When you see someone playing a fiddle, are they using a violin? If someone is playing the violin, are they using a fiddle?
If you know how to play stringed instruments with a bow, you’ll have someone ask you whether a violin or a fiddle is the same.
Most instrumentalists give a similar answer to those questions.
“They’re pretty much the same instrument, but we play different musical genres with it.”
Is that statement accurate, or are there subtle differences to point out between a violin and a fiddle?
What’s the Difference between a Fiddle and a Violin?
Although the violin and fiddle are essentially the same, the latter is a generic term for any stringed instrument someone plays with a bow. That means every violin is a fiddle, but not every fiddle is a violin. Everything from the rebab to the goge is included in this stringed instrument family.
We often think of the differences between a fiddle and a violin based on the musical style and culture that the instrument supports.
If you think of a violin, you likely picture someone playing classical music in an orchestral or symphonic setting.
When you want to get “really crazy” with that instrument, you might think about trying some jazz.
When you play a fiddle, you probably see a square dance happening in a barn while a lively tune comes from the instrument.
The player is perhaps dancing as they play, creating bluegrass, folk, or country sounds.
In that comparison, you’re looking at the same instrument. Both people are using the violin, but in different ways.
It would be the same as Louis Armstrong playing the trumpet on It’s a Wonderful World and then enjoying an evening with the New York Philharmonic.
Fiddles are the group of instruments to which a violin belongs. Although many people use the term interchangeably, it is not technically correct.
History of the Violin as a Musical Instrument
Italy is the home to the three standard stringed instruments you’ll find in classical, symphonic, philharmonic, and orchestral music: the viola, cello, and violin. All of them were created in the early 16th century.
Although we don’t know of the exact invention date, paintings from Gaudenzio Ferrari show that people were playing these instruments as early as the 1530s.
A treatise from 1556 shows that the violin’s description at that time matches what we think of today as the modern instrument.
Before humans were playing the violin, they had instruments like the rebec and vielle.
Even the lyra, which was popular during the Byzantine era in the 9th century, is an early ancestor of the stringed instruments.
Since the violin’s invention, it has gone through several evolutions in the hands of prolific luthiers.
Some of the most famous names associated with this instrument include Antonio Stradivari, Jakob Stainer, and the entire Amati family.
If you’re playing the violin today, you’re likely using a template that came from one of these three evolutionary minds.
■ Earliest Moments of Stringed Instruments with Bows
The difference between a fiddle and a violin is that you have an entire family of stringed instruments with bows to consider.
Although the violin’s history dates back several centuries, it is an instrument based on European interpretations of the Arabic rebab.
That instrument would become the lyra and the rebec before becoming the violin. Further north, the Welsh turned that concept into two versions of the crwths in the 11th century.
All of those instruments are accurately described as fiddles. Even the two-string erhu, which could have been played as early as the 7th century during the Tang Dynasty in China, is in this category.
The erhu is even called the “spike fiddle” in some cultures.
When we think about the modern violin, the most famous and pristine example is called the Messiah Stradivarius.
Stradivari made it in 1716, and the instrument might not have ever been played before Joseph Joachim, a famous violinist of the 19th century, got the opportunity to do so.
The instrument currently sits on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
What is remarkable about the Messiah Stradivarius is how it looks like a modern instrument from today’s time.
The violin remained in Stradivari’s workshop until he died in 1737. It was sold by his son in 1775, belonging to the Count Cozio di Salabue.
It then changed hands a few more times before getting donated to the museum.
■ Changes That Have Happened to the Violin over the Years
When you think about how the modern violin looks, you’re looking at over 300 years of innovation and development.
The instruments that people called violins in the 16th century were slightly different from today, even if the appearance is somewhat similar.
Here is an overview of what has happened over the centuries to turn the violin into today’s world-class fiddle.
| Update to the Violin | Changes Resulting From the Work |
| Fingerboard Length: | ● The fingerboard on the standard violin was made slightly longer in the 19th century to help instrumentalists play the highest notes with greater consistency. |
| Fingerboard Tilt: | ● As orchestras became more popular and theater venues started getting larger, there became a need to have the instrument emit notes at a louder volume. ● Slight changes to the fingerboard’s tilt accommodated this outcome. |
| Pitch Raising: | ● When the pitch raising occurred in the 19th century, almost all of the older instruments at the time were given a one-centimeter extension of the neck to help them play the modern compositions released at the time. |
| Bass Bar: | ● Luthiers started to make the bass bar lighter on modern violins to reduce the string tension levels. ● When the wooden bodies became more lightweight, the added strength in this area increased the risk of warping and breakage. |
| Mortised Neck: | ● Older luthiers put together violins by nailing and gluing the instrument neck to the upper body block before using adhesive to attach the soundboard. ● As technologies improved, later creators would mortise the neck to the body after completing the work on the lower half of the instrument. |
| Chinrests: | ● The chinrest was added to the violin in the early 19th century by composer Louis (Ludwig) Spohr. |
Understanding the Chinrest on the Violin
The chinrest on the modern violin allows the instrumentalist to perform different movements to create intended sounds. It positions the jaw on the instrument to prevent it from slipping.
Using a chinrest also ensures that the instrument’s finish won’t wear off prematurely due to sweat and skin oils getting deposited when playing.
Louis Spohr receives credit for inventing the chinrest. He was a prolific violin tutor, composer, and touring musician.
His first professional concert tour happened before the age of 16, but it ended in failure.
He ended up asking for the help of Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, who was so impressed with his playing that he made him a chamber musician.
In total, Spohr composed ten symphonies, ten operas, and numerous concerti for violins and clarinets.
■ How to Choose the Right Chinrest for Your Violin
Some instrumentalists don’t care about the chinrest on their violin or fiddle. They can pick up any instrument, give the strings some tuning, and play it like it’s been in their possession their entire life.
If you don’t fit into that select group of musicians, it is essential to select a violin with the right chinrest fit for your anatomy.
Your head, shoulder, and neck measurements impact how you interact with the violin. That means you’ll play one differently based on how it “fits” to your body.
Most violins come with the Guarneri-style chinrest today. It’s a universal product that provides a one-size-fits-all solution for most players.
You’ll find it available on virtually any student instrument or budget-friendly purchase.
You can also find about 40 additional styles and designs that work with the violin to create a more comfortable playing experience.
Even how the chinrest gets mounted to your violin can determine whether it’s a playable instrument for you or something that should get avoided.
■ Chinrest Choices to Consider for a Violin
Here is an overview of the different shapes and mounting positions you can encounter when shopping for a violin today.
| Low and Side-Mounted: | ● This chinrest gets mounted next to the instrument’s tailpiece. ● It’s an excellent choice for anyone with a shorter neck or who prefers a taller shoulder rest. ● You can select the Mulko, Dresden, Brandt, or Kaufman designs to achieve a positive playing experience with this design. |
| Medium-Height, Side-Mounted, High Ridge | ● If you find that a low chinrest doesn’t give you enough of a hold on the instrument, this option provides a better result. ● It uses a softer edge to prevent jaw irritation. ● Some of the examples you’ll find in this category include the Strobel, Donaldson, Morawetz, and Teka chinrests. |
| Over the Tailpiece: | ● This chinrest uses a cup to the side with its design to deliver a secure playing experience. ● The options in this category tend to be variable, with each manufacturer putting a different spin on the result. ● If you select a Strad, you’ll find low and flat choices, a higher one that offers a deeper cup, or the “Wendling,” a plastic version of the latter. |
| Center-Mounted: | ● When you use this chinrest, you have a product with brackets that clamp over the end-button, tailpiece, and inside the center block. ● Most musicians like this option because it delivers more tone and volume since side clamps don’t dampen the vibrations. ● It is a high design because it puts your chin near the tailpiece. ● Options include the Berber, Schultz, Ohrenform, and Flesch. |
| Tall and Side-Mounted: | ● If you have a higher neck or a somewhat flat jaw structure, this chinrest style delivers a practical solution. ● It also works well for those who don’t use a shoulder rest. ● You’ll want to make sure it isn’t built too high because that outcome makes the instrument unstable. ● Some examples include the Hollywood and the Vermeer. |
■ What Influences the Chinrest Choice for a Violin?
When you shop for the best chinrest for your violin, your anatomy and playing position are the most pivotal considerations to review.
If you want pain-free playing and long-lasting comfort, the goal should be to support your natural posture.
If you’re learning how to play the violin, it is crucial to keep your neck and shoulders in a straight and natural position.
Some musicians want to tilt their necks or raise their shoulders to hold the instrument.
If that describes your tendencies, it’s better to look for a higher chinrest to above muscle strain or problems with pain.
If you prefer to keep your chin centered over the tailpiece, you don’t have many options with this classical approach.
Instructors and mentors have been encouraging the to-the-side approach for over a generation, but that style doesn’t always feel natural.
You should select the position that works best for your playing preferences.
Once you have that understanding, it’s much easier to find a chinrest and a violin that meets your precise needs.
■ What You Need to Know About Playing the Violin Today
Whether you treat the violin as a classical instrument or something for folk and bluegrass, you’ll discover that everyone is after the same thing.
When you want to play one of the best violins ever created, you’re looking for an instrument that is at least 300 years old.
The ones made by Stradivari and a luthier named Guarneri del Gesu are the most sought-after still today.
It’s not just the wealthy collectors who want to add a prized piece to their collection after these instruments.
If you take your work as an instrumentalist seriously, there isn’t a better violin to use when playing than one from those two makers.
The typical violin has 72 parts to it when you count the top and bottom plates. You don’t have a functional instrument unless all of them are present.
That means you’ll want to have one thoroughly inspected after purchase to ensure you have everything needed to play.
If you purchase an older violin, you should have the inspection completed before finalizing the transaction.
Why Do We Think the Fiddle Is Different than the Violin?
Despite all of the information presented above, you’ll still find passionate audiophiles, musicians, and instrumentalists insisting that the fiddle is a different instrument.
This challenge to the “fiddle vs. violin” terminology often comes from Western classical players.
It is an affectionate term for the instrument, describing it as a workmate for the compositions that get played.
It’s only in the United States where a fiddle’s idea means that the musician plays something in the French, Irish, or Scottish traditions and their genre descendants.
That includes Cajun, Appalachian, and the others already mentioned.
One can argue that the music played on a “fiddle” is less complicated than what a classical violinist typically encounters.
Although the tunes are often fast, most fiddle players don’t leave the first position when playing.
Fiddling also calls for more of a melodic lift and rhythmic playing when compared to the traditional violin concerti.
It gets people dancing, and it keeps them in the mood to keep going.
When you think about a great fiddle tune, “Amarillo By Morning” from George Strait
is an excellent example. In the song’s introduction, you can hear the rhythm and tonal variation that gets played in this style when compared to the traditional violin.
Most fiddle tunes use a basic AA-BB style with a basic-form melody. That simplicity allows for different embellishments and variations, making it more like a jazz instrument.
It’s also why simple tunes can sound complex. A classical violinist reads sheet music to create the complicated melodies that the composer wants in their piece.
The fiddle player is responsible for creating those variations, which means no two songs are exactly the same.
Best Violins to Start Playing Today
If you’d like to start playing the violin or want to become a fiddle player, the following instruments deliver excellent tonal qualities.
| D Z Strad Model 220 | ● This violin produces a sophisticated sound that you can customize based on your bow movements. ● It uses a spruce top that the manufacturer air-dried for over ten years to craft an impressive sound. ● It’s 100% handmade, hand-varnished, and ready for intermediate players. ● You’ll get a brazilwood bow, dominant strings, and a shoulder rest in the box. |
| Yamaha YEV-104BL | ● If you play gigs with your violin instead of orchestral concerts, consider investing in an electric instrument. ● You’ll produce the same sounds while having additional options for tonal modification. ● You can route it through a pedal suitcase, much like an electric guitar, to create beautiful music. ● It’s made from six different wood species to ensure you always get a resonant sound. |
| D Z Strad Gasparo da Salo 1590 Adam Copy | ● When you are an advanced player who only wants the best, this violin provides an above-average replication of what the oldest instruments offer. ● This full-size product features a maple bridge, inlay flourishes, and double purfling on the top. ● You’ll discover that it provides a beautiful sound that encourages you to keep playing. |
When you purchase a new violin, it is best to take it to a local luthier for the initial tuning work and string stretching to avoid damage.
If you don’t have a luthier near your home, contact your local music store to see if they can refer you to a recommended professional service provider.
Are You Ready to Try Playing the Violin?
The violin is one of the best instruments I’ve ever had the opportunity to play.
Although I started on a student model, I’ve progressed over the years until I’ve come into the possession of an above-average Stradivarius clone.
I’ll never be an orchestral musician with this instrument, but I’ve also found that it is more fun to play something crafted for me than it is to use an entry-level model.
Unless you’re choosing a violin for a young musician, I’d recommend learning on a full-size, 4/4 model to ensure you enjoy how the instrument feels tucked under your chin.
Some people love the idea of playing, but they don’t like the idea of cramming it next to their necks.
Entry-level violins are suitable for your first lessons. If you decide to start playing for a year or more, you’ll want something better.
That’s why it is better to invest today in a well-crafted instrument.
Your investment will let you have an accurate gauge on how much you enjoy playing this instrument, whether you call it a fiddle or a violin.