Violin & Fiddle Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-10-2022

They say that practice makes perfect, and playing the fiddle is no different from other disciplines. Your fiddle playing will improve if you work on various drills and techniques during your practice sessions, including setting up your instrument and preparing to play, maintaining proper posture, positioning your fingers correctly, practicing left- and right-hand techniques, and establishing good bow movement.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-16-2022

With all of its different parts and its beautiful, delicate-looking body, the violin can feel a bit intimidating at first. This Cheat Sheet helps you get to know your instrument by introducing the most important parts of your violin, provides some easy steps to keep it in tip-top condition, and takes you through the process of taking the violin out of its case for the very first time.

Article / Updated 01-31-2017

Understanding key signature is essential when playing the fiddle. In music, a note can be sharp, which means it sounds a half pitch (half step) above the original note. The sharped note is represented by a simple ♯ symbol placed to the right of the note. The key signature indicates which notes in a tune are either higher (sharp) or lower (flat) than they normally are. If there was no such thing as a key signature in music, these notes would be the notes you’d play on the fiddle. As you start to learn different key signatures, the finger placements will vary from one key signature to the next. Credit: By Rashell Smith The key signature is always located to the right of the treble clef symbol and contains different symbols that tell you when to change the way you play a note. You’ll see either ♯ symbols, ♭ symbols, or no symbols. If there’s no key signature, the tune is in the natural state of musical notes, or the key of C natural. The notes associated with the key of C are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The A is a space away from the B (this is considered a whole step). The B is right next to the C (this is considered a half step, and your 1st and 2nd fingers should touch each other). The C is a whole step away from the D. The D is a whole step away from the E. The E is a half step away from the F. The F is a whole step away from the G. The G is a whole step away from the A. In C major, all the 1st-finger positions are similar, except on the E string. Do you see how the 1st-finger position on the E is lower than the rest? Notice that all the 2nd-finger positions on the D, A, and E are in the same position, but the 2nd finger on the G is in a different position. All the 3rd fingers are in the normal 3rd-finger position all the way across. Credit: By Rashell Smith When you’re playing in a certain key, you should constantly think about where your half steps are because they’re the easiest to miss. For instance, in the key of C, you’re always trying to be aware of the half steps B to C and E to F. Now if you add a ♯ to the key signature, that raises one note in the musical set A-B-C-D-E-F-G. The change would bring the F a half step higher, to an F♯. So now, the musical set of notes would be A-B-C-D-E-F♯-G. This would change the key from C major to G major. Credit: By Rashell Smith The difference between C and G major is only one note, which is F♯. In C major, the note is just F, while in G major, the note is F♯. This one difference makes certain songs sound a lot different and is very important to understand. The half steps in G major are between B and C and between F♯ and G. The first thing you should do when you look at a fiddle piece is check the key signature. Understanding the differences among key signatures helps you know exactly where to put your fingers down on the fiddle. Now if you add another sharp to the key signature, you’d have two sharps, which would be considered the key of D major. This is a very common key signature, and it means that you should play F♯ and C♯. Take a look at the D major finger positions. Look at how things relate to one another. For example, F♯ and G are half steps on the D string, and C♯ and D are half steps on the A string. This means that you play the notes very close in pitch, and your fingers should be close together on the fingerboard. Credit: By Rashell Smith When you look at the key signature, you’ll always be dealing with the same order of sharps. For example, if you see two sharps in the key signature, you’ll never deal with anything but F♯ and C♯. Everything goes in order and never changes! The order of sharps is F, C, G, D, and A. Adding another sharp to the mix would put you in A major. This means that you have to play F♯, C♯, and G♯ notes. Credit: By Rashell Smith Do you see how many notes are sharp in this key signature? With A major, it’s important to make sure your 3rd-finger positions are high on the G and D string. You can easily miss this, but it makes the song sound more in tune. When you learn to put your 4th finger (pinkie) down, your high 3 on the G and D should be touching your pinkie. If you don’t understand what is meant by the high 3, look at the G major finger placements, where the 3rd finger is on the G and D string. Compare this to the location of the 3rd finger in A major. The 3rd finger on the G and D strings is in a higher position. This is what you call a high 3rd finger. Here are the most common sharp notes used in music, along with the standard notes. Remember, notes start over again after the last letter in the sequence: A, A♯, B, C, C♯, D, D♯, E, F, F♯, G, G♯ About 99 percent of all fiddle tunes are covered by these five sharps; adding in a sixth or seventh is rare and more common in classical music. If you were to play each one of the notes in the preceding list, they’d sound the same as playing every note on the piano. This would include all the white and black keys, and it’s called the chromatic scale.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

More than 70 parts go into making a complete violin. This hourglass-shaped string instrument consists of several basic parts, including the 21 important elements explained here. Back: One of the most important parts of the violin, for both aesthetic and acoustic properties. The back of the violin can be made of one or two pieces, and it’s arched for strength and tone power. Bass bar: A slim strip of wood glued under the table of the violin on the side of, and running more or less parallel to, the lower strings. The bass bar reinforces the strength of the violin’s top and enriches the tone of the lower notes. Body: The sounding box of the violin has evolved to produce the best sound and use the most convenient playing shape. The “waist” of the violin is actually a necessary indentation, so that the bow can move freely across the strings without bumping into the body. Bridge: The only piece of unvarnished wood on the violin, it sits on top, about halfway down the body, placed exactly between the little crossbars of the violin’s f-holes. The strings run over the top of the bridge, which transfers their vibrations to the main body of the violin for amplification. The bridge is slightly rounded to match the shape of the fingerboard and to enable the player to bow on one string at a time. Chinrest: The spot on which your jaw rests when you’re playing (come to think of it, it should be called a “jaw rest”). Chinrests are usually made of ebony that has been carved into a cupped shape to fit the left side of your jaw. Your chinrest is attached just to the left of the tailpiece by a special metal bracket. You can choose from a variety of models to fit your chin shape and neck length most comfortably. End button: A small circular knob made of ebony, to which the tailpiece is attached by a loop. F-holes: The openings on either side of the bridge. They’re called f-holes because they’re shaped like the italic letter f. Fine tuners: Small metal screws fitted into the tailpiece and used for minor tuning adjustments. Fingerboard: A slightly curved, smooth piece of ebony that’s glued on top of the neck of the violin, under most of the length of the strings. Neck: The long piece of wood to which the fingerboard is glued. The neck connects the body of the violin to the pegbox and scroll. Nut: A raised ridge at the pegbox end of the fingerboard that stops the strings from vibrating beyond that point. Pegbox: The rectangular part of the scroll immediately adjoining the nut end of the fingerboard, before all the fancy carving begins, where each of the four pegs fits snugly sideways into its individual hole. Pegs: Four pieces of wood, usually ebony, shaped for ease of turning and fitted into round holes in the pegbox. The player turns the peg to tighten or loosen each string when tuning the violin. Purfling: An inlay running around the edge of the top and back of the violin’s body. The purfling is both decorative and functional because it protects the main body of the violin from cracks that can occur through accidental bumps. Of all the parts of the violin, “purfling” is the most fun to say. Ribs: The sides of the violin. The luthier (a fancy word for violin maker) bends the wood, curving it to fit the outline of the top and back of each instrument. Saddle: An ebony ridge over which the tailpiece loop passes. The saddle protects the body of the violin from becoming damaged and prevents rattling sounds, which would occur if the tailpiece was to contact the top of the violin when it’s vibrating with sound. Scroll: Named after the rolled-up paper scrolls that were sent instead of envelopes in the old days, the scroll forms the very end of the pegbox. Carving a scroll requires artistic vision and great expertise, so creative violin makers see the scroll as an opportunity to display their best work. Occasionally, you meet a violin with a lion’s head scroll, or some other fanciful shape, the result of a maker’s whimsy. Sound post: Enhances the volume and tone of the violin by transferring the sound vibrations to the back of the instrument after the bow makes a string sound near the bridge. If you peek into the f-hole near the E string (your thinnest string), you see a small round column of unvarnished wood, about the circumference of a pencil, which fits vertically from the top to the back of the violin. Strings: The four metal-wrapped wires (often made with silver or aluminum ribbon spiraling smoothly around a gut or synthetic core material) that you bow on (or pluck) to produce the notes of the violin. Tailpiece: A flared-shaped piece of wood into which the top end of each string is attached. The tailpiece itself is attached to the end button by a gut or synthetic loop. Top (or Table): The “face” of the violin. The top is very important to the character and quality of the violin’s sound as well as to its general appearance.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Taking the violin out of its case (and putting it away again safely) is a skill; mastering the art ensures that your instrument will have a long and happy life. To open the case, follow these steps: Place the violin case on a stable, flat surface, such as a table or a sofa, with the lid facing the ceiling, and then turn the latch-and-handle side to face you. You may have to unzip the case’s cover first, which usually has two zips that pull away to either side of the case’s handle. Pull the zippers all the way around to the back of the case so that the lid is able to open fully. Open the latches first, then release the lock and lift the lid. Because the cases are very snugly built, the top can be a bit sticky to lift, in which case (no pun intended!), you hold firmly on the handle while you lift the lid. After you open the case, lift off the covering blanket (if you have one) and undo the strap or the ribbon that safely holds your violin around its neck in the case, before you lift out the violin. Hold the violin around its neck to lift it from the case — don’t grab the body, because that’s not good for the varnish. It’s a good idea to place the velvet cloth that covers the violin onto the table and next to the case; this way, you can place the instrument on the cloth. Release the bow from the case by turning the toggle from a vertical to a horizontal position, taking the bow by the frog end (the name for the piece of ebony wood below the stick at the right end of the bow) with your right hand, and then sliding it gently to the right until the tip (the pointy end) of the bow is out of its loophole. Never twist the stick while doing this — bows are strong, but they can’t always resist sideways twists.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Violins are made of natural materials that are sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. Follow these tips to help your violin have a long and happy life: Keep your violin at about room temperature. Store the case away from high-traffic areas so that it doesn’t get knocked around. Always close and latch the case when you finish playing, to protect your violin from falls. Keep your violin away from radiators, air ducts, and direct sunlight, and avoid leaving it for long stays (or almost any stays!) in car trunks, especially in very hot or very cold weather. Most important of all, keep your violin in a humidity of 40 to 60 percent whenever possible, and if you’re traveling to a different climate, take care to preserve the humidity in the violin’s case at a similar level.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

With so many things to think about when playing the fiddle, how do you know whether you're practicing everything the right way? The following checklist will put you on the right path. It's split into six sections and includes the purpose of each technique. There are 30 techniques here, so it's important for you to focus on only one section at a time. Take a simple piece (like "Mary Had a Little Lamb") and work on these points. Good posture leads to good technique A straight back promotes a straighter bow. Using a shoulder rest leads to good holding habits. A proper fiddle level promotes better tone and bow straightness. Holding the fiddle at a 45-degree angle (more in front) helps you get to the tip of the bow. Good instrument setup leads to great tone Having your fiddle in tune helps achieve good intonation. A properly tightened bow helps you get the best tone and avoid bow bounce. Having enough rosin on the bow helps avoid bow wispiness. Good left-hand technique leads to great melodies Keeping your knuckles up helps intonation and your ability to play fast. Keeping your finger angles back helps you find notes efficiently. Using your fingertips leads to good finger contact and solid note tones. Keeping your hand still and only moving your fingers promotes finger speed/efficiency. Keeping your fingers curved and close to the fingerboard helps you find notes quickly. Hitting half steps/whole steps helps you play more in tune. Good right-hand technique leads to a clean sound Having your thumb curved in the groove helps restrict tension up against the bow. Having your pinkie curved on the button helps restrict tension up against the bow. Keeping your bow hand fingers on an angle helps you apply proper index finger pressure. A loose grip helps restrict tension up against the bow. Having your index finger over the stick helps you produce a clean sound. Keeping your knuckles on top of the stick helps to keep your hand relaxed. Using your index finger helps to phrase passages cleanly and musically. Good right-arm technique allows your index finger to speak A relaxed shoulder helps prevent bow bounce. An extended arm allows your smaller muscles to transition the bow. Adjusting your wrist and keeping it level helps prevent bow squeaks. Minimal arm movement allows you to get a cleaner sound when playing fast. Pivoting your elbow to the E, A, D, or G location helps keep the bow straight across the strings. Good bow technique allows your index finger to speak A consistent bow speed helps prevent bow squeaks and improper tone. Lightly using your index finger when changing bow directions allows you to get a clean and smooth sound. Getting to the tip helps you get a full and clean sound on the fiddle. Keeping bow hairs evenly on the strings helps you get the best tone out of your fiddle. Keeping your bow grip relaxed while going toward the tip helps you get a better transition sound. Don't get overwhelmed by everything on this checklist. As you progress, you'll find that this checklist will continue to help you, even when you have more experience. As songs get harder, you'll notice that some of these things are harder to do, even if you've mastered them with simple songs such as "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Try to become comfortable with at least 75 percent of these techniques (with one song) and then move on. Don't feel like you have to get everything perfect; moving forward and learning new material is just as important as dwelling on one thing. If you practice "Mary Had a Little Lamb" forever, you won't be good at anything other than that one song.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Playing fiddle involves all kinds of cool techniques, such as slides, grace notes, turns, and drones. Understanding how to do these techniques is one thing, but making them sound good is another. Check out these tips to help you improve your sound. Slides To improve your slides, it's important to have a relaxed left hand. It's also important to keep your hand still while sliding into notes. If you aren't able to do the slide without moving your lower hand, you have too much tension in your hand or you don't have good hand position. Grace notes To improve your grace notes, try placing your fingers on the tips of the strings. This will help you because the tip of each finger is where you can use the least amount of pressure and still get a clean sound. By pressing just hard enough with each grace note, you'll be able to play them faster with less effort. Turns Try making sure your finger angles are back when doing turns. If you reach for notes at all with your left hand, you'll find it difficult to find notes quickly for turns. Having a still hand and using the tips of your fingers are keys to getting fast and clean-sounding turns. Drones Make sure you have your thumb curved in the bow hold while doing drones. It's easy to press against the bow with your bow hand, which causes a stiff and screechy-sounding drone.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Everyone who first decides to learn fiddle is highly motivated in the beginning. But how do you keep that spark alive to progress and build skill? It's easy to fall into certain traps and find yourself stuck in a common practice slump. The following list gives you some tips on practicing most effectively and will help you maximize your potential: Keep your fiddle in plain sight. One small thing that can make a difference in how much you practice is to have your fiddle out in plain sight. Just seeing it throughout the day may make you want to pick it up and practice more often. Leave it out of the case as much as possible and put it in a room where you have lots of foot traffic. Don't have a time requirement. It can be easy not to practice if you tell yourself you have to do it for a long period of time each day. Playing for five minutes is better than nothing, and doing this often can really add up! Focus on quality practice instead of quantity. Practicing for many hours a week without concentrating is less beneficial than 15 to 20 minutes a day of focused, quality practice. Don't feel you have to practice for long hours each week — 15 to 30 minutes of quality practice every day goes a long way. Put your progress into perspective. It's easy to look back at the previous week and get frustrated because you feel you haven't made enough progress. Try to think back six months or even a year ago. Can you do certain things you weren't able to do back then? This is how you should look at your progress, and not on a week-to-week — or even worse, day-to-day — basis. Go to a music bookstore. You can find a lot of sheet music and music books in many bookstores. Also, search your area for "local music stores" and ask them about their selection of books. You may find something that looks really fun to play, which can add a spark to your fiddle playing. If you don't have a music bookstore near you, you can always search for books online. Give yourself a break. Just like you take a vacation from work, it's totally fine to take a vacation from the fiddle. Don't let a busy schedule discourage you; there will be times when you won't be able to practice much. Look at it like you're running a marathon. One way to look at playing the fiddle is to compare it to running a marathon. If you try to run too fast at first, you'll get tired and eventually quit. The same thing goes for the fiddle. It's easy to give too much effort at first and then not live up to the standard you set for yourself in the weeks and months to follow. Pace yourself; it takes time to develop skill. Play for fun. Take time to play just for the fun of it. Lock yourself in a room, put all your stress on the shelf, and play some wonderful music on the fiddle. Go back to some old songs you haven't played in a while and see how beautiful you can make them sound. Remember two steps forward, one step back. Understanding the two steps forward and one step back methodology can really help you. For every two good things you've done on the fiddle, there always seems to be one thing you can't quite get right. This is completely normal and unavoidable. As long as you continue to play tougher songs that require more technical aspects, you'll struggle at times! Search online to get inspired. Go to the Internet and search for anything that might inspire you. It could be going to YouTube and searching for "cool fiddle licks" or checking out some fiddle performance videos of a favorite song. Sometimes, seeing one video inspires you to start practicing again.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If you play using sheet music, you'll most likely run into "musical road signs," or symbols that make you jump to various parts of the music. The purpose of these road signs is simply to avoid repeating large chunks of the written music and thus allow for much more music to fit on a page. Following are the most common road signs you'll see when following along with sheet music. They may seem confusing at first, but eventually you'll grasp them as easily as following a real road map and know when to turn left or right. Repeat signs Sometimes you'll see a symbol in music called a repeat sign. When you see this symbol, which looks like a colon followed by a straight line, you should go back to the symbol that mirrors the repeat sign (same symbol, just backward). This is written to extend the music and not to have to rewrite the same exact musical line twice. First and second endings Sometimes you'll find situations where you see a first and second ending in a song. The first bracket is the first ending of a section, and the second bracket is the second ending. You play either the first or second ending when you play the piece, but never one after another. By choosing the first ending, you play the music under the first ending bracket and then repeat to a certain spot (every first ending has a repeat). When you get to the first ending again, you skip the first ending and then play the second ending. You never play the first and second endings consecutively. So why would you choose to play either the first or second ending? In the case that you want to play a song for as long as possible, playing the first and second endings is appropriate. Sometimes in a fiddle piece, the song is so short that it makes sense to always play both endings. However, you may want to just play the second ending in a piece to get through it quickly. Because taking both endings requires a repeat, sometimes you may want to avoid that (like when you're in a hurry!), and in that case, you just play the second ending. D.C. al Fine Sometimes when you reach the end of a fiddle piece, you'll find another element of music — the term D.C. al Fine. This means that you should restart at the very beginning of the piece and end when you see the word "Fine."