How to Play Double Stops (Two Strings) on the Fiddle

[HimJimRimDim]

Nice video. I have been trying to get the hang of playing double stops for a while but could not get the fingering technique right. This video has helped me out.

[blueiis2]

@HimJimRimDim I'm so glad that this helped you!

[snakeawake]

Thank you for this video. Very clear instructions and very sincere. You are a born teacher.

[ambrosius]

I'm a classically trained violinist that is trying to learn to play in the fiddle style and this has been very enlightening. Thank you very much!

[RedGlitterFun]

Thank you so much for posting this video! I was so frustrated with the double stops in the lesson that I have to practice this week. I thought I'd never be able to figure it out, now I feel a bit more confident that I will.

[emily111596]

i play viola i would get an A PLUS TWO STRINGS TOGETHER! ITS SO EASY

[blueiis2]

@emily111596 You are one of the very lucky ones! I thought it was easy, too, and then I starting teaching and saw how hard it was for most other people. It makes me want to work harder as a teacher so everyone can have the joy of saying "It's so easy"!

[frmertd]

I had the pleasure of meeting her once and immediately she showed me something that has improved my playing in 10 minutes!. Her shop is in the middle of absolute nowhere. it is about an hour or so from St Louis, MO. Many people from all over America come to take lessons from her (some fly in!) and it is well worth it. I've purchased a great number of instructional dvd's and none moved my playing forward even remotely as much as a simple 10 minutes with her.

[blueiis2]

@frmertd Wow! Thank you! I don't know who you are, but that was really nice. I'm glad I could help.

[buttercupsndaisies]

this is the only video that has helped me understand why my double stops sound so wrong sometimes!!! thanks :)

[spikeduval]

would it be possible to show how the song by ward allen maple sugar goes? pleaseeeeeeeee

[spikeduval]

you are a godsend awsome instructions, i look for your video's thank you

[winkelsj]

Great video, thanks a ton!

[lowellirish]

THANKS SO MUCH!! - New fiddler.

[BlueViolin1977]

Going to add double stops to my practice today. I have the songs bile em cabbage down and old joe clark. We practice these in my jam session group. I bet they will sound so much better using double stops. Thank you so much for this video. I have added it to my favorties. You are a fantastic teacher. Thank you!

[ilovedorsetcoast]

Fabulous concise instruction: you are A GIFTED TEACHER!

[mauibucky]

Of all the instructors online, I find your style the clearest and easiest to understand. Thanks so much and keep em coming!

[mauibucky]

Of all the instructors online, I find your style the clearest and easiest to understand. Thaks so much and keep em coming!

[awclogger]

Excellent clear instructions! Fantastic tips!  Thank you very much for posting this!

[SilentButterflyz]

Very clear and helpful tutorial. I'm a fan of yours! =)

[shal0mnurh0me]

Thank you so much for this video, it's helped greatly. Also, I see you're in New Athens. My family is from Carbondale, not too far away.

[jazzzzzmineable]

This helped me a lot!! Thank youuu!

[joeh4232]

Great job. I am learning and you just taught me something, thanks.

[whhill3]

This is helpful for learning double-stops. Particularly for me it pointed out I was shortening my bow strokes. Thank you!

[ARUNVIOLINISTA]

Very helpful to the beginners as well as the intermediate students. I am very thankful to you for posting such a wonderful video

[lynrowe]

Thanks, I really need all the help I can get!lol I'm not very good yet but I keep on trying and these lessons sure do help.

[MAXMAXTON]

Can you play that while sitting on the toilet ?

[danaboone1]

Chris, this is the best teaching video that I've seen. what a great teacher you are!

Wish I could have seen you when you were at South Plain's College, Levelland, TX. Please keep posting.

[blueiis2]

Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it! I was playing banjo with Alan Munde and Joe Carr when I performed at South Plains College.  That's been a while ago!!!!

[SlippinPegs]

Ok, I have questions. Do you normally play notes on one string and the other string is an open string or do you put your finger at the same spot on both strings all the time? Or does it just depend on the song? And how do I know which strings to play on, let's say I play the notes on A, do I play it with D or E or can I do it in moderation? Or say I'm playing notes on A string and open D string, then go to play some notes on D string, is the accompanying string A or G then?

[blueiis2]

When playing double stops, the main note is your melody note. The secondary note is harmony. The secondary note is an open string many times. If the open note doesn't sound good, try the open string on the opposite side. If that still doesn't sound good, try adding a fingered note. This is how to do it by ear. There is a *method to the madness* if you want to learn the theory behind it.

[53lincoln]

then, when you get really good at that....you have to learn to bow the double shuffle while doing that....aint fiddles great......lol. Keep on sawin!

[hornbeampromise]

Many thanks, I had regressed to the cat strangling stage and was thinking about giving up. Working on Faded Love and Red Wing, I had probably bitten off more than I could chew. So now back to biling that cabbage down. Again, many thanks ~ Chris

[aaronmacauyag]

Wow thanks!!

[runninghart]

Thank you!! Your demonstrations and advice are very helpful as I rediscover the violin/fiddle.

[amjPeace]

I discovered you through hypnosync1, and I think you're wonderful! Thanks for the lesson!

[ozmusique]

Thankyou so much for this video! I wish I had a fiddle teacher like you here in my town in Australia, but these videos are the next best thing. :)

[ViolinPat]

Great tips. Thank you for your helpful explanations and examples by playing.

[bquizzer91]

Thank you thank you thank you!! i always have trouble with double stops. This video helps ALOT!

[wheninrome75]

This was just was I was looking for.  Thank you so much for the help and technique.

Very Helpful.

[estills]

Good and clear instruction + Multiple good examples = Great vid!

Thanks for posting. Want to start teaching my daughter double stops this week and your little contribution to the world of wanna be fiddle players may just be my ticket!!

[blueiis2]

Great! I hope it helps a lot!

[duttmoni]

this was wonderful - thank-you for taking the time to do it.

[blueiis2]

Thanks for your comment!

[2543299]

Hi Chris thanks for the great video this is a big help in learning to play double stops.Its very nice of you to take your time and put these videos on . Allen

[blueiis2]

Hi Allen - Good luck on your double stops. They can really make a simple song sound great.  I'm glad the video is helpful.

[chemicalguy1]

I hope this helps me. I am just starting out. I play guitar and have found the fiddle to be a little easier on the beginner, but now that I can play tunes I need to start playing double stops. That is going to be the challenge. I play by ear mainly, although I can read music , I find it easier to play by ear. Hope that is not a problem for me. Please post more.

[blueiis2]

For this type of music, I think a person is MUCH better off playing by ear. Think of it like this: your goal is to play any song with anybody at any time. If you are practicing with reading music only, you are not working towards this goal. You are working towards playing well and reading music, which is great, but your ability to learn by listening and memorize extremely quickly, which is so important, will not be in use.