Fiddle vs. Violin — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 23, 2023
A fiddle and violin are structurally the same instrument. The term "fiddle" is often used in folk music, while "violin" is more common in classical contexts.
Difference Between Fiddle and Violin
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The fiddle, in many cultures, represents a cornerstone of folk music. It is an instrument that carries with it tales of the countryside, dances, and local traditions. When one hears the word "fiddle," images of barn dances, bluegrass bands, and folk festivals might spring to mind. Although it's synonymous with specific genres, the fiddle's structure and build are identical to its counterpart, the violin.
The violin, a term more recognized in the realms of classical music, evokes thoughts of concert halls, orchestras, and master composers like Bach or Beethoven. The violin is an instrument of precision, and its players often dedicate years, even lifetimes, to mastering its complexities. Though it shares its physical characteristics with the fiddle, the cultural contexts and techniques often differ.
The difference between a fiddle and a violin, then, largely boils down to the style of music played and sometimes slight modifications in setup. Fiddlers might favor a flatter bridge to facilitate the playing of double stops, while violinists might prefer a more arched bridge for solo note playing. Yet, these are preferences and don't distinguish the instruments at their core.
In essence, whether one calls it a fiddle or a violin is a matter of tradition, genre, and sometimes personal preference. The terms are interchangeable, but the music, technique, and cultural connotations might differ. Both fiddle and violin music have rich histories, and each has contributed immensely to the world's musical tapestry.
Comparison Chart
Primary Musical Context
Folk music
Classical music
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Structural Differences
Sometimes a flatter bridge
Typically an arched bridge
Cultural Association
Barn dances, bluegrass
Concert halls, orchestras
Usage
Refers to the style of playing rather than the instrument itself
Generally refers to the instrument in a classical context
Technique
Might involve more double stops
Often involves more solo note playing
Compare with Definitions
Fiddle
The violin when used in specific traditional or folk genres.
His fiddle playing brought everyone to the dance floor.
Violin
A stringed musical instrument played with a bow.
She practiced her violin daily, mastering each note.
Fiddle
A colloquial term for the violin.
She picked up her fiddle and began to play.
Violin
A primary instrument in classical orchestras.
The violin section of the orchestra was particularly impressive.
Fiddle
A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres including classical music.
Violin
An instrument with a wooden body, played by drawing a bow across its strings.
She tuned her violin before the concert began.
Fiddle
A violin, especially one used to play folk or country music.
Violin
A high-pitched, four-stringed instrument.
His violin solo moved the entire audience.
Fiddle
(Nautical) A guardrail used on a table during rough weather to prevent things from slipping off.
Violin
A member of the string family, known for its versatility.
The violin can produce both haunting and joyful melodies.
Fiddle
(Informal) Nonsensical, trifling matters
"There are things that are important / beyond all this fiddle" (Marianne Moore).
Violin
The violin, sometimes known as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body.
Fiddle
Chiefly British An instance of cheating or swindling; a fraud.
Violin
A stringed instrument played with a bow, having four strings tuned at intervals of a fifth, an unfretted fingerboard, and a shallower body than the viol and capable of great flexibility in range, tone, and dynamics.
Fiddle
To play a fiddle.
Violin
A small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin and played with a bow.
When I play it like this, it's a fiddle; when I play it like this, it's a violin.
Fiddle
To touch or handle something in a nervous way
Fiddled with the collar of his shirt as he spoke.
Violin
Any instrument of the violin family, always inclusive of violins, violas, and cellos and sometimes further including the double bass.
The string quartet, one of the most popular groupings in chamber music, is composed entirely of violins: two violins proper, one viola, and one cello.
Fiddle
To make unskilled efforts at repairing or improving
Fiddled with the broken toaster.
Violin
The position of a violinist in an orchestra or group.
The first violin often plays the lead melody lines in a string quartet.
Fiddle
To meddle or tamper
A reporter who fiddled with the facts.
Violin
(ambitransitive) To play on, or as if on, a violin.
Fiddle
Chiefly British To commit a fraud, especially to steal from one's employer.
Violin
A small instrument with four strings, played with a bow; a fiddle.
Fiddle
To play (a tune) on a fiddle.
Violin
Bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow
Fiddle
Chiefly British To alter or falsify for dishonest gain
Fiddled the figures in the report.
Fiddle
Synonym of violin, a small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin and played with a bow; the position of a violinist in a band; any of various bowed stringed instruments, particularly those of the violin family when played non-classically.
When I play it like this, it's a fiddle; when I play it like that, it's a violin.
Fiddle
(figurative) clown: an unserious person entertaining a group.
Fiddle
(figurative) Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.
Fiddle
Synonym of scam, a fraud or swindle.
Fiddle
(slang) workaround, a quick and less than perfect solution for some flaw or problem.
That parameter setting is just a fiddle to make the lighting look right.
Fiddle
Any rail or device that prevents items from sliding off a table, stove, etc. in rough water.
Fiddle
Synonym of arrest warrant.
Fiddle
Synonym of watchman's rattle.
Fiddle
A trifling amount.
Done at a fiddle.
Fiddle
Something resembling a violin in shape, particularly:
Fiddle
(biology) A dock (Rumex pulcher) with leaves supposed to resemble the musical instrument.
Fiddle
A long pole pulled by a draft animal to drag loose straw, hay, etc.
Fiddle
A rack for drying pottery after glazing.
Fiddle
To play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country style.
To fiddle while Rome burns
Fiddle
To fidget or play; to idly amuse oneself, to act aimlessly, idly, or frivolously, particularly out of nervousness or restlessness.
Stop fiddling with your food. Either tell me what's wrong or just eat.
Fiddle
(informal) To cheat or swindle; to commit fraud.
Fred was fiddling the books.
Fiddle
Senseid|en|sort out by tinkering}} (informal) {{synonym of tinker, to make small adjustments or improvements.
I needed to fiddle with these settings to get the image to look right.
Fiddle
(obsolete) fiddlesticks.
Oh, fiddle. I left my whip in the stable.
Fiddle
A stringed instrument of music played with a bow; a violin; a kit.
Fiddle
A kind of dock (Rumex pulcher) with fiddle-shaped leaves; - called also fiddle dock.
Fiddle
A rack or frame of bars connected by strings, to keep table furniture in place on the cabin table in bad weather.
Fiddle
To play on a fiddle.
Themistocles . . . said he could not fiddle, but he could make a small town a great city.
Fiddle
To keep the hands and fingers actively moving as a fiddler does; to move the hands and fingers restlessy or in busy idleness; to trifle.
Talking, and fiddling with their hats and feathers.
Fiddle
To play (a tune) on a fiddle.
Fiddle
Bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow
Fiddle
Avoid (one's assigned duties);
The derelict soldier shirked his duties
Fiddle
Commit fraud and steal from one's employer;
We found out that she had been fiddling for years
Fiddle
Play the violin or fiddle
Fiddle
Play on a violin;
Zuckerman fiddled that song very nicely
Fiddle
Manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination;
She played nervously with her wedding ring
Don't fiddle with the screws
He played with the idea of running for the Senate
Fiddle
Play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly;
Someone tampered with the documents on my desk
The reporter fiddle with the facts
Fiddle
Try to fix or mend;
Can you tinker with the T.V. set--it's not working right
She always fiddles with her van on the weekend
Fiddle
A bowed string instrument used in folk music.
She played a lively tune on her fiddle at the barn dance.
Fiddle
An instrument synonymous with regional dances and songs.
The sound of the fiddle always reminded him of home.
Fiddle
The violin, especially in the context of non-classical music.
The band's fiddle player started with a haunting melody.
Common Curiosities
Are the fiddle and violin the same instrument?
Yes, structurally they are the same, but the terminology often varies by musical context.
Why might a fiddle have a flatter bridge?
A flatter bridge can facilitate playing double stops, common in folk music.
Can a violinist play the fiddle?
Absolutely, though the style and technique might differ.
Why are there different names for the same instrument?
Terminology often reflects cultural and musical distinctions, not structural differences.
Why do some people prefer the term "fiddle"?
It often relates to tradition, genre, or personal preference linked to folk contexts.
Are the bows for the fiddle and violin different?
Generally, the bows are the same, though players might have personal preferences.
How do you decide whether to call it a fiddle or violin?
It often depends on the musical context and personal or regional preference.
Is the violin always associated with classical music?
While commonly linked to classical music, violins are used in various genres.
Are fiddle lessons different from violin lessons?
They might focus on different techniques or music styles, but the fundamentals are similar.
Is one more difficult to play than the other?
Both require skill, but the challenges might differ based on technique and musical style.
Can a fiddle be used in an orchestra?
Yes, as the instruments are the same. However, it's usually referred to as a violin in orchestral contexts.
Do fiddlers and violinists read the same sheet music?
While the notation is the same, fiddlers might use more oral tradition or improvisation.
Can the same piece be played both as a fiddle and violin piece?
Yes, though the interpretation and style might differ.
Which is older, the term "fiddle" or "violin"?
"Fiddle" is the older term, with "violin" becoming more standardized in the Renaissance.
Are there specific composers for the fiddle?
Many folk tunes are traditional, but there are composers who've written specifically for fiddle style.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
