What is the difference between a fiddle and a violin?

1. 79

   Availiasvisionposted 10 years ago

   What is the difference between a fiddle and a violin?

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2. 80

   MickeySrposted 10 years ago

   . . . the way you play it (Bluegrass, Classical, etc).

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   KaisMomposted 10 years ago

   I think the only difference is that if you're playing "Turkey in the
   Straw" you're playing a fiddle and if you're playing Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" you're playing a violin.

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4. 60

   stars439posted 10 years ago

   Good question. I think a violin is altered a little to the sound of the fiddle. I do not think it is the bridge, but the waffer like piece that lifts the back strings are elevated higher on a violin, or a piece is replaced for a higher lift , and that alters the sound of the violin to the sound of a fiddle. I imagine that the type of music plays a part in that too I suppose. I had a violin a while , but for me fiddles sound a bit higher pitched I think. I could be wrong.I thought I had a beginners Fiddle book, and a beginners violin book. It has been a while. I am a senior citizen. I could be wrong. The old memory ain't what it use to be.  Might be worth a google, or a bing. GBY.

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   1. 60

      stars439posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I did some research. My above statement was half wrong. The violin bridge is often lowered a fraction to satisfy certain fiddlers. In France the types of strings are changed. Some fiddles have five strings. Most violins have four. Genre plays a roll.

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   2. 79

      Availiasvisionposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Are fiddles and violins two different instruments, or just different ways to tune the same one?

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      ViolinByCourtneyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      @Availiasvision - You do not change the way you tune a violin just because you call it a fiddle. A violin is still a violin, and its tuning depends on the genre and region in which you are playing. Americans often use 440hz As regardless of style.

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   ViolinByCourtneyposted 10 years ago

   It's actually a little more complicated that what others have described. The word "fiddle" has different meanings in music. It can mean the genre of music. It can be another name for a violin. It can refer to a five-string violin. It can be a violin that has been altered by lowering or filing the bridge or that that uses a heavier bow. It can refer to a box fiddle like this one:
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WuhXA2J1To
   
   Or this one:
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yig-5lL_UOI
   
   It can even be used loosely to refer to other violin family instruments or even to other bowed instruments like the viola da gamba:
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09J-ylTiS1U
   
   Or even this saw:
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmft674XPC0
   
   But most people think of this:
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyt646v4hxA
   
   I am going to make a hub on this at some point. Stay tuned.

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   1. 79

      Availiasvisionposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Wonderful answer, with great links.  I have always wondered what the difference between a fiddle and a violin were, and how the sounds are produced differently.

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   TrebleStringsposted 6 years ago

   Are they two names for the same thing? Are they different instruments? Does it matter what style of music is played on either the violin or the fiddle? read more

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