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Is it a Fiddle or Violin?

For years man has been struggling with that nagging question, "What is the difference between an violin and a fiddle?" Almost every time I play somewhere I can count on being asked that question. One night in Homestead Florida I was sitting in on a jam session with some old gents that must have each been close to 100 years old. Their instruments were all beat up well worn. The banjo player had a clothes pin for a bridge and the head was well blackend where his fingers had rubbed it, the guitar pickers guitar was split around the edge (I think it was a Kay), the bass had a massive hole in the back and the fiddlers fiddle was almost white with rosin. All in all I'd say those were some very well used and happy instruments. During that normal pause that you have in a jam to talk about "What do you want to play now?" I asked the fiddler, "Sir, can you tell me the difference between a fiddle and a violin?" The old guy kind of glared at me and said "Son, Do you have a nickname?" I thought to myself, "Now that's one way to dodge a question." and then answered. "Yes sir, some folks call me bear." (This was before the "Flyin Fiddler" or "Tiny" era of my life) The old man replied, "Son, the only difference is the name. Fiddle is just a nickname." He adjusted the wad of tobacco in his mouth with his tounge, spit, put the fiddle to his chin and took off on "Ragtime Annie". I have never forgotten that hot muggy night in Florida, nor have I forgoten the old mans answer. Is what he told me true? I have read of a fiddle being an instrument like a violin but with a 5th sting that was plucked and not bowed. This page is for your opinion on the difference between a violin and fiddle. The truth is out there! Let me know what you think!

E-mail me with your theory. Let me know if you do not want your e-mail posted.

Updated 08-09-08

Hello! I play violin, viola, and a fiddle. I paid for my instruments with contest winnings. This is what I hear them say at the New Mexico State Fiddler's Championship Contest: Fiddlers are Fun-addicts Don't harrass the Pink Fiddler, she's willing to resort to violins. The difference between a violin and a viola is just an illusion--The violin makes the violin players' head bigger. signed: The Pink Fiddle Submitted by: Kim Audette kcaudette@yahoo.com

Main difference between a violin and a fiddle is in the audience. The people trying to stay awake are listening to a violin. Submitted by: Wallace Shank Colorado Wally_Shank@wellsfargois.com

Hi Mr. Flyin' Fiddler, Here's the difference between a fiddle and a violin: A violin sings, and a fiddle dances! Submitted by: Bonnie Hilden niinimaa44@hotmail.com

If played correctly the name doesnt matter. I love the sound of both but it's just not a trumpet. Submitted by: Sgt. James E. Smith USMC Aug 67 - Aug 71 Saepius Exertus - Semper Fidelis - Frater Infinitas Often Tested - Always Faithful - Brothers Forever digorno1948@yahoo.com

I have been playing the violin for 18 years. Being taught in school how to play, the only thing I knew was classical. About a week ago I was invited to begin playing with a bluegrass band. I have never played a fiddle before and I always believed that the difference was in the bridge. As I found out last weekend, the difference is in the music and the attitude of the player. I had no problems playing the bluegrass music on my "violin" In fact, once I got the rhythm of the music down it was quite fun. The music we were playing said violin on it in the left corner. So there was no difference I guess. If I am ever asked what the difference is again I will have to say that playing the fiddle is more laid back. There are no dynamics, or any discipline to the music. Being taught classical all my life, I was told when to be loud or quiet, to play ONLY the notes that are on the sheet of music, and to hit the note precisely. Playing fiddle style you decide when to be loud, you can add your own notes or don't play some notes, and you slide into notes all the time. I definatley agree that the difference is the attitude and style of the performer. Submitted by: Reichal Fontenot rvioling@yahoo.com

Well, If you would ask My Dad, "Little Red Hayes, I'm sure He would say " It's a combination of Attitude and the type of Music Your playing. Being brought up in a Home full of Music and a variety of Instruments, I've always heard it being called a Fiddle. Stuart was correct, You can still find Little Red playing in Liberty Texas at the Liberty Opry every Saturday Night. If anyone would like to contact Him, You can respond to my E-Mail addy and I will relay Your message. Jan Submitted by: Jan andersville@jas.net

yas i twas ridding yourn postses in i seed tha anser on beverly hillbillys uncle jed showed that fellar how to play tha fiddle en he couldnt even reed musikbut it shor twas pretty Submitted by: Tamara J. Webb tamara@centurytel.net

They are the exactly same instrument. Most Bluegrass/country/traditional/folk musicians call their instruments a fiddle. If you buy either, and providing you do not buy a down-sized version, the 4/4 instrument is the same size. A fiddle player walks into a music store and buys...guess what? a violin. Some fiddlers prefer to flatten the bridge. Even though double stops can be played with either a high-arched or lower-flatter bridge, you can go between adjacent double-stops faster and easier if the bridge has less curvature. Fiddlers also play "chop-chords" with double stops while playing background for the singer or other soloists. When you lessen the curvature, it naturally results in a lower flatter bridge. Some successful professional fiddle players play very high-end vintage Italian-made instruments, calling them fiddles rather than violins. When I was in Nashville, Roy Acuff used to introduce an old fiddle player who played a Stradivarius. As someone else pointed out, and research will support, the names started out the same, but were altered by passing into and through different languages. Fiddle players tend to hold the instrument in any way that suits them, for example, using a "three-point" contact (thumb-index-fingertip) with the left hand, while classically trained violinists will use a two-point contact (thumb to bottom of neck-fingertip). The fiddler will change grips to close to a classical grip when producing vibrato. Fiddlers don't feel bound by "correctness" when holding or playing the instrument, being more concerned with results, so you are liable to see it done many different ways. Submitted by: John Davis davis@my180.net

I've been asked that question many times, too. Once when I got up to play in Branson, I asked the audience if anyone knew the difference between a violin and a fiddle. One fellow raised his hand and said he knew the difference. He stood to his feet and said, "the difference is a violin has strings but the fiddle has "strangs". He must have come from the South. Ha! Archie Submitted by: Archie Jessee aejessee@telis.net

It all depends on the type of music you're playing, I suppose. If you're playing classical on the thing, it's a violin. If you're playing blugrass, country, or folk music…it's a fiddle :) Submitted by: admin@swatsell.com admin@swatsell.com

the difference is in the spelling, and the fiddle is an uncouth violin,,, Submitted by: Mary Louise Hudson kmhudson@peoplestel.net

Having read all the comments about the Fiddle and Violin I am sticking with my theory that fiddle is a nickname. Submitted by: Jim Burke (from his Grandson's email) Manchester, UK

i have a bumper sticker i got from fiddler magazine that says "a fiddle is a violin with an attitude" i think that sums up a lot of it. Submitted by: Nancy Cain Fiddler53@aol.com

Well, maybe one difference is that rich folk go to fancy concerts to hear a high priced fiddle and us poor folk go to a jamboree to hear a cheap violin! I have had more fun reading the comments and I just love them. My question is....which came first the violin or the fiddle? Is the violin a rich man's fiddle or is the fiddle a poor man's violin? Love and Hugs, Val Falconer Lethbridge, Alberta Submitted by: Val Falconer elfandtoadstool@shaw.ca

IN AN EXTRACT FROM CHARLES R. TOWNSENDS "THE SAN ANTONIO ROSE"-THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BOB WILLS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PRESS 1976, HE ATTRIBUTES THIS QUOTE FROM WILLS "THE DIFFERANCE BETWEEN A FIDDLE AND A VIOLIN IS ONE IS CARRIED IN A FLOUR SACK, THE OTHER IN CASE" ENOUGH SAID. Submitted by: Art and Trudy Dollosso artrudy@msn.com

The instruments are the same. Some trad players like lower flatter bridges--it's not for playing double stops, think about the mechanics a minute, but to reduce the arc of the right elbow when crossing strings, particularly to the E-- violinists will frequently play the E with the fourth finger on the A string, fiddlers almost invariably cross-- in fast tunes a flatter bridge can help here. The best reason for the names I ever heard is this: The generic name for all of the bowed stringed instruments is "viol," an Italian word. When the violin arrived in Ireland and Scotland after the Renaissance it quickly began to replace the small-pipes as a ceilidh instrument. Here's the bit: If you try to write "viol" in Gaelic, which was the language of the common people of most of Ireland and Scotland at the time, you have to write "fidheal", because of the different spelling rules and the fact that there is no letter "v" in Gaelic. The "dh" is silent, of course, same as in "ceilidh." Now when those same Irish and Scots got on the boat and went to Amerikee, or England to work, they still called it the same thing, but when English speakers saw the word "fidheal", what they said was.....fiddle. So the term fiddle became associated with the instrument when used in popular music. It's all about being lost in translation. This was told to me by an old pal, a writer and fiddler. I don't know whether true or not, but it's the neatest explanation I've heard so far. Submitted by: Rod

Difference between a fiddle and a violin: People will pay to hear a fiddle. A fiddle gets out of the case more often. A violin is a $1000 more! Fiddles don't play with a horn section, or timpani. Changing strings: a violin changes strings when they sound dull, a fiddle, when they break. What's the difference between a violin and a viola? A viola burns longer? Why is that? Its usually still in the case! Submitted by: Mike Peck near Detroit, MI peck23462@yahoo.com

I run an agency Based in Glasgow, Scotland. I was asked to provide a quote for a 'Violinist', I thought, well, I know heaps of fiddlers, is that the same as a violinist? Or is it a completley different thing?? So I go to Google and type in 'what is the difference between violin and fiddle'. In return I get a sore head and work out nobody really knows, some folk think they do, but other folk as always know better. I think the answer must be either that old man you spoke to or the guy who said "The difference between a violin and fiddle is the number of teeth of the one who's playing it." So, I'm gonna call one of ma fiddler mates and send him to the dentist.... Submitted by: Iain the Piper iainmelvin@hotmail.com

I'm not sure if it's fiddle or violin, but you might ask Little Red Hayes. He plays fiddle at the Liberty opry in Liberty ,TX on Saturday nights. He is the Little Red Hayes that played in band for Ray Price. If you know Tom Beardon he is wondering what ever happened to Little Red Hayes. I say that because I just finished reading a documentry on Tom Beardon's Website, and he made the above statement about Little Red Hayes Submitted by: Stuart n60_99@yahoo.com

Does the fiddle not turn into a violin if you play classical music. Actually I have two tru fiddles. One is tin so the beer dont affest it and the other is spruce and maple so keep the beer off it. Photos attached. My pal Paul holds the Trapezoidal one.     Fun to read all the e-mails. Thanks. Submitted by:Nick Gent jengent@sbcglobal.net

I am 3rd generation off the boat...County Mayo and Cork. I want to contradict all that I have heard. I grew up with a gent by the name of Tim Britton and he was, by far, the best bag piper a had, or have, ever heard. I told him that I was going to see a fiddler I had not heard of (I am embarrassed) by the name of Martin Hayes. He stopped me in my tracks and said that I should pay attention when I see the performance. He went on to say that it would be the only time in my life that that I would see a fiddler play the violin and a violinist play the fiddle. I am seeing him on March 8 and will let everyone know how it went. peace through music Submitted by: Christopher Kelly McVeigh ckmcveigh@comcast.net

"I was taught that there are three slight differences between the Violin and the Fiddle." "One: The Fiddle is shorter than the Violin." "Two: The bridge is set different for the fingering." "Three: The Fiddle is not as fragile as the Violin." "This third reason being due to the fact that the Fiddle was made to travel better, because it was made for the bard type musicians. The Violin was a more refined form of the Fiddle, made to play a softer music. The Fiddle was made to be plunked, plucked, twanged, strummed and bowed. The Violin was made to be played softly with a bow." Submitted by:Loonybin loonybin@comcast.net

Someone told me that the difference between them is where they came from. The fiddle came from Ireland, Scotland, and some other countries up there. While the Violin was Italian. This might've started as the ancient greek instrument (I forget the name) and moved up to different variations, like the guitar, and fiddle. ehhh.

But whatever the case...in my opinion, I would say the fiddle is teh best and that is why I plan to learn how to play it.

Submitted by: Joseph Fricks
jmfricks@msn.com

Hi every one from over here in Wales, UK. I would like to put my two-penny worth to the fiddle v violin debate. I am an amateur violin maker and feel that no matter what you call the instrument or the player there are good players that put feeling into their work no matter which instrument they play. The main body of the violin/fiddle is the same in both cases but as fiddle players mostly play in first position very fast and repetitively, they need to keep their fingers closer together so the string length needs to be shorter. You do this simply by moving the bridge up towards the fingerboard on a full size violin, this shortens the distance between each note placement. Altering the shape of the bridge will also help. Of course, buying a smaller (3/4 or 7/8) violin would be better, mainly because altering the bridge can alter the balance both physically and musically in the violin. It's best not to have too great a distance between bridge and sound post as cracks could appear under the A and E strings due to an estimated 48 to 51bs of pressure exerted by metal strings onto the little bridge. There is a delicate balance between the sound and structural integrity of a violin. You still can play very fast on a standard violin set up. The 'from the shoulder' method was introduced along with a longer string length to better enable the violinist to move up and down the fingerboard with greater intonation and, dare I say, feeling. I would also like to say that the anecdote above, of a fiddle that was almost white with rosin makes my heart sink, as there is nothing that can reduce the resonance and tone of the top plate more than layers of rosin binding with the varnish to make a totally inflexible sound board. Happy fiddling - Bernard Submitted by: BernardBurningCanary@aol.com

I've heard of people fiddling with the violin but never heard of anyone violining with a fiddle. Seriously, violins are about as variable as pianos...grands, consoles, spinets...yet all pianos. Submitted by: Ted Glinski doradore@cox.net

A sure-fire way to tell the difference between a fiddle and a violin is to simply -OBSERVE THE AUDIENCE- Submitted by: Fred Glinski Glinskif@aol.com

the difference is... no one cares if you spill beer on a fiddle. ha-ha Submitted by: Terry Miller chile.pepper@sbcglobal.net

As a classically trained violinst and informally trained fiddler I can verify that the only difference is style. Fiddle is often used as a nickname for violin in orchestral settings (as in first or second fiddles) but fiddling, whether Scottish, Irish, Bluegrass, or Oldtime, is just the style on a regular violin. It has nothing to do with the bridge (which is only higher or lower or flatter depending on quality and preference) or fine tuners (which didn't exist when fiddling began). Bows are as wide ranging within the classical realm as within the fiddling realm. It's all music and it's all the same insturment. Submitted by: Donal Mulcahy donalem@yahoo.com

You only have to hear a classically trained German girl try to play "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" to know the difference is more in the player than the instrument. Submitted by: Susan Wallace zoshka@yahoo.com

I enjoyed reading all of the responses to this. Primarily the difference is how the instrument is played and to a lesser extent how it is set up to assist the playing technique. A fiddle player will often bee seen holding the bow 1/3 of the way along from the frog, this is closer to the balance point and assists the playing in short fast bow strokes using the top 1/2 to 1/3 of the bow. Submitted by: Alan

Technically, I believe the difference is in the tone of the instrument or more importantly, where the sound post is placed. From my research on this topic I have found that the fiddle is set up to be brighter, more cutting a tone where as the violin is meant to have a rounder, warmer tone. It is all in the placement of the soundpost and the make of the "violin". Submitted by: Michael Duffey Michael.Duffey@westtown.edu

It's all in the bow-it's how the nut(user)at the end of the bow uses it. Submitted by: Cheryl Hall, Yakima Washington cherylIH@cubcrafters.com

Hello, I would like to add a correction, if I may, to the response from Lucie Dandeneau in Manitoba. The difference in a violin and fiddle may not be clear-cut to some, however the difference between a violin and viola is most certainly definite. I have examples of each. The lowest note on a violin is a G. (Down from middle C). The lowest note on a viola is C (octave below middle C). The viola is actually more like a cello than a violin. In reading the numerous responses you have received, I see most everyone has the same idea. It’s not a “what” but a “how” difference. I am sure that as violins arrived in America from Europe and aged, repairs had to be made that would account for differences in fingerboards and bridges. (The low bridge is DEFINITELY a plus in my book – and I’m classically trained, shame on me!) I have heard that an instrument called the fiddle is a Middle Ages period instrument that is a predecessor to the Stradivarius era violins we use today, but I have never found anything concrete that puts one against the other. Despite the names we give these things, are we all glad we have them and have so many wonderful ways to use them!!! A. Dutton Submitted by: Amanda Dutton amanda_champsinc@adelphia.net

Simply put; there truly is no differences accept in the attitude of the musician playing them. I love playing classical when a soothing mood strikes and I like to break down when I feel like dancing. When I feel like dancing and floating I play both! Fiddles and/or Violins are both made by the hands of man and played by the hands of man sharing the same thing, a love for music. Submitted by: Erica Foster booking@ericajameslive.com Erica James Live Web Site

Well you can tell if a guy is playing the fiddle very easily, if he is wearing blue jeans, it's a fiddle. Submitted by: Brittany princessbrittany_89@hotmail.com

You can fiddle with anything but you have to play a violin. Submitted by: Gerald Neeley gfneeley@carolina.rr.com

I went to Nashville Tennesee with my family and I found "There ain't a dimes worth of difference" there the same instrument just different ways of playing them! Or as my grandma says "Hillbilly Music"! Submitted by: Roy Miller MILLS@fulton-net.com

I took a class for violin teachers and the first day I told them I played Celtic Fiddle Music. After after a few days of the class, the violin teacher said to me, "What instrument do you really play?" (True story) The difference is in the artist. Seamus Connolly could take Ishtak Pearlman's instrument and make it dance, and Ishtak Pearlman could play Bach on Seamus's fiddle. It isn't the instrument it is in the heart of the player. Submitted by: Marilee Tussing MrsTussing@aol.com

When I was in school I have always learned that the difference between a fiddle and a violin was the size. The fiddle is smaller than the violin. I used to know a girl in school who took classical violin and it did appear to be quite larger than the fiddle. I come from a family of fiddlers so I have seen plenty of fiddles in my life. My 15 year old son now plays the fiddle (he is known here in Manitoba, Canada as the "Metis in Black"). I would like to know when the size of the violin changed? Just as I was writing this letter I decided to look up the origin of the viola....surprise! the answer to everyone's question is in the size, the violin is the same as the viola and not as the fiddle. Viola is italian for violin. Thank you much Submitted by: Lucie Dandeneau Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada ldandeneau@shaw.ca

My oldtime banjo picking friend John Michaud, who died of a heart attack last winter, who was one of the happiest guys on earth, he was a mountain man from Missouri full of all kinds of wise words of wisdom and loved his banjo almost as much as he loved his woman said, "The difference between a fiddle and a violin is that a violin has strings and a fiddle has strangs" John was a man of many quotes. Submitted by: ~Mary Schallert (fiddle & violin teacher, but mostly fiddle) mschallert@acsalaska.net

She was a violin when I met her, but she's a fiddle now! Submitted by: Scott Shipman of the Uptown String Band, Greene County, IL fidlynfool@yahoo.com

The difference between fiddle and violin is that people who call themselves violinists play classical and people who play fiddle don't play classical. Submitted by: T. Wilson twilson14@cogeco.ca

I always heard "The difference between a fiddle and violin is, A violin has a case". But, I lowered my bridge so the strings are close to the fingerboard, this prevents my fingers from getting tangled in the strings when playing fast and I flattened the bridge a little to play double stops easier. Submitted by: Colin Mackenzie

The difference between a violin is very simple. True, they are basically the same, however the answer to your question is the bridge. You see, the bridge on a fiddle is generally higher with a flatter top. A fiddle also has four fine tuners. Submitted by: Julia South j4lee@earthlink.net

Its all about the heart of the person playing. A true violinist cannot be a fiddler and a true fiddler cannot be caged as a violinist, although there are some that border this, and it could just be what kind of mood your in..but yes, its all about the heart and soul of the person speaking with his/her music and what he/ she wants to say to the world. Submitted by: K Ross KROSS6@cogeco.ca

Thank you for the many discriptions. I love blue grass, but tolerate violins. Submitted by: "Mokie" araymond@houston.rr.com

A violin is the instrument you carry to rehearsals. Your ear teaches you to fiddle a tune the way your heart wants to hear it. Your teacher instructs you on how to play violin music the way the composer intended everyone to play it. Fiddle is finger-painting. Violin is paint-by-the-numbers. I've seen an aged and well-worn luthier's manual that gives the dimensions - height and curvature - for standard violin bridge and standard fiddle bridge. You can reshape a violin bridge into a fiddle bridge, but once you do you can never truly go back to violin. Submitted by: Ed Gregory,Nashville Old-Time String Band Association.

Chaconne is played on a violin. Bonnie Portmore is played on a fiddle. With the first the mind speaks to the heart. With the second the heart speaks to the mind. With perseverance one can play both well on the same instroment which, is my goal. Submitted by: John john@ae-design.com

My 13 year old daughter says it's the way you hold them.... you hold a violin on your shoulder with a chin rest and you hold a fiddle 2/out and lower on your arm.... I laughted. Submitted by: Cicki Harper vicki.harper@coair.com

Fiddle music makes you want to tap your feet, violin music makes you want to sit still or fall asleep. Submitted by: Martin Milner Martin.Milner@wwavrc.co.uk

The difference between a violin and fiddle is the number of teeth of the one who's playing it. Submitted by: dmileusnich@comcast.net

In answer to classical musicians getting offended by the term "fiddle", my 11 year old son (a fiddler down to his bones, much to his violin teacher's discontent), will be the first to tell you that, Isaac Stern referred to his instument as a fiddle. I agree with the statement that the difference between a fiddle and a violin is attitude!! Submitted by: Pam Mann, Momma to "Fiddle Boy" Robbie. pmann@martin.lib.wv.us

My opinion is who is playing the instrument. Bluegrass calls it a fiddle or sy Bob Wills playing Western Swing music. Classical Artists would call it a violin. Submitted by: Running Deer runningdeer@wcc.net

My husband says that the difference between a violin and a fiddle is..... ATTITUDE! :) Submitted by: Katie Bailey Wallerkbmusic@cfl.rr.com

My band director said that the fiddle and violin were the same thing. However, my friend told him that a fiddle was two inches shorter than a violin. I'm pretty sure this isn't true. We just said it to make him look like an idiot, but you never know... Submitted by: Kelsey Engvik, Everett MAdragonsmeetsword@aol.com

Hi, Here is one I just heard from a viola player. She claims that a fiddle has a flat fingerboard, for playing chords, while the violin fingerboard is curved. I had never heard that before! I have looked over dozens of fingerboards and haven't found a flat one yet. Just a bit you might want to add to your "fiddle vs. violin" page. Submitted by: Jim Womeldorf, Montrose, COwoms@gobrainstorm.net

The difference between a violin and a fiddle is that a fiddle is held looser and further down the shoulder and the bow is held in the middle rather than at the end. That's what my music teacher told me. Submitted by: ?????munchkine@hotmail.com

Violin = Practicing makes perfect the art of playing music. Fiddle = For fiddling around and doesn't have to be ferfect, like I do. Have more fund doint it too! Submitted by: MikeYourRight@satx.rr.com

Certainly this has been said before........ If you are sitting down when you play: it is a violin- if you are standing up: it is a fiddle. Submitted by: Mark Childs mgchilds@comcast.net

The fiddle is a much older word for bowed instruments. There were fiddles many hundreds of years before the type of fiddle called a violin was first produced in Italy. So really a vilolin is a fiddle like an automobile is a type of car. Like a railroad car is a type of car. There are other types of fiddles also like the hardanger fiddle and viols. This is the way I explain the differance between a violin and a fiddle. Submitted 12/16/03 by: Jim Edwardsjambone47250@yahoo.com

Hello! Last night I saw a band called Fonnmhor (http://www.fonnmhor.com/), and I was talking to the fiddler, and being as I am, asked about the difference between a fiddle and a violin. Her reply was: a violin sings while a fiddle dances. Submitted by:Ryan, 10/01/03.

The technical difference between a fiddle and a violin is that a fiddle has a flatter bridge than a violin because fiddle players like playing double notes. Submitted by: Ken Hyerkhyer123@msn.com

To me the fiddle means: working class folks just playing around on not sobering serious music, but having fun playing balads, hoedown, jigs, reels and hornpipe music. A violin on the other hand is a prim and proper edicate playing of oprietic and classical music of proper attired wealthy folks. Wayne Submitted by: Waynewaynebl@aol.com

Back in Arkansas, an old fiddler told me the difference between a violin and a fiddle is that a violin has a case! Thanks for a fun site! Mary Allsopp

I've always heard tell that a violin has 'strings' and a fiddle has 'strangs'. Also, that a fiddle has a 'red neck'. Submitted by Tim Richardson from Acworth, Georgia.

Wayne, I heard once that a violin is just a fiddle with an attitude! Submitted by Brett Heitzkie, fiddle and banjo genius of Oklahoma City.

OK - you asked for it... The difference between a fiddle and a violin is: It's a fiddle when you want to buy it and a violin when you want to sell it. You can spill a beer on a fiddle and it doesn't wreck the tone. Also, if you look way inside an old fiddle, you're likely to find the rattle off a rattlesnake. That's to keep the strings dry because everyone knows that rattlesnakes live where it's very dry and therefore will suck up all available moisture. How do you stop a fiddler from fiddling? Put a piece of sheet music in front of 'em. Submitted by Beverley ConradBeverley's website has a large amount of fiddle info and other fun stuff. Check it out!

Violin or Fiddle?? Same Instrument, Different Tunes........ Submitted by Michael Reaves, Principal of 2nd Violins, Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Mike is in this picture, somewhere, along with his wife Cathy.

Well, I agree with the old time fiddler. Violin......Fiddle....... same thing. However, I have talked with classical violinists who get outright "Put Out" if you call their violin "A fiddle". When I was a young girl, I remember someone telling me that some fiddler's prefer a flatter bridge to help them with double stops or shuffles, where most violinists prefer a more rounded bridge to aid in articulation and clarity. So, in this instance there may be a slight difference. In most cases though, whether for fiddler or violinist the bridge is rounded according to the shape of the fingerboard. It all depends on who's soing the playing. Fiddler plays the fiddle. Violinist plays the Violin. There are some of us who do both. Honestly though, it's not so much what the instrument is called that matters. What matters is how much a part of the musician it becomes. A loving tune from the heart of a fiddle player speaks more deeply than thought. Vibrato rich and sweet. Haunting and melodious. A jaunty jig, full of life, the soul sours heavenward, itching to dance. Now for me, the big question is: "What does a Scot wear under his Kilt?" Submitted by Shanda McDonald, The Okie Darlin.

The difference between a fiddle and a violin? About 20 Grand a year's what I heard. Submitted by Larry Franklin. Fiddler Extraordinaire. Larry has a great site and does some excellent Fiddle work. Check it out!

The late Orville Burns told me the difference between a fiddle and a violin is "the nut at the end of the bow" that's always sounded right to me. Submitted by Gary Lee Moore. View my guest book to get more info on him.

I have always wondered the answer to this question. I grew up as the first yankee in my family. With all these southerners around me, I have been exposed to a lot of the bluegrass type music. Growing up in the North, and traveling the world with the military, I have been exposed to many other genres of music. I would have to say a violin is played the rich or for the rich. A fiddle is played by the heart or for the heart. Submitted by: Dennis Allen

the fiddle is played with zest and upbeat. the violin is dad and sometimes rather "draggy" Submitted by: gingyjaye@aol.com

E-mail me with your theory. Let me know if you do not want your e-mail posted and I'll leave it off!