sheet music for Irish Washerwoman here.

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Fiddling Warm-Up

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Whether you are playing jigs, reels, hornpipes, Celtic, or American fiddling, folk music has certain bowing patterns, accents, and rhythms that are similar across genres and styles. Use this fiddling warm-up to get used to the various bowing styles and left hand ornaments that you will be playing.

Each exercise is separated from the next by a double bar. Stay with each exercise until you are comfortable with it. Play it on all the strings or with your scales. Learn to relax your shoulders, your wrists, and your fingers.

Download the Fiddling Warm-Up free sheet music here.

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