The Art of Bowing
Online Video Course

– Build your musical foundation
– Grow as a fiddler
– Play exciting tunes
– Enjoy learning with an experienced mentor
– Play along to guitar + banjo accompaniment

Fiddle student practicing with laptop showing instructional video

Whether you are itching to get started with your first fiddle lesson, or have been at it for decades and hit a wall in your progress, I can get you started on a path to more rhythmic playing and way more fun jamming!

5 years into my fiddling, I still had no clue that I was supposed to be paying attention to my right hand. I never knew if my bow would end up on the up stroke or the down stroke. It just didn’t sound good to me. When somebody finally brought my attention to bowing it changed EVERYTHING about my fiddling and I went from struggling to confident in no time.

It motivated me to create the teaching program that I wish people would have offered me when I picked up the fiddle 20 years ago.

My unique teaching approach focuses on using memory aid techniques, the language of bowing, and an understanding of how humans learn best, to teach the foundational rhythms that make old- time music so energetic and exciting.

My approach – which includes bow rhythms, mnemonics, breaking things down into smaller steps – makes it easier for people to learn and retain bow rhythms, melodies, whole tunes, and understand the old-time genre.

Feel free to give the Free Sample Course a try and read the guide How to Use These Videos.

“Michael’s classes and lessons have been life-changing for me. He introduced me to old-time fiddling and broke down the intricate rhythmic bowing patterns which are so essential to getting the correct sound. It provided me with the foundation I needed to be able to jam. He makes it very easy to learn!” – Julie

Art of Bowing Instructional Video Series

This full, step-by-step course of 40 fiddle video lessons will guide you through the richness and complexity of old time bowing.

If private lessons are not realistic for you yet, this video series is exactly what you need. You can go at your own pace and watch lessons again and again.

With these video lessons, you can avoid the guesswork of learning tunes from recordings or performance videos. From close-up views of the exact notes I’m playing to demos of techniques that’ll improve your fiddling, I’ll show you step by step how each tune is put together and how you can make it sound great.

You can even practice your new skills by playing alongside the guitar + banjo accompaniment videos included in each lesson.

Bowing is at the center of these lessons… and of Old Time Music. Bowing and rhythm are what set Old Time Music apart from all other styles. If you are new to Old Time fiddle, or new to fiddling entirely, then bowing is THE perfect place to start.

Here’s the best part: These videos aren’t just about how to imitate me. They’ll also give you the tools to understand, learn, and play any old-time fiddle tune—from old field recordings, from modern performers, from archival footage of old fiddlers, and even from peers at jams.

How to get access:

Dive in today!

Ready to Work Together?

Fiddle Course Options

The Art of Bowing:
An Instructional Video Course with Michael Ismerio

Annual Plan

$7999annually
  • All 40 Current Lessons
  • All Future Lessons
  • Access to Exclusive Facebook Student Group
  • Save Over 33% Per Year

Lifetime Pass

$28900one time fee
  • All 40 Current Lessons
  • All Future Lessons
  • Lifetime Access
  • Access to Exclusive Facebook Student Group
  • 1 Free Private Lesson*
  • BEST VALUE

Monthly Plan

$999monthly
  • All 40 Current Lessons
  • All Future Lessons
  • Access to Exclusive Facebook Student Group

*Free private lesson is 30 minutes, schedule within two weeks of purchase to take place within one month.

Testimonials

“Wonderful fiddle teacher! His approach to the complexities of bowing Appalachian Old Time tunes makes it simple, accessible, and easy to learn. Very highly recommended!” – Cliff

“He is an excellent teacher with many years of experience…so glad he is online!! What a treasure!” – Jean

“I have just completed all 5 fiddle tunes from your Basics of Bowing Series. I want to thank you for being the first fiddler I’ve met who can actually teach what they know. your lessons have helped me sound like a fiddler. I am a clawhammer banjo player, but the fiddle has always been a love of mine. Unfortunately, I’ve never gotten the fiddle sound. While I have had great musicians as teachers, they couldn’t do what you can do. Learning the rhythm, bowing pattern, and the actual tune have all helped me feel like a fiddler.” – Jim from Missouri

“I’ve just done the second lesson. I think it’s a miracle that you’ve figured out how to break this music down into its essential components, teach left hand and bow arm independence without it seeming like a big deal, show how to put it all back together, and then deliver it all, effectively, online no less. Thank you! It’s so different than reading music, hurray! I don’t have an opportunity to learn ‘knee to knee’ as you put it. I’m so happy to have a chance to approximate that experience, on a screen.” – Diana

Welcome to my instructional videos! They represent over 15 years of teaching and analyzing how my students learn.

These videos are organized intentionally. Starting with the foundational rhythms of old time fiddle music, they slowly build in complexity, weaving in more and more essential techniques to enhance your fiddling.

My use of mnemonics, or memory aids, sets these videos apart. Learning mnemonics will help you remember complex bowing patterns, and each tune will “stick” more easily in your mind.

These videos are stand-alone teaching aids that make fiddling accessible to everyone. You can use them to learn tunes, technique, and bow rhythms even without a private teacher.

You can even practice in concert with the accompaniment videos included with each lesson – featuring guitar and banjo.

If you want more guidance or support, the videos work incredibly well combined with online private lessons with me. You can start your learning process with the videos, and then, in a one-on-one lesson, we’ll problem-solve, fine-tune, and answer your questions.

Access to the videos can be purchased in with options for Lifetime Access, and Annual or Monthly billing. All plans include all current and future video lessons.

Lifetime Pass

If you’re excited to learn old-time fiddle and you like the way I teach, the Lifetime Plan is the way to go. It’s the most economical way to access my videos… and with more videos already in the works, the value will keep getting better.

The The Lifetime Plan includes all current and future videos. I will continue to add more content to the site and you will be able to see it all.

Purchasing the Lifetime Plan also gets you a free 30-minute Zoom lesson with me. Please schedule your lesson within two weeks.

Detailed Tune Listings

Each lesson page contains much more than just an instructional video and the accompaniment video to practice with. I’ll also introduce you to the people who played this music and the environment from which they came.

Along with each tune I include:

  • Stories about the original fiddler
  • Fiddle techniques used in the tune
  • The tune’s history
  • Videos of the fiddler or related fiddlers

Old Time Music Fans
Check Out My Video Encyclopedia of Old Geezer Fiddlers

Private Student Facebook Group

Learn with peers — Build community — Share the joy of music

Becoming a musician doesn’t have to be a solitary journey! How much more fun will fiddling be when you can celebrate successes and navigate roadblocks with others who are walking the same path?

When you enroll in my online programs or sign up for private lessons, you gain access to an exclusive online group for my Art of Bowing fiddle students.

In this private Facebook group, you can ask questions, post videos of yourself playing, engage with other students, and share your progress and challenges in a safe and supportive environment.

This group allows me to answer individuals’ questions in a forum where everyone can benefit from the answers. You’ll also get input and encouragement from your fellow learners… and you may see chances to support someone else’s learning journey.

If you want to experience the ease and connection of joining a community of budding musicians—and to feel the excitement of realizing you’ve progressed far enough to help others—then try a lesson or check out some videos  to find out how peer support can help you take your learning to the next level.