Intro to Fife

“What do I do first?”

 

Reading Notation
  1. Notation is the standard media for communication between musicians
  2. Even if musicians don't speak the same verbal language, they can still communicate using notation
  3. First lessons will have note names underneath each note
  4. Shortly after your first lessons you must memorize the notes and the fingerings to the notes
  5. Songs are based on scales so your introductory lessons are generally scale based
  6. Scale patterns generally use the same finger patterns which makes learning songs easier

Fingering Chart

 
  1. Practice playing long tones with a steady column of air.
  2. The + represents the speed of your air.
  3. Click here for the interactive fingering chart

Fife

Parts of a Fife
Head Band- Top of Fife
Blow Hole - Blow here to produce sound
Hole 1 - Played with left hand index finger
Hole 2 - Played with left hand middle finger
Hole 3 - Played with left hand ring finger
Hole 4 - Played with right hand index finger
Hole 5 - Played with right hand middle finger
Hole 6 - Played with right hand ring finger
Foot Band - Bottom of fife

Interactive Fife Lessons - Download Scorch(Notation Player)
Beginner Lessons
Intermdiate Lessons
Advanced Lessons
Interactive Songs
Lesson 10a
Lesson 17
Lesson 10b
Lesson 18
Lesson 11a
Lesson 19
Lesson 4 Lesson 11b
Lesson 20
Lesson 5
Lesson 21
Lesson 6
Lesson 22
Chester
Lesson 23
Lesson 24
Lesson 16
Lesson 25
     
Star Spangled Banner
Military Calls
 

Video Fife Lessons
Making a Sound
Hand Position
Lesson excerpts
Video Song Samples
Lesson 1 Q.time - iPod
America Q.time - iPod
   
Lesson 2 Q.time - iPod
Billy Boy Q.time - iPod
Lesson 3 Q.time - iPod
Brighton Camp Q.time - iPod
     
Yankee Doodle Q.time - iPod
     
British Grenediers
     
Star Spangled Banner

Download the Fife Music (pdf format)
America-Melody Billy Boy March Brighton Camp Yankee Doodle-Melody
America-Harmony British Grenediers Star Spangled Banner Yankee Doodle-Harmony
 

Listen to the Somers MS Fife & Drum Band
America Billy Boy Brighton Camp Yankee Doodle
 

Fife Vocabulary