The Fiddle Family - The Lowdown On All These Stringed Cousins

Is there a difference between a fiddle and a violin? If you tell your friends and/or family that you are learning to play the violin (or fiddle), they will ask you if that is the same as a fiddle (or violin). There differences between the two and we will look at them in this article.

A violin primarily uses gut strings and individuals who play a fiddle usually prefer steel strings. Steel strings are recognized as bringing a brash sound. Fiddlers that are drawn to steel strings are looking to aid in sound projection. Gut strings are well known for their soft qualities. Classical violinists were mainly drawn to the gut strings for the pleasant tone they produced. Today, new types of intercrossed strings made of new materials are frequently used instead of steel or gut strings. These new hybrid strings bridge the differences between brightness and mellowness, volume and tone.

A fiddle has fine-tuners on every string, whereas a violin only has one on the E-string. Fine-tuners are usually associated with steel strings, which is one reason most violinists still use a fine tuner on their E-string this string is normally a steel string. The other reason the fine-tuner is used on the E-string is for the propensity for the delicate E to break if you turn the peg too hard. With the arrival of the new string types, fine-tuners are now more of a personal favorite.

Fiddle playing was formerly connected with the individuals who were from a poor background, and violin playing was associated with individuals of wealthy means. In general, those individuals who did not come from a wealthy family often made their instruments or bought inexpensive ones. Classically trained violinists, on the other hand, were expected to have expensive instruments. Today, there is not such a contrast between who can play an instrument. Many fiddle players own more expensive instruments.

A fiddle is normally played on the arm, whereas a violin is held under the chin. Today, many fiddlers are finding the benefits of developing a more “classical� method, which frees the arm to move better. Some fiddlers still play on the arm, primarily the older fiddlers. Several of the older tunes were mostly played with the hand in first position, with different techniques being added through fluctuations and bow techniques. Today, fiddlers have figured out that the higher positions usually associated with classical violinists can be of benefit to their playing style as well. When the player holds the violin with their chin, they are required to move hand up and down the fingerboard. This allows for the freedom of motion.

The majority of today's young fiddle players can read music. In fact, many of them get instruction in both fiddle music and classical music. In the past, most fiddle music was passed down from generation to generation by ear. Many of those who learned the fiddle from family members did not read writing - much less music. There are many fiddle styles today, which do not play the same song the exact same way each time. Obviously, trying to turn this music into written music is near impossible. As a result, it is difficult to get a precise version of the tune on paper - it is much easier just to learn and teach by ear. On the other hand, with today's fiddle rebirth, younger generations of fiddlers are beginning to understand that many old-time fiddlers are dying off, taking their tunes and traditions with them. These younger fiddlers are acknowledging what is being lost, and are making clear attempts to get old tunes on paper.

In conclusion, the fiddle is primarily played for country and folk music. The violin is played in classical performances. It is not necessarily that the instrument that is different, it is the type of music that is performed with the instrument that classifies it as either a fiddle or a violin. If you go to a classical performance, you will not hear music that is performed in “honky tonks� played from the string section. The same holds true if you go to a western bar - do not expect to hear a classical piece coming from the stage. If you are deciding which instrument to buy you may want instead to base that decision on the type of music you are interested in playing.