Violin vs Fiddle - What’s the difference?
I cannot even tell how many times I heard this question throughout my music career, people always seem confused when it comes to violin vs fiddle, I am always asked which one am I playing, and how can you tell the difference between a fiddle and a violin.
Are a fiddle and a violin the same thing?
The answer is YES. There is no difference whatsoever between a fiddle and a violin, it is, in fact, the same musical instrument.
With that being said, why does one instrument have two different names?
I grew up in Israel playing a classical violin. The first time I heard the word “fiddle” was when I started to play Jazz music. I noticed that some people would call it Jazz violin and others Jazz fiddle. It wasn’t until I started playing bluegrass music when I realized that everyone from that scene referred to my violin as a “fiddle”. While there is no difference between a violin and a fiddle, people like to name it according to the music genre and style. Indeed, there are many types of music styles, many types of violin jusic, and many benefits to playing the violin.
In other words, when you are playing classical music you are playing the violin. As a matter of fact, a classical violinist would take offense if you used the word “fiddle”.
Violin vs fiddle
Although the names “fiddle” and “Violin” indicate the same musical instrument, what is really important here is the musician’s technique. Violinist technique is a combination of pasture, how the instrument is being held, positions, bowing technique, and the way the instrument is being tuned to name a few. You can find more information about how to play the violin here.
One who plays the instrument using techniques derived and influenced by classical music, rooted in the European tradition and the classical music repertoire, would be considered a violinist. One who plays the instrument using non-classical techniques or is a self-taught musician would be considered a fiddler.
What types of music genres use the word “fiddle”?
Quite a few: Folk music, Bluegrass, Irish music, Scottish music, Swing, Cajun, Hoedown, and Country music.
So, what am I, a violinist or a fiddler?!!
I grew up playing classical violin and although I crossed over to so many music genres, from Hip Hop violin to African music, playing musical styles that like to refer to my instrument as a fiddle, it is only the technique that matters here, and since my technique is a classical one, hence, I am a violinist. If you check out my music collaborations, with rappers and singers alike, I am always credited as a violinist.
Fiddler on the roof?
Despite the fact that so many of the best classical violinists are Jewish, this particular story takes place in a poor village in Russia where the fiddler never had the luxury of studying a classical violin. He is poor, self-taught and his music is soulful. Perhaps playing the violin in a nontraditional way, a fiddler way, is a metaphor for breaking the traditions in this great play?!
