Product Details

• Actors: Brian Wicklund
• Directors: Brian Wicklund
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
• DVD Release Date: December 11, 2002
• Run Time: 114 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0001Y7EW2
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,580 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for beginners, March 8, 2006

By 

Steven Hewitt (Deep_N_Thehearta_TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mel Bay The American Fiddle Method Volume 1 (DVD)

I've recently begun fulfilling a forty-plus-year dream of learning to play the fiddle, and bought a couple of DVDs to support this wish.

The first DVD lesson was nice, but the presenter/instructor seemed disorganized, flowing sort of "stream of consciousness...sort of "oh, and another thing...". The second was more organized, but featured the DULLEST person in the world talking to the camera as if his views already understood music theory, relying heavily on tablature, which is accompanies the DVD but is deuce difficult to hold while bowing. I also got an "old-time fiddle" instructional DVD which is nice, quirky, and simplified, but not satisfying by itself, and not useful without a good instructional DVD as a basis.

...then, I bought Mr. Wicklund's DVD.

Mr. Wicklund takes the viewer through the BASICS, from holding the instrument (get ready to tone a few unused muscles), hold and use the bow, tuning (so you don't break a string), how to stop strings for scales, all the stuff covered in the other DVDs I've seen...but, in a friendly, inviting, organized and easy to understand way. Not trying to sound dramatic, his DVD makes the learning of what can be an unforgiving instrument seem actually POSSIBLE.

He then goes slowly through 22 songs, one or two strings at first and then progressively more difficult. He uses the songs to help the student work on and groove in points and skills he's covered. Then he stops, adds a skill (high and low positions of the second and third fingers, for instance, or drones), and then gives you more songs to practice.

Each song is presented with a video window showing his fingering, then it's broken up and covered slowly, and then he'll stop and give you pointers on the song.

Finally, he shows you how to play backup, as in bluegrass music, bowing chords to back up someone's solo. This part seems to require the book and a bit more detail than is given in the DVD, but the book's readily available and cheap, too, and I'd recommend getting it (I have yet to).

The lessons are graduated and the DVD is conveniently broken up into chapters, making it easier to use for the casual or busy student as well as the rosin-addict. You can spend a week on one skill, going back to your week's (or month's) chapter, and see that progress can be made.

Finally, it's 2 hrs long, TWICE AS LONG as almost everyone else's DVDs.

I can readily believe, as Mr. Wicklund says on the DVD, that his students take 4-8 months to cover the material covered in the DVD. For a brick-head and ham-hand like me, it looks like it'll take longer, and yet this DVD leads me to believe that even I can do it.

Mr. Wicklund has two books out, but only this DVD so far. I look forward to his producing another. I may be ready for it when it comes out. In the meantime, I'm hot to buy his books and get on with it.

I say with no exaggeration that Mr. Wicklund's treatment of what might be a humbling subject -- learning through some of the most spine-shattering off-notes only the dog could hear (you wish), and controlling that bloody bow -- seem a perfectly achievable goal.

Thanks, Mr. W!

-- S. M. Hewitt

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic, March 14, 2006

By 

K. Reeder - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mel Bay The American Fiddle Method Volume 1 (DVD)

This is a great companion to the book and CD. When the kids and I disagree about technique, it is great to have this DVD to turn to and solve the problem. Very well done and easy to use and understand.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic help for the bluegrass fiddler, August 11, 2009

By 

C. Averill (Arizona) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mel Bay The American Fiddle Method Volume 1 (DVD)

I have learned more from this one DVD than from any other source. Brian Wicklund is a marvelous teacher with a very clear style easily understood by young and old alike. Each time I watch it, I pick up new insights to improve my personal fiddling technique. I really would recommend this DVD to other aspiring fiddlers.