Are There Any Violin/fiddle Players Out There ?

[protectionist]

I'm wondering if PF has any musicians who play the violin/fiddle ? Violin, fiddle same thing. As a fiddle player, I'd like to hear from anybody who has the talent, smarts, and some luck to have gotten to the point of being able to master this phenomenal (but very difficult to learn/play) instrument.

I don't care if your speciality is classical violin, popular songs, bluegrass, country/western, jazz, or whatever.
just jump in here and tell about your playing, your instrument, what songs/tunes you play, and anything about it. Please stick to the subject of the violin-fiddle only though (viola is OK too). Other than the viola, any other instrument would be off topic, and would be much better saved for mynear future OPs on the guitar (acoustic and electric), bass guitar (or acoustic bass), mandolin (or mandola), and 5 string banjo. These will appear later.

 

[Pogo]

Yanno --- mandolin is tuned the same as a violin...

I picked up fiddle first (of the two, not first instrument), so when I picked up a mando I already knew where the notes were (but not the chords). Played in a jugband doing hokum, folk and blues stuff, and at the same time hung out with a Scottish group doing reels, jigs and strathspeys.

Haven't played it in a good long time but my main one is an Antonio Curatoli (mass produced) Stradivarius copy made in "Czecho-Slovakia" as it says, in 1925.

And yes it is quite a challenge. Much harder to get comfortable on that than on the p****, g*****, h******* d*******, b**** .....


I have a viola too, though rarely ever used it. I brought it onstage once, the plan being to use it during our band's performance of the White Album, on "Piggies", which is in A-flat. I brought the viola intentionally tuned down a half step so I could play in A formation, just for that tune. When it came time for the song our guitar player forgot that he was supposed to capo his guitar and insisted on playing in E, so I had to switch to piano.

I believe what the guy on the Beatles' record is playing is a viola, because at the end he trails off on a riff and hits a note below the violin's range.

 

[protectionist]

Viola is an interesting instrument. I ought to get one someday. I have a mandolin and violin now, plus a number of other instruments. I did just the opposite of you. I learned the mandolin first. With its flat bridge, guitarlike picking, it's much easier than having to master the bow. So once I got the tunes down, I was able to go to the VIolin and concentrate more on the bow.
I have an Eastman mandolin, all solid, which I paid $450 for, and a Carlos Robelli - New York violin (Same price, just a coincidence), which I converted into a fiddle by filing down the bridge (flattening), and added fine tuners. Both of my instruments are new, but I've had old ones in the past, and I know how good they can be. I had a 1926-1930 Sears Silvertone or Harmony Supertone mandolin, and its sound was amazing. I used to bring it to jam sessions, and everybody was amazed at how loud and good it sounded.
I love these new battery operated tuners they have now. I got a small clip-on on made by Fender and it's very precise. I used to just tune my mandolin with it, and then tune my fiddle from the mandolin, because I couldn't figure out how to attach to to the fiddle. I just yesterday figured it out though - found a spot where it attaches, so now I use it on both instruments.

 

[Pogo]

Does it look anything like this?.

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I loves my Snark. Very immune to ambient sounds.

 

[Pogo]

What are you using for strings? I kind of settled on Helicore.

 

[protectionist]

Does it look anything like this?.

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I loves my Snark. Very immune to ambient sounds.

It looks similar. Same type clip, but square in shape,and when you get right in the middle for the note, it lights up in green. It also has 5 modes, which are listed as V, U, C, G, and B. I guess these are violin/mandolin, ukelele, cello, guitar, and banjo.

 

[protectionist]

What are you using for strings? I kind of settled on Helicore.

I don't know what kind they are. My instruments are both relatively new, and I'm using the strings that were on the instruments (Violin & mandolin) when I bought them.

So you payed with a Scottish group. Wow. That's very cool. I used to know just a few Scottish tunes. They were very cool and sadly I've forgotten them over the years. They were Jenny Nettles and the Mullin Dhu, I still do remember and play a number of American fiddle tunes though. Ragtime Annie, Soldier's Joy, Cherokee Shuffle, and Blackberry Blossom are my favorites, and a Bill Monroe bluegrass instrumental > The Gold Rush.

 

[Pogo]

When it comes to buy new ones I've found Helicores to be sturdy. Nothing worse than having a string pop onstage - throws everything off. Nice warm sound. Zyex as a second choice.

I don't think I ever settled on a choice for mando, but I really like Elixirs on guitar, I might go with their mando strings next time.

So do you play in any cross tunings? GDGD, AEAE? That can be real interesting.

 

[protectionist]

When it comes to buy new ones I've found Helicores to be sturdy. Nothing worse than having a string pop onstage - throws everything off. Nice warm sound. Zyex as a second choice.

I don't think I ever settled on a choice for mando, but I really like Elixirs on guitar, I might go with their mando strings next time.

So do you play in any cross tunings? GDGD, AEAE? That can be real interesting.

No special tunings. I stick with GDAE. On the guitar, I play in 3 different tunings. Standard, open G, and open E. I have separate (electric) guitars for each tuning, so as to be able to just pick up a guitar and play right away.
I could go into detail there with the Keith Richards songs, but I'd rather save that for when I post a guitar OP (soon).

 

[Pogo]

Like "Prodigal Son"? I used to retune to GDAD when we did that one, just for the drones.

You didn't say what type of music you're doing but cross tunings are useful for oldtime and blues music. Makes it damn hard to hit a wrong note too.

 

[protectionist]

Like "Prodigal Son"? I used to retune to GDAD when we did that one, just for the drones.

You didn't say what type of music you're doing but cross tunings are useful for oldtime and blues music. Makes it damn hard to hit a wrong note too.

I play American fiddle (old time) tunes and bluegrass. Occasionally, I'll tinker with some old, well-known popular songs too, just for the hell of it (like the song "America") > especially if I like the stress points of the tune, which I strengthen with double-stops. I really like the inter-mixing of double-stops with single string melody, when the ds are put in just the right places.

 

[Pogo]

Like "Prodigal Son"? I used to retune to GDAD when we did that one, just for the drones.

You didn't say what type of music you're doing but cross tunings are useful for oldtime and blues music. Makes it damn hard to hit a wrong note too.

I play American fiddle (old time) tunes and bluegrass. Occasionally, I'll tinker with some old, well-known popular songs too, just for the hell of it (like the song "America") > especially if I like the stress points of the tune, which I strengthen with double-stops. I really like the inter-mixing of double-stops with single string melody, when the ds are put in just the right places.

I presume that's why you work with the flattened bridge?
I've never tried that. I guess it reduces the vertical travel of your bowing arm?

 

[protectionist]

Like "Prodigal Son"? I used to retune to GDAD when we did that one, just for the drones.

You didn't say what type of music you're doing but cross tunings are useful for oldtime and blues music. Makes it damn hard to hit a wrong note too.

I play American fiddle (old time) tunes and bluegrass. Occasionally, I'll tinker with some old, well-known popular songs too, just for the hell of it (like the song "America") > especially if I like the stress points of the tune, which I strengthen with double-stops. I really like the inter-mixing of double-stops with single string melody, when the ds are put in just the right places.

I presume that's why you work with the flattened bridge?
I've never tried that. I guess it reduces the vertical travel of your bowing arm?

Yes, it does that, but the reason why fiddlers play with slightly flattened bridges is to facilitate the playing of double stops.

 

[ChrisL]

I love music, but unfortunately never learned how to play an instrument.

 

[protectionist]

I love music, but unfortunately never learned how to play an instrument.

Why not give it a try ? You'll never find a more rewarding hobby. And when you get good enough, you can reward friends and neighbors with it too.

 

[Billo_Really]

This guy is pretty good.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]