Hello! I’m Collin and I’m new to the board. I was wondering if violins and other string instruments are very common in Irish music? 
I do not play any strings, but I hope to someday play the violin.
Thanks!
Bye!
Welcome aboard,
There has been the odd sighting of Stringed instruments in Irish Music.
Slan,
D.
Hi, Collin. “Strings” in ITM usually means fiddle, and less often, harp. Make your mind up in advance whether you want to play classical violin or Irish fiddle. Lots of people play both, of course, but the playing techniques you learn for Irish fiddle often conflict with what you will be taught for classical violin. Nothing sounds worse than a violinist trying to force classical playing techniques onto fiddle music (except free reed instruments, of course 
).
djm
OI! 
Steve
Hi Collin,
to give you an idea of how common fiddle is in Irish music, at the Willie Clancy Summer School in 2003, there were 30 separate fiddle classes (so about 300 fiddlers), compared to about 12 for flute.
Thought you were off down the antipodes Steve?
I’m off on Wednesday for just a couple of weeks. I am of course taking a few harmonicas and my Fender mini-twin one-watt battery amp, as well as my Tilley hat. My wife reckons I’ll need a bikini…must be the Guinness… 
. I’ll be in Perth/Fremantle, so if anyone knows of a good session there…
Cheers!
Steve
The sessions I’ve been to are usually 1/2 fiddle players and 1/2 everything else. I regret that I didn’t play an instrument in school, as a child, but I’d guess many, many kids played violin. Thus, many have morphed into fiddlers.
Hi Collin—I don’t think you would have that much trouble switching from classical violin techniques to those used in fiddle music. If taking classical lessons is the easiest way for you to get started—maybe there aren’t any fiddle players in your area----I don’t think that would be bad. Of course, I don’t play the violin or fiddle. The main thing is to get started. I suspect just hitting the notes right on and getting a decent sound on the violin would keep you busy for awhile. And those things would surely be required in fiddle music as well.
I don’t know much about these things (I don’t know much about anything actually 
) but I thought that the Irish fiddle and “classical” violin were just about one and the same thing. I’m talking about the actual instrument here, not the playing techniques. I’d love to hear Lucy Campbell played on a Strad.
Steve
I think the instrument is the same.
The instrument is essentially the same. Many fiddlers sometimes use a slightly different setup than classical violinists, with steel strings and a different bridge cut. That said, mine’s setup just as a classical player would have it and it works fine for ITM.
Whether or not classical instruction and technique transfer well is a debated topic. My personal opinion is that overall, classical training is a hinderance rather than a help. Sure, it results in excellent tone production, something some fiddlers lack. But as far as style goes, I believe it’s of no use whatsoever. Of all the fiddlers I admire, none had classical training. I know some classically trained violinists who have had an extremely difficult time learning to play fiddle in the Irish style. There are exceptions of course. The problem is that classically trained violinists have to put aside almost everything they’ve learned and learn over again. They may be able to play a tune technically, but they usually don’t have “Nyah”.
I was classically trained to grade 3. That hasn’t hindered me (in my opinion anyway), in that it covered basic bow and fingering techniques, but I never got on to vibrato and higher positional playing. That’s given me a basic competence on the instrument,
I think the two biggest problems classical players have are leaving out the vibrato, and getting away from the sheet music.
I agree with you Martin. I was actually referring to the stylistic elements rather than the basic techniques. Long time classical violinists have a certain style of playing ingrained. The same thing happens with fiddlers actually. Your muscle memory gets “programmed”. I find it very difficult to play anything without putting swing and lilt into it. Not to mention trad. ornamentation! It’s like any neuromuscular skill that’s trained over a period of time. Initially it’s hard to do, then later it’s hard not to do. I’ve tried to replicate for others my first attempts at fiddle playing and I simply cannot play that badly, as hard as I try!
For what it’s worth, my friend Brock was a classically-trained viola player, and after 4 or 5 years of playing Irish fiddle, made it to the senior fiddle competition at the all-Ireland fleadh last year. I think as long as you keep in mind that being able to read the notes off the page doesn’t mean you’re playing in the correct style, classical-training isn’t a hinderance, and may help some. Either way, what you need to do is throw yourself wholeheartedly into learning Irish music.
i 
i tend to agree with coloman,i happen to be classically trained to grade 8,but i have also played jazz as well as scottish style which is different from the irish style,i admit one can get a bit carried away on some slow airs but for the most part ,the irish tunes ie jigs and reels that are played down my local pub go at such a breakneck speed you hav,nt got time to think of vibrato or the like,but i admit you do have to forget any sort of training,but being able to read is definately a plus as a lot of tunes i just sight read.and up to now i’ve received no complaints.
oh also as an adendum,a lot of the musicians who attend the pub sessions happen to be irish,but they get lost in the playing of Manx folk music,and normally just stop playing,which leads me to the conclusion that no one style of playing is alike,and a person can be good in one style but not in another,so a bit more encouragement should be given to all players who are learning any style of music,i happen to live in the middle of the celtic scene,with manx ,irish ,and scottish music all intermixed,which can be a right eye opener.