What is the difference between a "Violin and a Fiddle"?

Answer 1

Violin vs. fiddle - difference
A violin is sometimes informally called a fiddle, regardless of the kind of music being played with it. The word "violin" is Italian and the word "fiddle" is English.

Historically, the word fiddle also referred to a predecessor of today's violin. Like the violin, it tended to have 4 strings, but came in a variety of shapes and sizes. Another series of instruments which contributed to the development of the modern fiddle was the viol, which was played while held between the legs, and has a fretted fingerboard.

One very slight difference between "fiddles" and ordinary violins may be seen in American (e.g., bluegrass and old-time music) fiddling: in these styles, the top of the bridge may be cut so that it is very slightly less curved. This reduces the range of right-arm motion required for the rapid string-crossings found in some styles, and is said to make it easier to play double stops and shuffles (bariolage), or to make triple stops possible, allowing one to play chords.

Most classical violinists prefer a more rounded curve to the top of the bridge that allows them to articulate each note more easily and clearly. In practice, most instruments are fitted with a rounded bridge to better accommodate the shape of the fingerboard. (One exception is the 3-string kontra or bracsa, a viola used in Hungarian and Transylvanian folk music fitted with an absolutely flat bridge to allow all three strings to be played simultaneously.) In any case, the difference between "round" and "flat" is not great; about a quarter or half a millimeter variation in the height of one or two strings. A fiddle strung with steel will work best with a bridge as much as a millimeter lower overall. For gut, nylon or other synthetic-core strings, the action may be set suitably higher. As a violin's bridge is relatively easy to replace, modifying the bridge does not permanently make a violin into a fiddle.

In construction, fiddles and violins are exactly the same. Various clichés describe the difference: "The violin sings, the fiddle dances," or "A fiddle is a violin with attitude," or "No one cries when they spill beer on a fiddle." As might be expected from the differences between classical and folk music, violinists tend to be formally trained and fiddlers tend to be informally trained, although crossing over is not uncommon-.

Answer 2

Essentially, a violin and fiddle are one and the same instrument...the approach to the instrument differentiates its label as a fiddle or a violin...additionally, some fiddlers will flatten their bridge so that they can play a double-stop with ease (this is when the fiddler plays two stings at once)...hence, the set-up of the violin can also reveal the violin as a fiddle...or at least intended to be played as a fiddle.

For Irish Tunes, you'll be pursuing the fiddle...the violin is normally played within a classical context...

Answer 3

Just different names for the same instrument, depending on what kind of music you play. Classical music= violin Bluegrass=fiddle.
My husband is a professional violinist and I asked the same thing at one time. I think because the 2 kinds of music are so different, that each group coined different terms for the instrument.
Hope this helped. :)

Answer 4

Only difference is in the way that they are played.
They consider it a violin if you play classical music.
If you play country or bluegrass it is considered a fiddle.
It is the exact same instrument.

Answer 5

nothing


other than one is played by your father....
and the other is playe by your father, who is also your brother...
(for those of you on the YA staff...that was an obvious joke about inbreeding...see the fiddle is played in down south areas where that sort of thing happens a lot) <<

Answer 6

Violin lessons cost a lot more than fiddlin' lessons.

Answer 7

Yer upbringin'

Answer 8

Nothing

Answer 9

about 2000.00