Fiddle Sticks.??

Subject: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: The Shambles
Date: 18 Jan 99 - 07:35 PM

I would welcome some information on Fiddle Sticks.

What are they, where can I hear them and why is the name (and expression) so well known when the instruments are not?

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Barry Finn
Date: 18 Jan 99 - 07:49 PM

I think it was the New Lost City Ramblers (but not sure) that I saw years back & also a Cajin (sp?) band (Balfa Brothers?) playing them. The fiddler plays as normal & a second person has two sticks, maybe like hammer dulcimer sticks & plays the strings (like a hammer dulcimer player would) between the bow & fingers on the neck. Don't remember much more than that, I'm going back maybe 15 yrs or so, sorry. Barry

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:27 AM

Have seen this done with knitting needles.
All the best,
Dan

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:45 AM

The thing has also been done in other forms of music. Some of you may remember Gene Krupa had a Big Band hit with something called "Big Noise from...I forget where..." God I hate this gettin' old thing!!! Anyway the song features Krupa using drumsticks on the bass. Had a really great bass player too. Obviously I've forgotten his name also. cat...cats...catswhat??..uh,catstail,no...catsass...no,no,no, .. that's uh....foot?, no,..toe,...yeah, I got it!! ...PAW....whew, had me worried. pawscat...still doesn't seem right...............

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:50 AM

The thing has also been done in other forms of music. Some of you may remember Gene Krupa had a Big Band hit with something called "Big Noise from...I forget where..." God I hate this gettin' old thing!!! Anyway the song features Krupa using drumsticks on the bass. Had a really great bass player too. Obviously I've forgotten his name also. cat...cats...catswhat??..uh,catstail,no...catsass...no,no,no, .. that's uh....foot?, no,..toe,...yeah, I got it!! ...PAW....whew, had me worried. pawscat...still doesn't seem right...............

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:53 AM

Sorry...forgot I'd already clicked it. catfootguy

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Chet W.
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 05:45 PM

Knitting needles work just fine, or for a different tone and/or volume use kind of hefty bamboo chopsticks. And remember you are not necessarily trying to hit all the melody notes; rather, you are playing a rythm that goes with the tune, very much like a drummer. Have to be mindful of the key of the tune. For example, if it's in D, you might want to do your tapping on the D and A strings. More intricate techniques can be worked out as you go along.

Good luck, Chet W.

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 05:54 PM

Catspaw

Winnetka?

Regards

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 07:33 PM

YES YES YES A MILLION TIMES YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Martin and a pox upon those who say we're just a Folk site!!!

Seriously, Thanks a lot...It was drivin' me nuts all day. catspaw

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: jet
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 07:50 PM

I remember as a child that there was a game called Fiddle Sticks.It contained a large number of thin long sticks in a cardbaord tube.You shook the sticks out of the tube into a pile.I think the object of the game was to disengage the pile with one of the sticks without cuasing the pile to colapse. I believe this is where the expresion "O fiddle sticks originated". Ps ; It was a girls game so I am a little unsure as to the details.

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Frank
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 08:20 PM

The game was called "Pick-up-Sticks" and the sticks were well suited to play "Fiddle Sticks" very lightly, thanks for the memories! Fiddle sticks were very popular on the Hurdy-Gurdy as the drummer didn't "cramp" the bowperson.

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:09 PM

HEY JET!!!!

I played with those pick-up sticks or fiddle-sticks as a child. I'd prove my manhood to you, but this is not the condom thread so it would be out of place here.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Mike Billo
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:17 PM

The bass player who Krupa dueted with on "Big Noise From Winetka", was Bob Haggerty, a great player whose lack of name recognition is a shame. He could REALLY play!

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:22 PM

Thanks Mike...as I said he was GREAT...and you're right about the name recognition. catspaw

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:35 PM

My copy of John Hartford's 'Morning Bugle' is long lost, but I always thought that a fiddle-sticks technique was used on the double bass on at least one of the tracks. It was only later that I picked up double bass as an instrument. I would appreciate the views of anybody who still has this album. (I think I've got the correct title).

Regards
John

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Paul Jay
Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:39 PM

Shambles, Nimbus Records in 1991 had a release Called "Fiddle Sticks" Irish Traditional Music from Donegal. This was recorded in a concert and has a lot of individual Great Fiddling as well as a lot of group pieces. I hope this is what you are looking for> Nimbus Album # NI 5320. For all you so-called folkies out there who played Pick Up Sticks, Fiddle Sticks refers to a reallly old fashioned way to beat out tunes on a fiddle with thin sticks tapped on the strings while fingerings were played. You can also do this with other insturments. Try HAMMERED FIDDLE!

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 20 Jan 99 - 08:05 AM

Just remembered attending a recital last year at which one of the artists played Teleman on a violin (beautifully). She then played some modern pieces written by her husband - who accompanied her on a double bass which, on occasion, he beat with a toilet brush!

Love knows no bounds.

Regards

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Dick Lefevre
Date: 21 Jan 99 - 01:50 AM

I saw Jimmy Driftwood (Battle of New Orleans, He Had a Long Chain On) touring with a group of Ozark musicians about 1977. An older lady fiddler touring with the group had a fiddle she'd made. One of the other musicians tapped on the strings while she bowed them.

Subject: RE: Fiddle Sticks.??
From: Frank in NJ
Date: 11 Feb 99 - 01:39 AM

Just seeing this thread again caused me to recall the many fiddle styx players who accompanied fiddlers and hurdy-gurdyists to the fiddle gatherings years ago. An interesting flash back recalls the playing of fiddle styx also on the lap dulcimer. I haven't seen that done in many years. The traditional "hammer" used were refered to as "wheat straws". I have seen chop sticks also used as "hammers" but to my taste that's overdoing a good thing. Frank