Basically, a violin is just a more specialized type of fiddle. A fiddle can be any type of stringed instrument that is played with a horsehair bow. The main distinction between a fiddle and a violin generally refers to the different styles of music played on each. Fiddles are more commonly used for folk music, while violins are used for classical music. Fiddles are held lower down on the arm instead of under the chin like a classical violin. This frees up the mouth for fiddlers to call out dance moves or otherwise engage their audience.

Fiddles commonly have steel strings, which are not generally found on classical violins. The steel string gives a distinctive style to certain types of fiddling and can be easier to tune than the traditional nylon strings. This lets the fiddle player easily change their tuning to play a variety of different styles. Fiddles may have tuning adjustment hardware on each string, which is rarely found on classical musical instruments.

Most folk musicians prefer a flatter bridge to their fiddle, with classical violinists using a more rounded feel. The difference in bridge type does not appear significant, with only a millimeter or less creating the variation. However, this is enough to raise the height of the strings and changes the way the bow is handled. It is thought to be easier to perform bariolage and double stops on a flat-bridged fiddle. Fiddles made for bluegrass music often have the flattest bridges of all, with some musicians cutting the bridge to make it completely flush. On the other hand, classical violinists generally prefer a rounded bridge, which lets them hit each note cleanly and clearly. The bridge can usually be switched out, allowing musicians to change between fast-paced fiddling and the cleaner sounds that go along with violin music.

A regular violin bow is used for most fiddle playing styles, but there are a few that use something different. A "folk bow" made from a thick, short stick and horsehair hand-tied around the ends. This gives a fatter, fuller sound than a traditional violin bow. These bows are often used in Hungarian and Transylvanian folk music. Most bows are still made from wood, but there are new synthetics and fiberglass being used more frequently these days.

Solo performance is the most popular type of fiddling, but duets have also been seen in Irish, Scandinavian, and North American playing styles. This is in direct contrast to the traditional grouping of violins in symphony sections. This could possibly be a remnant of old American views toward fiddling and violinists. Fiddle music has always been thought to be informal, more like dance or street music. Violins are generally only thought of in the context of a full orchestra, with a conductor leading the way up front. Violin music is also considered to be smoother and more refined, where fiddle playing is frenetic and can often be much louder.

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Originally posted 2008-12-09 05:26:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Acoustic Musical Instruments, Fiddle, Instrument History, Violin

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bridge type, classical violin, classical violinists, classical violins, dance moves, different styles of music, distinction, distinctive style, fiddle player, fiddlers, fiddles, horsehair, millimeter, nylon strings, steel string, steel strings, stringed instrument, styles of music, violin bow, violin music