Difference between fiddle and violin?

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 5 Jan 2005 10:16 pm

.....nobody cares if you spill beer on a fiddle.

Wayne Morgan · Post by **Wayne Morgan** » 5 Jan 2005 10:38 pm

I have four Violin's, I wanted them to be Fiddles, but when I play, they sound like Bagpipes, nothing prettier than "Turkey In The Straw" on Bagpipes.
I recently got an Electric Violin, so what I lack in talent, I can make up in volume.
Hope your three year old has fun with the lessons.
Wayne

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 6 Jan 2005 3:49 am

My daughter started the Suzuki lessons when she just turned 4 and did very well. She has now moved on to French horn and trumpet. She's 11 now.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 6 Jan 2005 3:56 am

Ian, a good violin shop is your best bet as a new to the fiddle guy.
You must know a good fiddler in your corner to ask.
On ebay you will have no clue what your buying...

Hear it played in competant hands first.
Then you can compare the tone to the price.
If you can hear what's POSSIBLE with the instrument,
then you can better know that you can get something useful from it .

The childs fiddle will be smaller of course.

A decent local fiddle shop should have some low priced but decent fiddles for you both.

Plus they will be set it up for you correctly,
and if for instance it takes a knock, you have some one to reset it for you too.

On Ebay you may think you got a better price, but never know it for months or years,
or get some crap and you NEVER can get a good tone..
but you will think it's YOUR technique.
[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 06 January 2005 at 03:58 AM.]

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 6 Jan 2005 5:11 am

The only difference I know of is that they both sound like your killing a cat if you do not know how to play one.

Ian Finlay · Post by **Ian Finlay** » 6 Jan 2005 8:42 am

That's cool. My Wife hates cats!

I'll see if I can find a local music shop that doesn't insist on everything being "rock" oriented.

I had a chance to speak with my Son's music teacher at his school today - she's very supportive too. They have too many drummers apparently. I said I'd be happy for my son to be a drummer, but I can't afford the lobotomy! (uff-da)

Ian

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 6 Jan 2005 9:10 am

I wouldn't jump the gun in buying a violin. I believe they are sized according to the players hands since they are an unfretted instrument. The fingers have to just "fall in place" to fret properly.
Erv

Leon Grizzard · Post by **Leon Grizzard** » 6 Jan 2005 9:19 am

Ian - I don't think E bay is a very good place. You will see alot of Chinese cheapos, like the Palantino line, that often have warped necks etc. For your daughter, sinced you will need a small instument, get some advice from the teacher as to what fractional size she needs, and check out Sharmusic.com or Southweststrings.com for entry level instruments, at least for prices, so you can compare locally. I think its often a good idea to buy locally for all the obvious reasons, but if you have to order one, these are well known reputable stores. They offer outfits with case and bow, and any of those ought to be fine. Same for your fiddle, although you may find an okay instument in your local want ads. Also, check out fiddleforum.com for discussions on this topic.

Jeneé Fleenor · Post by **Jeneé Fleenor** » 6 Jan 2005 10:12 am

Ian,
I am so thrilled to see this post! I started the Suzuki Method when I was 3 years old as well. Let me tell you...3 years old is NOT TOO YOUNG...especially for this instrument. And even if your daughter doesn't really show an interest at first, that's okay. I honestly don't remember the early learning process of this instrument (which is probably a good thing since it is such a hard instrument to learn)...but I do remember that my mother took lessons with me at the start, so she would know exactly what my practicing at home should entail.

I know you don't think much of the classical music part of it...but let me tell you...Suzuki is much more than just about classical music. Your daughter will learn the very best techniques she can with this method, she will learn to read music, and you need to be sure to make her listen to the Suzuki tapes that go with the books OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER...(I know that's where I developed my ear which eventually crossed over into fiddling), and it also developed my perfect pitch. No, I don't mean sit her in a chair in front of the stereo tied down...but when she goes to bed at night let those CDs play...put them in the car, just anywhere you can play them.

When I was 5 I started fiddling...and it became easy for me because of the ear I was developing. I would eventually just start picking up fiddle tunes. I took classical lessons until about the age of 15...playing in orchestras, doing concerto competitions, etc....but my heart was always in fiddling. Even while I was taking classical lessons, I was going to fiddle contests, sitting in with little Opry shows, going to jam sessions, going to all kinds of festivals, and also playing at a ton of steel guitar conventions. But I'll tell you, I wouldn't be the player I am today without the things I learned from Suzuki!

Anyway...I THANK GOD that my Mom & Dad started me taking classical Suzuki at that age...because I know I would have never accomplished what I have accomplished in my music if they hadn't. I'm 21 now, lived in Nashville for 3 years now, and I've been touring with Terri Clark for 2 of those 3 years. Although I hardly ever play classical music anymore...I owe all my technique, my ear training, perfect pitch, etc. to the Suzuki method. Plus I can read music which helps in sessions a lot of times.

I really hope you get your daughter involved. Feel free to e-mail me with any more questions: Fiddlist@aol.com

~Jeneé Fleenor www.fiddlist.com [This message was edited by Jeneé Fleenor on 06 January 2005 at 08:06 PM.]

Walter Hamlin · Post by **Walter Hamlin** » 6 Jan 2005 6:10 pm

I heard that a fiddle is played using 2 strings, most of the time, and a violin player uses one string most of the time. I really don't know but I tried one of the things one time and I quit. The hardest instrument I ever tried to conquer. Had to put a clothes pin on the bridge to kill the sound so no one could hear it. Did the clothes pin work? Very well.
Walter[This message was edited by Walter Hamlin on 06 January 2005 at 06:11 PM.]

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 6 Jan 2005 6:47 pm

Jenee Fleenor is one of the best intuitive/improvising fiddlers I've worked with in recent years, and I regret she's no longer on the steel festival circuit. Listen to what this excellent musician says and take heed.

Having said that, I can tell you that the difference between a violin and a viola is that the viola burns longer. And generally that's because it's still in its case.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 6 Jan 2005 7:11 pm

On the fun side, baritone horns are sometimes called "euphonia". So the question is often asked: "What's the difference in a baritone and a euphonium?" There are people who say that a euphonium has a 4th valve, or a euphonium has an upright bell- but none of that really seems to make the difference. The best explanation I ever heard was "a euphonium is a baritone played EXTREMELY WELL".

[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 06 January 2005 at 07:12 PM.]

Ian Finlay · Post by **Ian Finlay** » 7 Jan 2005 2:08 am

Thanks for the support. My Wife thinks it's a great idea too, which is cool. I'm still trying to find a local Suzuki teahcer, but it should be reasonably easy in London.

Both our kids used to go to sleep listening to "kiddy" music, but now they both prefer listening to Classic FM, the local classical station which plays "smooth classics" at just the right time. I can't stand it myself - I was a classical pianist for a while in my youth, but had a very pushy teacher who loved Bartok, which put me right off. Then I heard Merrill Moore and Speedy, and that was that!

Cheers,

Ian

Per Kammersgaard · Post by **Per Kammersgaard** » 7 Jan 2005 5:03 am

I think it was Loretta Lynn who said it this way:

"A fiddle is a fiddle - and a violin is a whole buncha fiddles"

PK

Charles French · Post by **Charles French** » 7 Jan 2005 6:05 am

I know there's only two kinds of fiddle or violin players--> good or bad. Good if you can play in key, Bad if your flat or sharp.

Ricky Littleton · Post by **Ricky Littleton** » 7 Jan 2005 11:35 am

Main difference:

If you're buying it, it's a fiddle.

If you're selling it, it's a violin!

Ricky...

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Emmons LeGrande - 8x4
Session 400 Ltd, Peterson VS-II Tuner
Dan-Echo, E-Bow, Ibanez Distortion, Boss Comp./Sustain, Ibanez Auto-Wah, PX4 Pandoras Box

Tom Keller · Post by **Tom Keller** » 7 Jan 2005 1:46 pm

The main difference is about $200.00 a day.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 7 Jan 2005 2:19 pm

Gentlemen, this has been an enlighting thread