Eric Christopher: Fiddle, violin and mandolin | lessons, sessions and live – Homepage of Saint Paul fiddle and mandolin player and instructor Eric Christopher

Shove the Pig’s Foot a Little Further into the Fire — Fiddle Duet

Posted on October 24, 2018 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Here’s a duet fiddle arrangement of the classic old-time fiddle tune “Shove the Pig’s Foot a Little Further into the Fire.”

Within the next couple weeks, I’ll be uploading a companion video lesson where I’ll show you how to take the basic melody of a fiddle tune (this one, in particular) and add double-stops, slides and all the little details that make a tune sound like a fiddle tune.

If you’d like a transcription (in standard notation) of this duet arrangement, just click here and I’ll send it right over.

And of course if you have any questions, feel free to send me an email, I’m always happy to help.

Enjoy!

Grass Seeds Academy…the Fall Edition!

Posted on October 21, 2018 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

For years, The High 48s have been teaching Grass Seeds Academy, our annual bluegrass jam camp for kids, at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s winter festival in March. It’s been incredibly gratifying to work with the next generation of bluegrass pickers and singers. And they never stop amazing us! Some Grass Seeds alums…… Continue Reading

Fiddling for Violists

Posted on August 28, 2018 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

If the viola is the butt of jokes in the orchestra, in the bluegrass and old-time fiddling world it’s a non-entity! Although the viola has three strings in common with the violin and is played in almost exactly the same way, it seems to have never occurred to most bluegrass and old-timers that a fiddle…… Continue Reading

Cluck Old Hen Beginning Fiddle Lesson

Posted on April 3, 2018 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Just posted a new video lesson on my Youtube channel. As I mention in the introduction to this lesson, Cluck Old Hen is a good second or third tune, if you’ve just started playing the fiddle. For most fiddle players, Boil the Cabbage Down is the standard starter tune. I know it was for me.…… Continue Reading

How to Practice

Posted on February 2, 2018 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

How to practice? It would seem that this is the simplest questions to answer. Just take your instrument out of its case and play, right? Turns out, there’s a bit more to practicing than just putting in the time. Sure, you can make some progress by simply putting in the hours with a fiddle under your chin.…… Continue Reading

Left Hand Position

Posted on January 31, 2018 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

There are so many things we need to do all at once when we first start playing. We have to hold the bow correctly, keep our wrist straight, maintain consistent bow pressure, etc. And that’s all before we start reading notes and making music. So I think it’s helpful with any aspect of our playing…… Continue Reading

Intro to Shuffle Bowing Video Lesson

Posted on January 16, 2018 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

A few years ago I wrote a quick overview of shuffle-bowing and posted it here on my blog. It hasn’t escaped my attention that this entry gets more traffic than just about anything I’ve written. So apparently I’m not the only fiddler out there thinking about shuffle bowing! For those of you who have no…… Continue Reading

Learn to Read Notes on Fiddle or Violin in 15 Minutes!

Posted on January 8, 2018 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

In this lesson, true to its title, I’m going to teach you how to read music on the fiddle or violin in about fifteen minutes. No kidding. Really. This is a streamlined approach to note-reading that will teach you only what you need to know to play your first couple of beginning tunes. Usually, when…… Continue Reading

Away in a Manger Fiddle Duet

Posted on December 14, 2017 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Happy holidays, everyone! This week I arranged the classic Christmas carol Away in a Manger for twin fiddles. I’ve already taught this arrangement to a couple students and so far it’s getting pretty high marks. I know I’m having fun playing it. This arrangement is good for beginning, intermediate AND advanced players, depending on which…… Continue Reading

Intro to Double-Shuffle Bowing (aka, “Hokum Bowing) Lesson

Posted on December 5, 2017 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Learn to play Orange Blossom Special in twenty minutes! Well…not quite. But in this lesson we will go over the basics of the double-shuffle bow pattern (the part in Orange Blossom where the audience goes crazy). So, if you’d like to learn Orange Blossom Special, or Back Up and Push, this is your intro. We’ll…… Continue Reading

Lazy John Beginning Video Lesson

Posted on November 28, 2017 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Just posted a beginning lesson on the old-time fiddle tune Lazy John. It’s a good, straight-ahead beginning tune, but as you advance, it’s also really easy to fancy it up with droning double-stops and slides (and I’ll be talking about that in another lesson…so stay tuned!). And by the way, I just started my Youtube…… Continue Reading

The new High 48s album is done!

Posted on May 30, 2017 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Late last week we put the finishing touches on our new abum, Daddy Was a Bankrobber. Like most musicians, I tend to be a pretty tough customer when it comes to my own recorded output. I usually find listening back to my own albums to be about as enjoyable as going to the dentist. But…… Continue Reading

Upcoming Workshops

Posted on May 30, 2017 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

June is shaping up to be a big month for fiddle workshops and fiddle camps. On June 8 and 9, I’ll be teaching a two-day fiddle workshop at the International Music Camp’s Fiddler’s Weekend, on the North Dakota-Manitoba border. This is a workshop I’ve been doing for years and it’s always a lot of fun.…… Continue Reading

Improving Fourth-Finger Intonation

Posted on March 14, 2017 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

For us violinists and fiddlers, the fourth-finger is kind of our problem child. Not only is it weaker and smaller than the rest of our fingers, it also seems to have a mind of its own. It can’t find the notes and stay on them as easily as fingers one through three. If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, just…… Continue Reading

Grass Seeds Academy Bluegrass Workshop for Kids

Posted on January 24, 2017 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Grass Seeds Academy is one of the many things I love about spring. Every year on the first weekend of March, The High 48s (my band) teach this weekend-long bluegrass (and old-time) workshop for kids at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s Winter Weekend festival. The focus of this workshop is on group playing, whether…… Continue Reading

The High 48s’ 10-Year Anniversary Show

Posted on October 18, 2016 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

I’m excited to announce that The High 48s are celebrating a HUGE milestone: 10 years as a band! That’s a lot to celebrate. Hundreds of shows. Seven full-length albums. Two line-up changes. Thousands of miles of road. And a lot of good times. But the best part of it all has been you. You’ve kept…… Continue Reading

Eric Christopher and Anthony Ihrig at the Cedar — October 11

Posted on October 5, 2016 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Anthony and I have been playing banjo-fiddle duets together for years. We started working up arrangements in our downtime with The High 48s, waiting backstage or killing time on the festival grounds. Eventually we decided take to our show out of the green room onto the stage. This coming Tuesday, Anthony and I…… Continue Reading

Grass Seeds Academy — March 4-6

Posted on March 4, 2016 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

On March 4-6, The High 48s will be teaching at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s Grass Seeds Academy, an three-day music camp for kids ages 8-18 that takes place during the Bluegrass Winter Weekend festival in Plymouth, MN. We always enjoy working with these talented young musicians and are impressed with what they are able…… Continue Reading

The High 48s’ Bluegrass Brunch is Back

Posted on January 19, 2016 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

The High 48s are back for a second season of winter Bluegrass Brunches at the Aster Cafe, every Saturday from 11AM-1PM for the months of January and February! There’s no cover and they even have a parking ramp with underground tunnel access to the venue- so bring your family and friends out of the cold and…… Continue Reading

High 48s Holiday CD Release Show at the Aster Cafe — Saturday, December 5

Posted on December 3, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

This may not be news to those of you who’ve heard me grousing about recording an album of holiday music in May, when the birds are singing and everything is greening up here in Minnesota, but for those of you didn’t know about it, The High 48s have been working on our first-ever holiday CD…and…… Continue Reading

High 48s Bluegrass Workshop: Saturday, October 17th

Posted on September 15, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

The High 48s are partnering up with the Minnesota State Fiddler’s Association for an afternoon band workshop this fall in Brooklyn Center, MN. The focus of this workshop will be on playing bluegrass with others, either in a jam setting or in a bluegrass band. This workshop is open to anyone who plays a bluegrass instrument: fiddle, mandolin,…… Continue Reading

The High 48s, Robbie Fulks and Don Stiernberg at St. Thomas on May 8

Posted on April 13, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

This is going to be a good one! The High 48s are playing a show with alt-country legend Robbie Fulks and jazz mandolin master Don Stiernberg on May 8, at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on the campus of St. Thomas in good ol’ Saint Paul (2115 Summit Avenue). By the way, that’s not a typo: this is…… Continue Reading

How Do I Start a Fiddle Tune?

Posted on April 9, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

In bluegrass and old-time fiddle music there are a number of standard intros — also called kick-offs –that players will use to start a tune. These are intros that you can simply snap on — like a Lego block — to the beginning of any tune and they’re guaranteed to work, just as long as…… Continue Reading

Three albums every bluegrass fiddler should own

Posted on March 31, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

It’s a question a lot of my bluegrass fiddle students ask: if you had to pick just a few albums that I should listen to and study, which ones would you recommend? I usually recommend a short list of three albums, for starters. It’s a nice, manageable number. All three albums on this list are fairly…… Continue Reading

What kind of violin strings should I use?

Posted on March 19, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Steel violin/fiddle strings are very responsive and some of them will give you a strong, warm fundamental tone that suits bluegrass and old-time music perfectly. (If you’re interested in trying out steel strings, I wrote about some of my favorite brands here.) But if you’re a classical, jazz or Irish traditional player, you might find steel…… Continue Reading

What kind of fiddle strings should I use?

Posted on March 18, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Finding the right string for your instrument and style of playing can turn into a lifelong quest. I know musicians who are constantly changing their brand of strings, falling in love with one brand and out of love with another. But for most of us, choosing strings is kind of a “set it and forget…… Continue Reading

Shuffle Bowing

Posted on February 25, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

[1/17/2018: check out my new video lesson on shuffle bowing below] A student once told me that Bruce Molsky in his fiddle workshops calls the violin bow a “rhythm stick.” I love that! Calling the bow a rhythm stick gets to the heart of what makes fiddling distinct from violin playing, and that of course is…… Continue Reading

Tune of the Week: Jeanne Marie

Posted on February 24, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Here’s an original tune, one I wrote for my lovely wife Jeanne and recorded on my fiddle CD, “In the Quiet Night: Fiddle Tunes from the Upper Midwest.” What I’ve written out is just the basic melody of the tune. Bluegrass and old-time tunes in the key of A often use fourth-finger drones and open…… Continue Reading

Tune of the Week: Yankee Hornpipe

Posted on February 12, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Here we have that rare bird, the fiddle tune in the key of B flat. This is one I found in an old book entitled “Original Dances, Waltzes & Hornpipes for the Violin, Composed by M. Higgins.” I found a reprint edition of this book years ago at Hobgoblin Music in Red Wing, MN. This…… Continue Reading

Tune of the Week: “Scotland”

Posted on February 4, 2015 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Over the weekend, I did a twin fiddling showcase with Catie Jo Pidel at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s “12 for 12” Fundraiser, and one of the tunes we pulled out was Bill Monroe’s twin (sometimes triple) fiddling classic “Scotland.” Now, this is a tune I hadn’t played or thought about for quite some…… Continue Reading

High 48s Bluegrass Brunch at the Aster Cafe!

Posted on December 30, 2014 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

I’ll be back at the Aster Cafe with The High 48s every Saturday from January to March, 11am-1pm, with The High 48s. Come on down!… Continue Reading

Music is Mindfulness

Posted on November 10, 2014 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Mindfulness is a bit of a buzzword these days. And for good reason: there’s a national shortage of it. Since smart phones have become part of our daily lives, we increasingly live in two places at once. While we inhabit the physical world — working, running errands, eating dinner, going to concerts, taking vacations —…… Continue Reading

Don Stiernberg Mandolin Workshop, May 2nd from 2 to 4pm

Posted on April 16, 2014 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be hosting a workshop by Don Stiernberg at my teaching studio here in Saint Paul on May 2nd. Don will be in town with Robbie Fulks for The High 48s‘ CD release show that evening. In addition to being a great bluegrass picker, Don Stiernberg is a world-class jazz…… Continue Reading

High 48s Album Release Show!

Posted on March 14, 2014 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Save the date! The High 48s have booked a concert to celebrate the release of our upcoming CD “Great Northern Railroad” on May 2nd at the O’Shaughnessy Education Center Auditorium on the campus of the University of St. Thomas. (IMPORTANT: NOT the O’Shaughnessy on the campus of St. Catherine’s…directions here.) Joining us will be alt-country…… Continue Reading

Back from Nashville…

Posted on January 21, 2014 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Just got back from Nashville where The High 48s were working on the new album. We tracked it with Grammy-winning dobro player/producer/engineer Randy Kohrs at Slack Key Studios. It was three ten-plus-hour days of tracking, sandwiched between two fourteen-hour days of driving. We’re all feeling a little ragged right now, but happy, because the album…… Continue Reading

The High 48s at Grass Seeds Academy, February 28 through March 2

Posted on January 14, 2014 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

The High 48s are very excited to announce that we’ll be teaching at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA)’s Grass Seeds Academy again this spring. Grass Seeds is a weekend-long jam camp for kids that’s held in conjunction with MBOTMA’s Winter Weekend bluegrass festival at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Plymouth, MN. We’ve…… Continue Reading

Bluegrass Today…and tomorrow

Posted on January 14, 2014 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Thanks to Bluegrass Today, the bluegrass blog of record, for the nice write-up on The High 48s’ forthcoming CD. http://bluegrasstoday.com/the-high-48s-ride-the-train/ For those of you who are tardy to the party, we’re working on a collection of train songs, new and old, originals and covers. The album will be called Great Northern Railroad (after the title track, which…… Continue Reading

High 48s-related gig alert!

Posted on January 10, 2014 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

The High 48s won’t be gigging between now and when we head off to Nashville next week, but there are High 48s-related shows to report: Tonight, January 10, at Lee’s Liquor Lounge in Minneapolis, the 48s’ Anthony Ihrig and I will be joining up with Chris Silver, Wayne Beezley and Pete Mathison and Ron Elwood…… Continue Reading

Help The High 48s Record Their New Album — Contribute to our Kickstarter Campaign!

Posted on November 30, 2013 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

This winter, The High 48s will be traveling down to Nashville to record and album of bluegrass train songs with Grammy-winning producer, engineer and dobro player Randy Kohrs. The album will be a collection of High 48s originals along with some choice cover songs from the likes of Greg Brown, Robin and Linda Williams, Muddy…… Continue Reading

The High 48s Jam Camp — August 6-8 at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s August Fest

Posted on June 15, 2013 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

The High 48s will be back at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s big festival near Richmond, MN this year. In addition to playing a couple of mainstage sets, we’ll be teaching Jam Camp. The camp is for beginning- and intermediate-level players and will include individual instrument instruction (in banjo, fiddle, flatpicked guitar, upright…… Continue Reading

May 10: Americana Triple Bill with The High 48s, The Roe Family Singers and Becky Schlegel

Posted on April 8, 2013 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

On May 10, The High 48s, The Roe Family Singers and Becky Schlegel will celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with a triple bill at the O’Shaughnessy Education Center Auditorium on the campus of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. We’re looking forward to this one! It’s not often that we get a chance to play on a bill…… Continue Reading

Spring String Gathering and River Falls Roots and Bluegrass Fest

Posted on April 3, 2013 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

This weekend The High 48s are off to Wisconsin for a couple greatfestivals. Then on Sunday, the 48s will be back in River Falls for the Roots and Bluegrass Festival. We’ll playing Sunday brunch set starting at 11:30am at the West Wind Supper Club. Hope to see you there!… Continue Reading

Young Fiddlers Association Fiddle Workshop, February 18 at 1pm

Posted on February 12, 2013 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

I’ll be teaching a fiddle workshop for kids on February 18, 1pm, at the Tapestry Folkdance Center at 3748 Minnehaha Avenue South in Minneapolis. The workshop is being organized by the Young Fiddlers Association, who put on a lot of great events for fiddlers between the ages of 8 and 18. Visit www.youngfiddlers.com for more info or…… Continue Reading

High 48s CD Release Show, Aster Cafe, February 15 at 9pm

Posted on February 7, 2013 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Celebrate the release of our new CD with us at the Aster Cafe on February 15. Showtime at 9pm. The CD is called You Asked for It! The High 48s Play Requests and it’s a collection of some of the most-requested songs from our live shows, including “I Will Whisper Your Name” and, of course, “Orange Blossom Special.” Buy…… Continue Reading

Jump Start Your Fiddle Workshop — February 9, 9-5pm

Posted on January 7, 2013 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

On February 9, I’ll be teaching a clinic for classically trained violinists who are learning (or are interested in learning) how to play fiddle. As a classically trained violinist/bluegrass fiddler, this is a topic near and dear to me. I’ll be giving lots of practical pointers on making the transition from classical music to fiddling…… Continue Reading

Am I too old to start learning an instrument?

Posted on January 1, 2013 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Am I too to old to start playing an instrument? This seems like a natural question for New Year’s Day. It’s the time of year when we music instructors see a lot of new, adult students who are trying to make good on their New Year’s resolution. For a long time, the conventional wisdom has…… Continue Reading

How do I play the double shuffle in Orange Blossom Special? Part Two.

Posted on December 13, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

In part one of this lesson, we looked at two types of double-shuffle bowing as well as two basic double-stop voicings to use with these bowing patterns. Once you’re able to play these patterns with good timing and intonation, then you’re ready to tackle the triple-stop (three-note chord) version. The easiest way to beef up…… Continue Reading

How do I play the double-shuffle in Orange Blossom Special? Part one.

Posted on December 5, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

UPDATE 1/8/2018: check out my new video lesson on double-shuffle bowing on Youtube. This is a question that comes up in lessons and workshops a lot. I mean, A LOT! And that doesn’t come as a surprise. Orange Blossom Special is far and away the most popular American fiddle tune, it’s fun to play…… Continue Reading

Tonight at Underwood Studios

Posted on November 30, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Tonight The High 48s went to Underwood Recording Studios in Minneapolis to record one more track for our soon-to-be-released album. For this song, we chose to abandon our usual method of working, which is recording over a click track (a metronome, basically) with each instrument isolated in its own room, on its own track, using headphones and…… Continue Reading

Tunes from the Minnesota State Fiddler’s Association Workshop

Posted on November 26, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Thanks again to everyone who came to the Minnesota State Fiddler’s Association workshop yesterday! As promised, here are some bare-bones transcriptions of the tunes I shared. Just click on the links below and a PDF file should download to your computer automatically. These are just the basic melodies. Bowings, exact phrasing, slides and drone double-stops…… Continue Reading

Eric Christopher and Anthony Ihrig Holiday Show at the Three Crows Cafe

Posted on November 21, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Anthony and I just booked a holiday show at the Three Crows Cafe in Delano, MN, on December 8 at 7:30pm. Although we only play a few duo shows a year, they’re some of our favorite gigs to play. These shows are always super spontaneous and super high energy (that’s just what happens when you…… Continue Reading

Eric Christopher fiddle workshop this Sunday, November 25, 2-4pm

Posted on November 21, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

This Sunday, I’ll be teaching tunes from his solo CD In the Quiet Night: Fiddle Tunes from the Upper Midwest. The workshop will be happening at the Ridgedale Public Library in Minnetonka from 2-4pm. For more information, visit the Minnesota State Fiddler’s Association website at www.fiddlemn.com. … Continue Reading

Lakes Bluegrass Festival Fiddle Workshop

Posted on August 28, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

I had a blast teaching the fiddle workshop at the Lakes Bluegrass Festival in Pine River, MN last weekend. If you were in the workshop, thanks again for coming out — it was fun to work with you all! If you need a refresher on the tune we played, I’ve posted a recording below. Workshopee…… Continue Reading

The High 48s in Ulen and Terrace Mill, MN this weekend!

Posted on August 16, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

It’s been a few years since we made it back to the Top Hat Theater in Ulen, MN — we’re psyched to be playing there again. This is part of a fantastic concert series that every year features some of the best bluegrass and acoustic artists from around the Upper Midwest. Can’t wait! More info here. Show…… Continue Reading

The High 48s at Red House Records’ Barnfest — August 4th!

Posted on July 26, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Super psyched to be playing Red House Records’ Barnfest with the 48s down in Red Wing, MN on August 4, not only because it’s always fun to be the only bluegrass band at a non-bluegrass festival — we like to feel special! — but because we’ll be sharing the stage with some of our faves. Guitar…… Continue Reading

The High 48s with Art Stevenson and High Water in Marshfield, WI

Posted on July 17, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Super psyched about our show with Art Stevenson and High Water this weekend. Art and High Water are not only one of our favorite bluegrass bands in the Midwest, they’re also one of our favorite bluegrass bands period. Expect a lot of hard-charging traditional bluegrass and a ton of good vibes. Evening starts at 7:30pm.…… Continue Reading

CD Release Show, May 11 at Dreamland Arts in Saint Paul

Posted on April 26, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

When: Friday, May 11 at 7:30pm Where: Dreamland Arts, 677 Hamline Avenue North, Saint Paul Tickets: $15, available at http://www.dreamlandarts.com/shows/detail.php?eventId=199 Info: Click here for directions and contact info Come on down to Dreamland Arts in Saint Paul to celebrate the release of In the Quiet Night: Fiddle Tunes from the Upper Midwest. After many years spent listening hard…… Continue Reading

Grass Seeds Academy Bluegrass Workshop for kids — March 2-4

Posted on February 28, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

I’ll be teaching a bluegrass band workshop for kids along with The High 48s at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s Winter Weekend Festival. The High 48s will be joined by Catie Jo Pidel, Chuck Millar and Ryan Kimm, and Peter Ostroushko will be giving a fiddle workshop for intermediate-advanced students. I’ve taught at…… Continue Reading

The Minor Planets on Minnesota Public Radio

Posted on February 6, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

MPR just aired a great (and long!) piece by Chris Roberts about The Minor Planets and our new album Shadow in the Water (download the first track of the album and hear it here). The piece is also available to stream here, on the Minnesota Public Radio website. … Continue Reading

MinnPost’s Jim Walsh Likes It!

Posted on February 6, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

We’re always grateful when someone, anyone, really listens to and connects with our music, especially when that someone hears what you were trying to get at when you were locked away all those long hours in the studio. And when that somebody happens to be a music journalist who can really write — I mean,…… Continue Reading

The reviews are coming in on the new Minor Planets album…

Posted on February 6, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Our new CD dropped just about two weeks ago and now the reviews are starting to come in… Like a lot of our fellow musicians, Dana and I can be a little sensitive to criticism (there, we said it), so reading reviews tends to give us that standing-on-the-high-dive feeling. But this time, we’re pleased to announce,…… Continue Reading

The Minor Planets on MPR’s Radio Heartland

Posted on January 19, 2012 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Dana and I went into MPR’s studio this week to play a few numbers as a duo and talk with Mike Pengra and Chris Roberts about our new CD (download a free track here), our upcoming release show and dozens of things! Tune into Radio Heartland Friday at noon or follow the link below to listen to…… Continue Reading

Free Christmas Single from The Minor Planets

Posted on December 8, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

The Minor Planets is one of the many irons I have in the fire right now. It’s my countrypolitan collaboration with the amazing singer/songwriter Dana Thompson. We have a new CD coming out in January (and a CD release show scheduled — see the calendar page for the particulars), but in the meantime, we thought…… Continue Reading

The Minor Planets at the Dakota — November 19

Posted on November 16, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

The Minor Planets will be playing this Saturday night at the Dakota in Minneapolis, our first (public) full-band, Minor Planets gig since we went into the studio to record our new album Shadow in the Water. We’re SO ready for it. We’ve got a fantastic line-up for this show, with Jimmy Johnson on pedal steel, Richard…… Continue Reading

A Banner Weekend at Bluegrass in the Pines

Posted on August 30, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Just got back from the Bluegrass in the Pines Festival in Rosholt, WI (near Stevens Point), and I’m physically exhausted but spiritually recharged. Outstanding picking (both onstage and off), good people and an almost magical vibe. Really. I love, love, love this festival. If you’re thinking about going to a bluegrass festival next summer, put…… Continue Reading

Busy, Busy, Busy: Upcoming CD Releases!

Posted on August 10, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

While the 48s have been taking a little break from the road, things have been hopping around here on the recording front. The amazing Dana Thompson and I have just finished our first new Minor Planets record in a decade. The album is called Shadow in the Water and it’s a departure from the traditional…… Continue Reading

Remembering Kenny Baker

Posted on July 20, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Kenny Baker, longtime fiddler for Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, died of a stroke last week in Tennessee at the age of 85. Kenny’s passing didn’t make headline news [although the “newspaper of record” did finally publish an obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/arts/music/kenny-baker-bluegrass-fiddler-dies-at-85.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries] , and unless you were reading a bluegrass blog or heard it through the bluegrass…… Continue Reading

Peace Gardens International Music Camp Workshop

Posted on June 13, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

A big thanks to everyone who joined me for the IMC fiddle camp last weekend. It was so much fun working with all of you. I was awed by your enthusiasm and sheer persistence: two full days of learning fiddle tunes can be a bit much, but you all hung in there like crazy. It…… Continue Reading

FAQ: How do I mic a fiddle or violin (in the studio)?

Posted on June 12, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Getting a fiddle to sound natural and warm through a microphone is a problem that just about every fiddle player I know struggles with. So if you’re frustrated by the sound you’ve been getting either in the studio, know this: it’s not just you. Over the years, through (often painful) trial and error, I’ve a…… Continue Reading

Festival Seasons is Here!

Posted on June 8, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

If the triple digit temperatures weren’t a dead giveaway, the my/the 48s’ schedule this week clinches it: festival season has arrived. This Thursday and Friday, I’ll be teaching a two-day bluegrass fiddle workshop up at the International Music Camp in Peace Gardens, on the North Dakota/Manitoba border. For more info, visit http://www.internationalmusiccamp.com/. On Saturday, the…… Continue Reading

What’s the Difference Between a Violin and a Fiddle?

Posted on May 24, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

By far, the question I’m asked most often by students and ordinary civilians is this: “What’s the difference between a violin and a fiddle?” There are the standard joke answers that string players are required by law to give (e.g., “About $15,000,” or “It’s a violin when you sell it and a fiddle when you…… Continue Reading

Illustrated Eric: Welcome to the Redesign!

Posted on April 30, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

It was time to redesign. Winter was long and dreary. And dreary and long. And did I mention long? And my website was starting to look a little gray and drab, like the giant mounds of dirty snow we’ve been buried in for the last six months up here in Minnesota. So Jeanne, my lovely…… Continue Reading

Minnesota State Arts Board Grant

Posted on March 4, 2011 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

Just found out that I’ve been awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board Grant. So excited! This will help fund an all-instrumental CD I have in the works. For this one, I’ll be performing/arranging a collection of tunes from Upper Midwestern fiddlers across genres/traditions. I’m still collecting tunes, so if you have any suggestions, send ‘em…… Continue Reading

MBOTMA Jam Camp

Posted on August 20, 2010 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

I’d just like to say thanks again to all of the jam camp students at this year’s MBOTMA fest. It was a ton of fun working with all of you this year — and I know I’m also speaking for my fellow High 48s and for Willie Scott Bauer. We’ve posted pictures from jam camp…… Continue Reading

The High 48s New CD is Done, Done, Done

Posted on March 19, 2010 by ericmchristopher • 0 Comments

The High 48s have just released their third CD. It’s called Up North, and it features eight High 48s originals, two bluegrass classics and a song we picked up from the Irish band The Pogues, as well as some smokin’ guest appearances from Mike Compton on mandolin (www.mikecompton.net/ ) and Randy Kohrs on dobro (www.randykohrs.com).…… Continue Reading