Music is in my blood.
Every note I play is nourishment.
I came from a musical family; some of my ancestors even have a claim to fame. My Great Grandpa Joseph Wickam was a professional violinist, published composer and teacher. He used popular music of the day to keep the kids interested and inspired. My Great X 3 Uncle George R. Poulton wrote the music to Aura Lea. It’s the melody of Elvis’s Love Me Tender and of Army Blue, still sung at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Sample Lessons
Join Talent Forge and learn from Vi
I’ve been performing and writing music since before I could read. I began studying composition and arranging in Junior High. Along with my brothers and my dad, The Wickam Family Band even performed regularly onBlinky’s Fun Club, a nationally syndicated TV program shown in 23 states.
My fiddle playing can be heard on a numerous CD recordings, including four of my own. I’ve played with many different bands throughout the United States, and even briefly in England. I’ve won the Colorado State Championship twice, and been a finalist four times at the Grand Masters’ Fiddler Championship. I’ve also directed the Indiana State Fiddle Contest for the past three years.
My musical tastes span bluegrass to classical to jazz, rock and old-time fiddle. I play guitar, mandolin, bass, and viola, but my main instrument is the fiddle. Regardless of the style of music I am playing, or the instrument, the music is in me, and I am thoroughly in the music.
Join Talent Forge and Learn from Vi“Some people say you can tell a lot about the sound of someone’s music by the expression on his face. You know that smile you see on Vi’s face every time you run into him? You can hear it in every song. ”
Megan Lynch – National Fiddler Champion
Lessons Taught by Vi Wickam
- Fiddling for Classical String Players
- Jam Session Prep: Tunes & Techniques
- American Fiddle Styles
- How to Write an Original Fiddle Tune
- Learn Tunes Faster Through Patterns
- How to Make a Grammy-Worthy Recording
- Practical Music Theory: Live Workshop
- Jam Session Survival Skills
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes
- Top Show Tunes – Devil Went Down to Georgia
- Top Show Tunes – Draggin’ the Bow
- Top Show Tunes – Orange Blossom Special
- Quilt Your Own Breakdown
- Wayfaring Stranger – Intermediate+
- George Booker – Intermediate+
- Kitchen Girl – Intermediate Plus
- Blackberry Blossom – Intermediate+/Advanced
- Kitchen Girl – Intermediate
- Black Mountain Rag – Intermediate+
- Possum Up a Gum Stump – Intermediate
- Beginning Fiddle: 14 – Possum Up a Gum Stump
- Salt Creek – Advanced
- Salt Creek – Intermediate
- 49 Cats in a Rainbarrel
- Whiskey Before Breakfast – Advanced
- Boil Them Cabbage Down – Intermediate+ – Part 2/2
- Boil Them Cabbage Down – Intermediate+ – Part 1/2
- Road to Lisdoonvarna
- My Wild Irish Rose
- Oh Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)
- Beginning Fiddle: 19 – Turkey In the Straw
- Golden Eagle Hornpipe
- Dreamer’s Waltz
- Salem Hornpipe
- Improvising On Alabama Jubilee
- Alabama Jubilee
- Monymusk
- Forester’s Hornpipe
- Darktown Strutter’s Ball – Variations
- Darktown Strutter’s Ball
- Miller’s Reel – Variations
- Miller’s Reel
- Ostinelli’s Reel
- Jesse Polka – Part 3
- Jesse Polka – Part 2
- Jesse Polka – Part 1
- Dew Drop Hornpipe – Part 2
- The Stool of Repentance
- Dew Drop Hornpipe – Part 1
- When You Should Tune Your Violin – Quick Practice Tip
- I Don’t Love Nobody – Part 2
- I Don’t Love Nobody – Part 1
- Fort Smith
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 10 – Putting It All Together
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 09 – Bag of Licks
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 08 – Rhythms
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 07- It’s Dancing Music!
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 06 – Accidentals
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 05 – Neighboring Notes
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 04 – Adding Arpeggio Notes
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 03 – Chords – Lesson 3
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 02 – Context
- Improvising in Fiddle Tunes: 01 – Intro
- Shortnin’ Bread – Lesson 4
- Become Your Own Teacher – Quick Practice Tip
- Shortnin’ Bread – Lesson 3
- How To Read Sheet Music – Lesson 2 – Quick Practice Tip
- Old South Waltz
- How To Read Sheet Music – Quick Practice Tip
- Shortnin’ Bread – Lesson 2
- Be Dynamic – Quick Practice Tip
- Shortnin’ Bread – Lesson 1
- Play at a Nursing Home – Quick Practice Tip
- The Pesky Violin Hickey Tip #2 – Quick Practice Tip
- Faded Love – Harmony
- Transcribe It – Quick Practice Tip
- Faded Love
- Rotate Your Repertoire – Quick Practice Tip
- Atholl Highlanders
- Magnesium – Quick Practice Tip
- Maiden’s Prayer – Improvising
- The Pesky… Violin Hickey! – Quick Practice Tip
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- Play While Balancing? – Quick Practice Tip
- Maiden’s Prayer
- Make it a Game – Quick Practice Tip
- Get Out The Yoga Mat! – Quick Practice Tip
- Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home
- Your One Body – Quick Practice Tip
- The Blackest Crow
- Create a Routine – Quick Practice Tip
- Temperance Reel
- My Drug of Choice – Quick Practice Tip
- Cold Frosty Morning
- 5, 5, 5 – Quick Practice Tip
- Pass the Grog
- Do I Have to Practice My Scales AGAIN? – Quick Practice Tip
- My Love is Like a Red Red Rose Harmony
- Find Joy in the Music – Quick Practice Tip
- 8th of January – with Variations
- Lose Your Musical Dogma – Quick Practice Tip
- Golden Slippers – With Variations
- Get a Massage! – Quick Practice Tip
- My Love is Like a Red Red Rose
- Keep Your Clippers Handy – Quick Practice Tip
- 8th of January
- A Backwards Pushup? – Quick Practice Tip
- Golden Slippers – Harmony
- Invest in Quality Tools – Quick Practice Tip
- Shenandoah
- Stretch it Out! – Quick Practice Tip
- Golden Slippers
- Edelweiss
- Play it Faster! – Quick Practice Tip
- Sailor’s Hornpipe – with Variations
- Lock It In – Quick Practice Tip
- Ookpik Waltz
- Record Yourself – Quick Practice Tip
- Beautiful Girl Schottische
- Try Other Instruments – Quick Practice Tip
- Sailor’s Hornpipe – Melody
- Commit it to Memory – Quick Practice Tip
- Pig Ankle Rag
- How Your Body and Mind Are Connected – Quick Practice Tip
- Who’s Gonna Talk to Dinah – Harmony
- Binaural Beats – Quick Practice Tip
- Shove That Pig’s Foot a Little Further Into the Fire – Harmony
- Playin’ the Blues – Quick Practice Tip
- Who’s Gonna Talk to Dinah – Melody
- Playing with Drones – Quick Practice Tip
- Devil Went Down to Georgia – Free Fiddle Lesson
- Immobilize Your Shoulder – Quick Practice Tip
- Shove That Pig’s Foot a Little Further Into the Fire
- Where’s Your Phone? – Quick Practice Tip
- Colorado Waltz
- Playing in a Band – Quick Practice Tip
- Cuckoo’s Nest – with Variations
- Arkansas Traveler – Advanced
- What You Focus On… – Quick Practice Tip
- Cuckoo’s Nest – Melody
- Beautiful Dreamer
- Interleaving Parts – Quick Practice Tip
- Arkansas Traveler – Intermediate
- Just Say No – Quick Practice Tip
- Buttered Beans
- Enjoy the Silence – Quick Practice Tip
- Arkansas Traveler – Beginning
- Back to the Basics! – Quick Practice Tip
- Irish Washerwoman
- Practice “In Time” – Quick Practice Tip
- Cotton Eyed Joe
- Try it in a Different Key – Quick Practice Tip
- Ashokan Farewell (Harmony)
- Start Your Day with Music – Quick Practice Tip
- Old Joe Clark
- The Time is Now – Quick Practice Tip
- Mississippi Sawyer (with Variations)
- Moderation – Quick Practice Tip
- Home on the Range
- Staying Calm While Performing – Quick Practice Tip
- Forked Deer
- Should You Record Yourself? – Quick Practice Tip
- Ashokan Farewell
- Find an Expert – Quick Practice Tip
- Gospel Medley (3 Tunes)
- Music is a Microcosm of Life – Quick Practice Tip
- Will The Circle Be Unbroken (Gospel Series- Tune 3 of 3)
- Practical Music Theory – Lesson 7 – The Circle of Fifths
- Stand Strong – Quick Practice Tip
- Practical Music Theory – Lesson 6 – The 7th Chord in Major Keys
- It’s Not a Race – Quick Practice Tip
- I Saw The Light (Gospel Series – Tune 2 of 3)
- Practical Music Theory – Lesson 5 – The Minor Scale
- Let Your Mind Wander – Quick Practice Tip
- I’ll Fly Away (Gospel Series- Tune 1 of 3)
- Practical Music Theory – Lesson 4 – Major Triads
- Achieve Old Time Nirvana – Quick Practice Tip
- Practical Music Theory – Lesson 3 – Intervals
- Add Variety to Your Diet – Quick Practice Tip
- Practical Music Theory – Lesson 2 – Where Did The Notes Come From?
- It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
- Host a Jam Session – Quick Practice Tip
- Away in a Manger
- Practical Music Theory – Lesson 1 – The Notes of the Major Scale
- Turn Your Fiddle Into a Train – Quick Practice Tip
- Lady Be Good
- The Fingerboard is Your Friend – Quick Practice Tip
- Flop Eared Mule
- What’s a Chord? – Quick Practice Tip
- Play For a Dance – Quick Practice Tip
- Golden Slippers Harmony
- It’s Dancing Music! – Quick Practice Tip
- Big John McNeil
- Plateaus & Breakthroughs – Quick Practice Tip
- Higgedy Jig Harmony
- Alternate Tunings – Quick Practice Tip
- Looking For Inspiration? – Quick Practice Tip
- Woodchopper’s Reel
- Where Does the Magic Live? – Quick Practice Tip
- Golden Slippers
- An Explanation on a 1-4-5 – Quick Practice Tip
- Scales in Closed Position – Level 1
- Don’t Skip the Scales – Quick Practice Tip
- Higgedy Jig
- Demonstration of Shifting in 3rd Position – G String
- Where Did Your Focus Go? – Quick Practice Tip
- Little Rhino
- Arpeggios in Closed Position
- Are You in a Relationship with Your Sheet Music? – Quick Practice Tip
- Demonstration of Shifting in 3rd Position – D String
- What’s the Rule of Rubato – Quick Practice Tip
- Spotted Pony
- 2 Octave B Flat Arpeggio
- Harmonies 2.0 – Quick Practice Tip
- Shifting in 3rd Position – Lesson 3
- What’s Getting You Into Trouble? – Quick Practice Tip
- 2 Octave A Flat Arpeggio
- Visualizing – Quick Practice Tip
- Shifting in 3rd Position – E String
- Don’t Fear More Bow – Quick Practice Tip
- Beginning Fiddle: 01B – How to Tune Your Violin
- Water 101 – Quick Practice Tip
- Stumblin’
- 2 Octave G Major Arpeggio with Variations
- Repeat, Repeat, Repeat – Quick Practice Tip
- Leviathan Hornpipe
- Simple Double Stop Scales – Level 4, Lesson 4: Key of B in Sixths
- The Right Hand – Quick Practice Tip
- Whiskey Before Breakfast – Intermediate
- Shifting in 3rd Position – A String
- Playing Harmonies – Quick Practice Tip
- Mountain Ranger Hornpipe
- 2 Octave Arpeggio in A Major
- 4th Finger Drones – Quick Practice Tip
- Aura Lea
- Simple Double Stop Scales – Level 4, Lesson 3: Key of E in Sixths
- Don’t Fear Failure – Quick Practice Tip
- Boil Them Cabbage Down with Added B Part
- 2 Octave G Major Arpeggio
- They’re On Your Side – Quick Practice Tip
- Orange Blossom Special
- Open String Drones – Quick Practice Tip
- Polly Put the Kettle On
- What It’s All About – Quick Practice Tip
- Whiskey Before Breakfast – Beginner
- Those Pesky Nerves – Quick Practice Tip
- Cincinnati Hornpipe
- It’s A Communication – Quick Practice Tip
- Back Up and Push
- No Time To Think – Quick Practice Tip
- Boil Them Cabbage Down with String Changes
- Bathroom Acoustics – Quick Practice Tip
- Durham’s Bull
- Swallowtail Jig
- Connectivity with Your Hands – Quick Practice Tip
- Boil Them Cabbage Down with Double Shuffle Bowing
- Play With Your Eyes Closed – Quick Practice Tip
- President Garfield’s Hornpipe
- Practice in Front of a Mirror – Quick Practice Tip
- Tennessee Waltz
- Simple Double Stop Scales – Level 4, Lesson 2: Key of B Flat in Sixths
- What You Make Time For – Quick Practice Tip
- Red River Valley
- Enjoy Your Instrument – Quick Practice Tip
- Boil Them Cabbage Down – Advanced
- G Major Scale – 1 Octave with Open String Drone
- Practice Makes Permanent – Quick Practice Tip
- Mississippi Sawyer
- Warm Up When You Practice – Quick Practice Tip
- Boil Them Cabbage Down with Shuffle Bowing
- Simple Double Stop Scales – Level 4, Lesson 1: Key of E Flat in Sixths
- Practice With Intention – Quick Practice Tip
- Hell Among the Moonshiners
- Find Friends to Play With – Quick Practice Tip
- Good For the Tongue
- D Major Scale – 1 Octave with Open String Drone
- Liberty
- Shorter Practice Sessions – Quick Practice Tip
- Rabbit Where’s Your Mammy?
- A Major Scale – 1 Octave with Open String Drone
- Spider Bit the Baby
- Incremental Speeds with Metronome – Quick Practice Tip
- Cotton Eyed Joe
- Simple Double Stop Scales – Level 3, Lesson 3: Key of B Flat
- Chicken Reel
- Warm Up Before You Play – Quick Practice Tip
- Shuffle Bowing #7 – Rhythmic Accompaniment
- Miss McLeod’s Reel
- G Major Scale – 2 Octaves in Triplets
- Simple Gifts
- Simple Double Stop Scales – Level 3, Lesson 2: Key of E Flat
- When to Use Your 4th Finger – Quick Practice Tip
- G Major Scale – 2 Octaves in Thirds
- Lesson – How to Play in a Band as an Accompanist
- Simple Double Stop Scales – Level 3, Lesson 1: Key of A Flat
- Christmas Carols – Christmas is Coming
- Christmas Carols – We Three Kings of Orient Are
- Christmas Carols – Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel
- Christmas Carols – Over the River and Through the Woods
- Listen – Quick Practice Tip