Heritage Tunes is a project built and maintained by Heather Grimstead, combining my love of traditional fiddle music with my interest in database development and creating user-friendly digital experiences. While you might occasionally encounter a bug or two as I continue learning and improving the site, the heart of this project lies in serving the traditional music community.
Why This Site Exists
Traditional music resources are abundant, but they’re scattered across the internet and often buried on sites where finding specific content can be challenging. Similarly, workshops, festivals, and jam sessions happen regularly but discovering them often relies on word-of-mouth or knowing exactly where to look. Heritage Tunes brings these pieces together in one user-friendly space, making it easier to discover both tunes and the vibrant community events where they come alive.
What You’ll Find
Tune Database
The core of the site focuses on learning tunes. For each tune, I aim to provide:
- Historical context: When I can find verifiable information, I share brief backgrounds about the tune’s origins and significance
- Learning resources: Links to online video lessons, both free and paid, from quality instructors who share their knowledge (primarily through YouTube)
- Multiple recordings: Early or traditional recordings when available, plus contemporary versions with better audio quality that are often easier for learning
- External sources: Links to established databases like the Traditional Tune Archive and Slippery Hill, as well as song history, lyrics, sheet music, and other relevant resources
Events & Community
An aggregated calendar of old-time, bluegrass and other traditional music events including festivals, workshops, and jam sessions. Living in the DC metro area, I focus on East Coast events, but include noteworthy happenings from other regions as well.
Personal Practice Tools
The site includes a practice list feature where you can save up to 10 tunes from the database to your personal list. Each saved tune includes an accordion display that shows the elements most helpful for learning—recordings and lessons—making it easy to access everything you need for practice in one place.
My Approach
I don’t aim to duplicate the excellent work already being done by other traditional music resources. Instead, I link to original sources and creators, hoping to drive traffic to the people and organizations that have spent time building the resources our community relies on.
When selecting recordings, I try to balance historical significance with practical learning needs. While early recordings provide important context, contemporary versions often offer the audio clarity that makes learning easier. I especially value listening to how different musicians interpret tunes—the variations and personal touches that make each performance unique.
A Growing Resource
This site evolves alongside my own musical journey and technical skills. New tunes, events, and resources are added regularly as I discover them. It’s not a polished, expert-level database—it’s a practical tool built by someone actively learning, for others who are doing the same.
Whether you’re just starting out or you’re an experienced player looking for new material or events, I hope you’ll find something useful here. The traditional music community has always thrived on sharing knowledge and supporting each other’s growth, and this site is my contribution to that generous spirit.