Playing with the Best

Last night I went to the Second Fret (the local coffee house, music/dance hall, tavern...thing...) to hear Dr. John Turner.
Dr. Turner has won about 10 national Scottish Fiddle championships. OMG.
Anyway, I took a workshop from him this morning. It was awesome! I made scones as my "snack assignment", which were a success (phew!).
After it was over, Hannah and I got our fiddle/violin (my fiddle, her violin-- she sometimes gets mad if I call it a fiddle, Idk if she's reading this, but it's better to be safe) signed.
Yay!

Manny of my friends from school or elsewhere often ask me "What is the difference between a violin and a fiddle?"
The answer:


Sorry. Can't tell you. It's a secret known only to the players of these instruments, and we're not allowed to tell.

Kidding.

My real answers- -

(1) The nut that holds the bow.

Stop laughing, it's true. Fiddlers are usually more rythmatic (is that a word? you know what i mean.) with a bow. Really it depends on the style though e.i Cape Breton, Scottish, old time, etc.

(2) The violin sings, the fiddle dances.
Fiddle music when played for dancers is supposed to have a certain "bounce" or "kick" (use your imagination) to keep their feet entertained.

(3) No one cares if you spill beer on a fiddle.

When the-- Hey! Wait just one minute! I care! Especially if you spill it on the place where Brian Buchanan or Dr. Turner signed!
--you DEFINITLY don't want to if your fiddle is a Strad.--

Okay, now for the physical differences:

(4) London Bridge.....or Dresden...depending on your instrument....

On a violin, the bridge is ususally more arched so you don't bump extra strings. But in fiddling, the bridges are flat because you actually want to bump extra strings* (especially in Scottish music, so you get that lovely Bagpipe-Drone-Effect).
*Note- not all fiddles have a flat bridge. it's not that as soon as you install a different bridge, you're aura sudenly and magically changes from violinst to a fiddler or vise versa...but it does help.
ps.- if you didn't get the title, Dresden is a popular bridge manufacturer/maker of bridges/whatever. I couldn't come up with anything more catchy....sorry...

(5) Tomato/tohmahto

Both the words "violin" and "fiddle" come from the same Latin word-- ironically, I forgot the word. Eventually, if you translate it out......and keep going....and going....you will get the two differnt words.

So, the next time somone says "There is no difference between a violin and a fiddle.", please grit your teeth and kindly point them to here.

~Meg

Shh! Toddi, get in the case!, I think I hear Jim...

Happy Home-Coming Jim!!!


Yay!!! Jim is coming home today!!

Gosh, he's been in the shop for exactly six weeks now! Dad went up to Dobson and is bringing him-- okay...it -- home!
I've missed that fiddle SO much, I'm sure Johnny has worked wonders on it!
Now I'll have it in time for the Enter the Haggis concert so I can go get it signed!!!


OMG!

Okay, I've got a bunch of house work to get back to.

~Minx

ps- my birthday is in only eight days! omg!!!!

New Blog??

Okay guys, I've been thinking...I've been posting a lot about fiddles right? So, what if I made a blog dedicated to fiddles? Maybe some other instruments. So let me know: what do you play? what do you want to hear about? and what do you think about a new blog?

AND....Alice and my birthdays are coming up! We're "twins" so we have the same birthday, (May 8).


We're going to combine our party, and our cake. Here's an idea. What do you think, Alice? Just and idea mind you.:) I know I'm not too good with paint either...
~Minx/Meg

Don't tell Jim....but I'm Seeing another Fiddle...

LOL! What an odd title, yes?

Anyway, I've been playing my back up fiddle a lot lately, and it's sort of growing on me.
BTW- Jim is my favorite fiddle's name --yes, I name my fiddles. My other one is Toddie.

Don't look at me like that....

LOL

Anyway, I usually use Toddie for Old Time music (actually, I don't play old time as much as I used to....) and Jim for Celtic, since he-- I mean it -- has a more full sound.
Okay, I guess that's it...

Oh! SATs are Wednesday and Thursday. Can't wait because my Twin is coming to my school to take hers since she's homeschooled.
Oh, what fun we will have!!!

Have a good Monday!
~Minx aka Meg

Love your fiddle....and keep it safe.

I have been at an A.C.E. student convention the past week where I was supposed to compete in violin/fiddle solo and duet (and I did, actually I won third place on both :))
While I was packing my case that morning -and my friends were cleaning the cabin (yes we slept in cabins...it was quite fun...) one of my friends knocked my fiddle off the bed. I tried to see what had happened, but they grabbed me and tried to keep me from seeing it.
Now, with me being someone who bites them self and others, that probably wasn't the wisest thing to do...but oh well. They were just trying to help. :) What good friends I have that would put themselves in the way of my dangerous teeth to help a friend. :)

Hang on- getting off subject.

Anyway, a piece off the top of my fiddle came completely off and I had to play like that while trying to balance the piece so it wouldn't fall off. And it worked, sorta...
I took it to a guy in Mount Airy that will repair it for me...but now I have to practice on my back up fiddle.
I hate that thing. It sounds like a broken record. I guess i should be thankfull that the whole thing isn't busted.
Allrighty, that's all. Oh! Like my new Profile pic.?