Pete Showman’s Tune Collection

A Curated Collection of Fiddle Tunes

Over 200 mostly old-time tunes are provided in this collection of sheet music notation, midi files, and notes that include history on many of the tunes.

  • The Tunes Collection is arranged alphabetically by title.
  • Click on the blue or gray bar to close or open a list. If you can’t find a tune, use the search box at the top of this page to see if it is listed somewhere else on the site.
  • Click a Tune name to download the sheet music for it in .pdf format that you can Print and/or Save.
  • Click the   to download and save a MIDI file.
Most of the arrangements are simplified and based loosely on the ways I play them, with basic chords. Some fiddlers prefer fancier chords and/or more notes, leading to many an interesting discussion!
Pete Showman

Pete Showman's Tune List

A – B – C
D – E – F
G – H – I
This version is from a Missouri fiddle workshop taught by Charlie Walden in January 2015; the audio recording of the whole workship is available on Charlie’s website. The tune is one of hundreds composed by Canadian fiddler Calvin Vollrath. You can get Calvin’s official sheet music from his website. Here is my recording of Charlie Walden playing the tune, slowed about 20% (posted with permission).
J – K – L – M
N – 0 – P

I mostly learned this from the Hillbillies from Mars (click on the album cover on their Products page to hear track samples).

 

Q – R
S
T – U – V – W – X – Y – Z

Pete Showman has been the dedicated curator of this music collection. Pete has researched, provided notation, alternative keys, and historical details, arrangements and audio files in this extensive collection of music.

Over the years, these tunes have been played at the South Bay Old Time Jam. So, if you bring one of these to the jam, you’re likely to find someone there that also knows it. Learn more about the jam at Showman.org.

Free E-books and Sheet Music

Download or print music notation for individual tunes or a complete collection. These transcriptions are the copyrighted work of Pete Showman and are provided for your personal use only. The are not to be reproduced for distribution, for sale, or any other use or format, including for use on any other website, without the permission of Pete Showman.

202 Fiddle Tunes (.pdf, 1.4mb)

This is a compilation of 202 fiddle tunes, each transcribed with standard music notation by Pete Showman. This is a .pdf file that allows you to search by title, key (for example: “D major”) and many other bits of information. Print the entire e-book or individual pages as sheet music. 202 pages.

202 Fiddle Tunes – Tablet format (.pdf, 1.5mb)

This is the same set of 202 tune as described above. The format has reduced margins so the tunes can be viewed for mobile tablet users. 202 pages.

South Bay Old-Time Jam Tunes (.pdf, 2.4mb)

This is an a similar complilation of tunes frequently called at the South Bay Old-Time Jam here in Santa Clara, California.  A convenient index is provided listing the title, the key, and the page number where a tune can be located. This document is updated from time to time to include new tunes that are introduced at the jam. Download the complete set or selected tunes as individual sheet music. 206 pages. Last updated 1/15/2018.

MIDI Files

 60 bpm — This indicate a MIDI file at “60 beats per minute“. You might also see “mpm” which means “measures per minute“. MIDIs don’t sound great, but they should help if you learn by ear. A few tunes also have links to audio files or videos of real performances. Of course, you can search most of these on the Web or on YouTube.

This information provided on this page is maintained by Pete Showman. Last updated February 18, 2019

The tunes themselves may be copyrighted by their respective authors or other copyright owners. Tune transcriptions copyright © Pete Showman except as noted. Permission granted to download and print a copy for personal or private instructional use. Please contact me regarding other uses.

If you believe that material on this site violates your copyright or is not properly credited, please contact me at copyright [at] showman.org. Explain what material you feel is a problem, what copyright you hold, if any, what action you are requesting (e.g. removal, or corrected credit), and how best to contact you.