Devil Went Down to Georgia” is probably one of the most iconic pieces of fiddle music, popularized by the Charlie Daniels Band back in 1979. For many violinists and fiddlers alike, nailing this tune is some kind of a badge of honor because doing it requires not only great technique but also real musicality. Below, we cover how to learn and master this energetic fiddle tune on your violin, plus delve deeper into its history, significance in American music, and provide some tips for perfecting your performance. Whether you’re an emerging violinist who likes a challenge or a seasoned player looking to expand your repertoire, this tutorial will take you through bringing “Devil Went Down to Georgia” onto the stage and wowing your audience.
History and Significance of the Song “Devil Went Down to Georgia
First of all, just a little background before actually getting down to business and going into the details of playing this fiddle tune: “Devil Went Down to Georgia” finds its roots deeply influenced by American country and bluegrass; hence, it combines fast-paced narration with dynamic fiddling. It is the story of a young fiddle player called Johnny who makes a daredevil bet with the devil himself. This piece becomes a real thrilling challenge for the musicians, since fast tempo-high-energy playing represents the victory of Johnny.
It attained the status of a standard in the world of fiddle music, wherein most up-and-coming fiddlers regarded it as one of those pieces that proved a fiddle player’s skill. The song requires much precision, speed, and knowledge of the style to learn, which already is a great choice for violinists who want to expand beyond classical music in its own right.
How to Master “Devil Went Down to Georgia” on the Violin: A Step-by-Step Guide
1. Learn Fiddle Basics
Above all, if someone wants to play “Devil Went Down to Georgia”, one really has to know his fiddle. Violin and fiddle are the same instruments; however, the way of playing is absolutely different. Very often, the fiddle music is improvisational, rhythm-driven, and contains far more slides, double stops, and fast string crossings.
Classically strict violinists, get familiar with general aspects of fiddle playing. If you haven’t listened to classic fiddle tunes like “Orange Blossom Special” or “Cotton-Eyed Joe,” listen to them just to put yourself in a better setting as to the type of song it is.
2. Understand the Song Structure
“Devil Went Down to Georgia” is one of those songs that are segmented, each one of them building upon the others as far as intensity is concerned. The main components will be: the fast solo of Johnny, the trying-to-outdo of the devil, and the final triumphant melody. Once you understand the structure of this tune, you shall know exactly where you need to put more effort into and how to pace yourself learning it.
- Johnny’s solo: Here, the tempo is faster and highly technical, featuring basically fast-moving fingers and bowings.
- The Devil’s Section: The devil now tries to outplay the boy with sharper feelings, complicating bowings with fast-moving fingers.
- Final Victory Melody: This is the highly familiar part where he wins. This takes a lot of timing and control since the music has to be played progressively faster at the end.
3. Master Bowing Techniques
Bowing is important to nail the fast tempo and energy of “Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Pay attention to the following techniques:
- Fast String Crossings: Perhaps some of the biggest challenges in the song can be found in fast string crossings. Practice minimal bow movement between adjacent strings to make these smooth.
- Double Stops: These are used quite frequently to give the song a fuller, stronger sound. A double stop is when you play two different strings at the same time. To perfect the intonation and coordination of double stops, practice slow double stops.
- Slurred Bowing: At times you’ll want many notes connected within one stroke of the bow. To keep the flow even practice playing groups of notes with slurred bowing.
4. Gradually Build Up Speed
Speed is one of the defining features in this piece, and trying to play too fast before being ready will certainly lead to mistakes and sloppy techniques. Take your time and begin with a slow steady speed, accurate in the terms of fingering and bowing. When you get more comfortable, take that tempo up with the aid of a metronome.
5. Finger Placement and Intonation
Since “Devil Went Down to Georgia” is such a fast song, you want to make sure your fingers are placed precisely. You’re going to find it out of tune if your fingers aren’t landing in that exact right spot, especially doing double stops or fast passages. Practice the tough sections slow to make sure your fingers hit in the right place. With time, your muscle memory will get better, and you will hit the right notes more quickly.
6. Add Expression and Dynamics
While this is great technical mastery, the more important thing would be the ability to convey what this piece is trying to say: a story in words and music about the confidence of Johnny, frustration of the devil, and finally triumph. Use dynamics-loud and soft and phrasing to show these emotions.
To give an example of the latter; during the beginning solo by Johnny you might use a light touch, then slowly build in intensity as the battle starts to heat up. Of course the devil’s section needs to be played hard and strong because he tries desperately to win.
7. Practice the Difficult Sections Separately
There are some challenging parts to “Devil Went Down to Georgia” that require extra attention. Don’t be afraid to break the song down into smaller passages and practice each passage individually. By doing this-the harder passages over and over-you will have mastered it before you become overwhelmed by looking at the whole piece of work.
Why Learning “Devil Went Down to Georgia” Will Improve Your Violin Skills
Working through this fiddle tune might be reward enough when playing such an iconic song, but it will be a great way to feel out and improve several of the important violin skills like the following:
- Speed and Agility: The fast speed of this tune is going to push you to get more speed with your fingers. This will make other fast-paced pieces easier over time.
- Bowing Precision: You will master some of the various bowing styles-fast string crossings, double stops, and using a clean sound in all variations.
- Improvisation Skills: Often, fiddling involves some type of improvisation. Learning this song will give you an opportunity to practice putting your own flair in its performance.
This is highly expressive in terms of music, and learning to play “Devil Went Down to Georgia” will give you the chance to develop your musical expression through violin. Some performance tips for “Devil Went Down to Georgia”: The day will come when you may want to perform this song in front of a live audience, or record yourself; here’s a couple of things to consider. - Loosen Up: When you start to play really fast, it is in your nature-your body’s going to get stiff. But if you can avoid that tension, then your overall performance is going to be way better. Try to keep as loose as possible shoulders and arms during your performance.
- Engage Your Audience: “Devil Went Down to Georgia” is a fun song, upbeat. You can feel free to use some of your acting skills, such as with your body language and facial expressions, and just tell the story to your audience.
Practice with a Backing Track: You get used to the tempo and timing when you are likely performing the song with either the band or some kind of accompaniment.
Conclusion
Mastering “Devil Went Down to Georgia” on the violin is going to be challenging and rewarding. Allow yourself to focus your efforts on perfect bowing, hand placement, and delivery of the music-you’ll be well on your way to confidently playing this iconic fiddle tune. Be it just to play it live or add into your repertoire, you’ll find many uses for the developed skills in a great many areas throughout your violin playing.
So, break out that violin and start practicing the refreshing challenge of “Devil Went Down to Georgia” to build up the experience which will take one to an unimaginable level of ability!
