A fiddle and a violin are the same instrument. They have the same body, the same four strings, and the same tuning: G, D, A, and E. The word changes with the music. People call it a violin in classical music and a fiddle in bluegrass, old-time, country, and other folk styles. What differs is how the player learns, bows, and uses the instrument.
The instrument
Any violin can be a fiddle. A student violin from a school program works fine at a bluegrass jam.
Some fiddlers make small changes to the setup. Steel strings are common, because they give a bright tone that carries in a group. Many fiddlers add fine tuners on all four strings, which makes tuning steel strings easier. Some have the top of the bridge shaped a little flatter, so playing two strings at once takes less effort. None of these changes is required.
Learning by ear
Classical players read the music from a page. Fiddlers learn tunes by ear and play from memory.
Sheet music for fiddle tunes exists, and it helps. It shows the bones of the tune. The feel of the tune comes from listening. Two fiddlers play the same tune in two different ways, and both are right.
In a jam there are no music stands in most circles. Read how to learn a fiddle tune by ear.
The bow makes the rhythm
In classical music the bow shapes long, even lines. In fiddle music the bow drives the beat. Fiddle tunes began as dance music, and the bow keeps the dancers moving.
Fiddlers use repeating bow patterns called shuffles. A shuffle puts a pulse into a string of notes. Fiddlers lean on the offbeat, which gives the music its lift. Read how to play the fiddle shuffle.
Most fiddlers use the upper half of the bow and short strokes. Many hold the bow a little above the frog.
Slides, drones, and double stops
Fiddlers slide into notes from below. A classical teacher may call that poor intonation. In bluegrass it is part of the sound, and it gives the music a bluesy color.
Fiddlers play two strings at once much of the time. One kind is the drone: an open string that rings next to the melody. Tunes in A and D use open strings as drones all the way through. The other kind is the double stop: two fingered notes that make a harmony.
Vibrato
Classical players use vibrato on most long notes. Bluegrass fiddlers use less. Fast tunes get none. Slow songs and waltzes get some, and it tends to be narrow.
Keys and positions
Fiddle tunes sit in a few keys: A, D, G, and sometimes C. Those keys use the open strings. Most tunes stay in first position.
Singing songs are a different matter. A singer may call a song in B or B flat, and the fiddler follows. Read what keys bluegrass jams use.
Old-time fiddlers sometimes retune the strings for a tune. One common tuning for tunes in A is A, E, A, E. Bluegrass fiddlers stay in standard tuning most of the time.
Posture and hold
Classical training sets a firm standard for posture and for the bow hold. Fiddlers vary. Some hold the fiddle lower on the chest or let the neck rest in the palm. If you have classical training, keep your hold. It works, and it protects your body.
What the fiddle does in a band
An orchestra violinist plays a written part with a section. A bluegrass fiddler does three jobs in one song.
The fiddler plays breaks, which are solos based on the melody.
The fiddler plays backup behind the singer with long notes, soft double stops, and short fills.
The fiddler chops, which is a short, percussive bow stroke on the offbeat.
Read how to play fiddle backup in a bluegrass jam and how to take a break in a bluegrass jam.
Improvising
A classical player performs the notes the composer wrote. A bluegrass fiddler changes the tune a little each time through. The melody stays, and the player adds slides, double stops, and new turns. This skill grows from knowing many tunes well.
What carries over from classical training
Good intonation, a clear tone, and a quick left hand all carry over. A trained violinist can play the notes of most fiddle tunes on day one.
The new work is in the right arm and the ears: shuffle bowing, playing by ear, playing from memory, and backing up a singer.
Where to start
Learn five tunes by ear in the keys of A and D. See fiddle tunes to learn first for a bluegrass jam. Listen to bluegrass fiddlers such as Kenny Baker, Bobby Hicks, and Stuart Duncan.
Then go to a jam. Read how a classical violinist can join a bluegrass jam and the bluegrass fiddle guide.