Generically, fiddles are bowed lutes. The fiddle term denotes the existence of a stringed instrument that has a neck that bears strings sounded through the use of friction rather than the use of striking or plucking as with other musical instruments.

Playing the Fiddle

In nearly all fiddle instruments around the world, the friction that creates the sound is provided by the use of a bow that is strung using rosined horsehair. The hair tension is created by the springiness of the instrument's bow, or it is held in tension using the player's fingers, or even sometimes by tightening a mechanism involving a screw.

The most common playing position for a fiddle instrument is to hold them vertically rather than under the chin such as with a violin. When held vertically, the sound box is made to rest either on the ground or on the knee, and then the instrument is bowed in a fashion that is not unlike how a cello would be bowed. In other words, the bow hand would be palm faced variously upward and then downward. A few of the smaller fiddles are held in a horizontal fashion on the arm, and there are a very small number that are played with the sound box of the instrument resting on the shoulder with the neck facing downward and then the strings being stopped using the joints of the left hand's fingers with the palm of the hand facing inward toward the instrument.

The Erhu

The Erhu is a member of a family of instruments known as huquin, which is found en masse in China. The Erhu is an example of a spike fiddle, which is essentially like a spike lute, except that it is bowed rather than being plucked as a spike lute would be. These instruments are found all over china. The Erhu comes with a small sound box that is either cylindrical in shape, hexagonal in shape or octagonal in shape, and it is open in the back and has a sound board made of snakeskin that supports a small bridge made of wood. It has a thin stick like neck that is also cylindrical in nature that has no fingerboard present.

This instrument also has two large friction pegs made out of wood at the top. Below this, there are two strings that are run through a loop of either nylon or silk that forms an adjustable type of nut, and then onward over the bridge to the spike's stub. The strings are stopping using the fingers rather than pressed against the neck. The hair of the bow runs between both strings which are tined to be a fifth apart perfectly, which is a feature that makes this instrument dramatically different from the fiddles from western countries.

Photo Credits: dalbera

Originally posted 2009-08-18 19:02:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related Posts

• Harp Introduction The Harp is an acoustic musical instrument which is made up stings that are held stretched under tension, which will produce harmonics when plucked with the fingers, a pick or a similar device. There are two primary kinds of harps, bow and angle. Bow harps are so named after the......
• Brief History of the Mandolin A mandolin is a musical instrument that belongs to the lute family meaning that it can either be plucked or strummed. It is a direct descendant of a instrument called the Mandore, which is a soprano member of the same family. The mandolin instrument has a body that possesses a......
• Brief History of Violins The violin is the smallest in size of all the stringed instruments. This compact size also gives the violin the highest pitch of the string family of instruments, with the viola and cello both having a lower tone. Almost any musical style can be played on the violin, from classical......
• Fiddling Instruments: A Primer pt 4 ... Continued from pt. 3 The Tarhu One of the most significant new developments in the technology behind spike fiddle instruments can be found in the form of the circular bodied instruments known as Tarhu, as they are made by an Australian luthier known as Peter Biffin. With these instruments......
• A Little About Dulcimers A dulcimer is a fretted instrument that most commonly includes three or four strings. The fretting is usually diatonic and spreads along a fingerboard attached to the instrument's body. It became popular in old-time American music in the 1800s. It is believed to have been brought over from Scotland or......

Related Websites

• Grand Piano Dealers -> Musical Instruments -> Keyboard The first pianos to be called “grand” were manufactured in 1777, and soon became status symbols that the wealthy and affluent all wanted to own. A grand piano can command a room. Usually, it's the largest piece of “furniture” in a room, and......
• List of Musical Terminology 8eva – an octave higher A tempo – resume the normal speed after a diversion Accelerando (accel.) – gradually becoming faster Adagio – slowly, leisurely Ad libitum – at pleasure, quite freely Agitato – with agitation Allargando – broadening out, often with an increase of tone Allegretto......
• The Double Bass - Then and Now In the modern orchestra, there are a number of stringed instruments that cover a variety of sounds. Highs and lows, the entire spectrum of sound audible to the human can be accessed with stringed instruments. At the lowest end of the spectrum, the double bass, or upright bass, can access......
• Musical Instruments: Drums for Sale The unique thing about drums when it comes to making music is that there are so many different elements that change the sound you create when you play them. The size, shape and composition of the drum will all alter the sound that it creates. Whether you beat on the......
• Save Time, Money and Space in Over 80 Ways If you're looking for handy gadgets, tools and various items that can save you time, money or space (or all three!) this list of more than 80 top products is just what you need. Everyone's got saving money on their minds these days. Some of us are always looking to......

Online Stores

• Acoustic Guitar Strings Musical Instruments

If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.



Categories:

Acoustic Musical Instruments, Erhu, Fiddle, Instrument History

Tags:

cello, Erhu, existence, fiddles, fingers, friction, horsehair, instruments around the world, joints, left hand, lute, musical instruments, palm, screw, shape, snakeskin, spike fiddle, stringed instrument, tension, Violin