Fiddle | Beth Chrisman | Intermediate/Advanced | Period 3 | Week 1 (July 6-10, 2026)
Honkytonk fiddle is a lesson in tone and simplicity. Our main focus will be on getting a sweet sound and learning what to play (and what not to play!) for a true country sound. We’ll focus on bowing technique, scales, and tone development early in the week, then move into solo improvisation and backup styles over classic honky-tonk tunes like Ray Price’s “Crazy Arms” and Kitty Wells’ “I Don’t Claim to Be an Angel.” I will guide you through multiple exercises for smooth bow sounds, as well as workshop each student’s bow holds and general technique. If you’ve been having trouble mastering good tone, or have any form issues you would like to work on, I aim to give you the tools to get better sound and feel comfortable doing it!
These skills will help you sit in on country jams, support singers, and play well with other musicians. Players from old time, cajun, bluegrass, classical, and folk backgrounds welcome.
Requirements: Ability to play scales and simple melodies (like “Twinkle Twinkle”) by ear in several keys. We’ll primarily work in D, G, and A, with harder keys available for advanced students.
About the Instructor
You can hear the high-lonesome of her birth-state Kentucky in the voice and fiddling of Beth Chrisman, but the warmth comes straight from the festive and tight-knit music community of Fairbanks, Alaska where she grew up.
She’s come a long way since showing up in Austin, Texas in 2006. While a member of retro country trio the Carper Family, Chrisman performed on Mountain Stage and A Prairie Home Companion, US & international festivals, and was recognized for her songwriting by the Independent Music Awards (“Cold, Dark & Lonely” Best Americana Song, “Foolish Ramblin’ Man” Best Country Song, IMA).
Both at home and on the road, she has joined a variety of artists on stage and in the studio – honky-tonking with Bobby Bare and Bill Kirchen, swinging with Big Sandy & the Fly Rite Boys, jamming with Shinyribs and the Heartless Bastards. With her bands the Carper Family and High Plains Jamboree, Chrisman performed standout showcases at Folk Alliance International, SXSW, IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association), and as a featured songwriter with Project ATX6 brought old-time country influence to festivals & clubs in Toronto and Angers, France