Summer tuning your instrument

My fiddle is a French instrument called Renoux built in 1936. She's got the most beautiful voice but is very picky when it comes to the weather. Living in Vermont can make keeping her in tune quite a challenge.

In the summertime, my pegs stick. Because I don't have a tailpiece with fine tuners this can make it very difficult to fine tune each string as the wood swells in the humidity making it almost impossible to turn the pegs. So what I usually do is take off each string one by one and goop the peg so it slides more easily inside the peg box. The goop is called peg lubricating compound and looks almost like a crayon. The trick is to take your string off and just put a little dab around the peg and restring it. Then do the next. Be sure not to put too much of the goop on. If you do the peg will become too greasy and won't hold the string in place. Just a little dab is all you need.

You can find the peg goop in any violin shop and possibly any music shop (though I haven't actually looked in other music shops). It's pretty cheap and can make a world of difference.

Well, there is your tip of the day. My pegs were sticking and I had to goop them up so I figured I'd pass the word along.

Happy gooping!

Listening to Crowfoot

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to the band Crowfoot at the New World Festival in Randolph, Vermont. I fell instantly in love with the band's music and bought their debut album Nadajai which has been played so much in my car's CD player that I'm surprised the CD still has grooves.

The band is made up of three exceptional players that create a huge sound. They are influenced by the traditional music of England, Ireland, Quebec and the Appalachian Mountains. Their music is fast and furious and is perfect for contra dancing and even better for cruising in my MINI with Soul Donkey playing at full blast.

My absolute favorite tune set on this album is the aforementioned, Soul Donkey. It starts off with the fiddle as the guitar starts building in the background and then in comes the drum complete with a drum solo that is subtle yet powerful and finishes of with this danceable, happy tune that rocks.

Another great tune set on this album is Hair on Fire. This one starts off with the fiddle droning chords in the background while the flute plays the tune, then they switch and the flute plays some choppy chords while the fiddle plays the tune. It's catchy and good.

Their sound is colorful, creative and inspiring so if you haven't heard them yet check out their website for when they are playing again.

Enjoy!