catsphiddle I went through the same thing, I had 'classical music training' so when I went back to the violin at age 34 I had no experience in learning and memorizing tunes. I found it hard at first, but its as it the neural pathways open after more and more practice. I would definitely use recordings, or tapes of sessions to familiarize myself with the melody and the written music if I could find it to get the details but then I would practice either in my kitchen or bathroom where the sound was best. Since I tended to be lazy about having the music with me I tried to do without the dots (as much as possible) and lo and behold my memory developed. I probably play 150-200 tunes (although ones I learned early on, that havent been played lately are being forgotten).

Really, the best practice is at a session, when you dont have music with you (nor should you be playing from music at a session) you would be surprised at how much that helps as there are usually others who know the tune that play along. (You also dont want to start a lot of tunes noone else knows) but thats left for another discussion.

One of my favorite fiddle players (Randall Bays) used to go to sessions and not play but listen, and wrote down the tunes (which according to him at least is not as hard as one would think). He would practice them later at home.

Also many (Canadian east coast) fiddle players in the past (who all pretty much learned by ear, would 'jig' the tunes. ie. sing the tune to themselves after hearing it at a dance and thereby pick it up. have fun. Petr