At the time I decided to concentrate on mandolin rather than splitting time between two instruments. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m never going to be a really good mando player, although I love it, so I thought I might as well have a go at fiddle too. That way I can get mediochre at two great instruments! I’m not giving up mando - ever - but fiddle would be good.
There’s a well-regarded specialist violin shop in our local town with an on-site restoration workshop, so getting a decent, well set up starter instrument shouldn’t be a problem. Finding a teacher might be harder. I’m self-taught on mando, whistle, guitar and bass etc, but I suspect violin/fiddle may be a different kettle of fish. I doubt one can learn right-hand technique from books and DVDs.
I even ran the idea past Mrs Buddhu and she said “do it” so really, I have no choice.
Birthday is coming up in May. I reckon I know what I’m gonna buy myself.
Congrats to you! The violin is a fine instrument indeed.
You’ll be going at it the opposite way I did. I studied viola/violin for many years, and then picked up mandolin. A plus for you is that you will already have some ‘know how’ in your fingers, so you’ll just have to adjust to the lack of frets, and using a bow, and holding the instrument under your chin, and… ok, nevermind
But seriously, good luck with it! Once you get proficient, you’ll be amazed how easily tunes transfer from mando to violin and vice versa. Its really quite rewarding!!
My husband and I bought our banjos and (and most recently) guitars at the same time.
I picked them up and took off.
For him its been a struggle.
He’s been whining to me that it was easier for me to learn clawhammer banjo and guitar because I started learning them after already playing the fiddle.
“Fine” says I.
“You know what to do then. Get yourself a fiddle and make everything else easier to learn.”
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You might benefit to visit http://www.fiddlehangout.com
They have a forum there as well.
There you'll discover that a lot of people come to fiddle after playing something else.
Rob, you can’t imagine, mate. I am blessed with the perfect wife for an aspiring musician (or for anyone else). Over the years, the amazing Lindsey has bought me whistles, mandolins, guitars, bass guitars and a Belgarth Bodhran. She is unfailingly encouraging and tolerant. She never objects when I buy more instruments, and actually encourages it quite often - even though we (I) really shouldn’t blow as much money as we (I) do.
I’ve bought her various instruments as well, most recently a decent ukulele, but to my considerable sadness she is not disposed to practice. She likes the idea of playing music, but the practicality of it she finds daunting. Still, I live in hope.
As for the headphones, I’ll bear 'em in mind, but Mrs Bud has developed the ability to filter out my noise naturally! Hardly surprising…
I’m probably a bit like your ole man. I’m a real enthusiast, but I am not a very quick learner. I am average at most of the instruments I play, but if I reach a level where I can play along with other people then I’m happy.
Our banjo player started off frailing/claw hammer, but then moved on to Scruggs style. He’s getting the three-finger stuff pretty well now, but he’s got really rusty at claw hammer style through lack of practice!
The band (the one in my sig) has wanted a fiddle player for ages. The thing is we play such a mix of styles that fiddle wouldn’t fit naturally into every song, so if we were to recruit a proper fiddler then he/she might find it a little frustrating. If I can spend a year or two working my way to a level where I can contribute a bit of extra colour with some simple fiddle parts it’ll be a result.
In the UK, bands with acoustic instruments such as banjo, double bass, fiddle, whistle, box and mandolin are quite a novelty - which is probably why we get so many gigs. It’s nice to be different from the pub rock and karaoke that dominates. I reckon fiddle will contribute to that nicely.
Oh Bud, you have to do it. Getting my fiddle was one of the best things that has ever happend to me It’s by far the best instrument I’ve ever played. So stop considering! Just do it!
My husband would think he’d died and gone to heaven if he could play along with other people.
His immediate goal is to just get through a tune without getting lost or trashing the timing.
He’s made major improvements this past year though
and we both agree he owes it all to having found a good teacher, one who listens and watches what he’s doing and figures out how to give him exercises to direct him to play things more culturally accepted as musical.
Mind you, I was listening and watching what he was doing and was giving him direction
but none of that was anything he was emotionally ready to accept from his wife
and granted, my ability to teach in a way he could learn from probably leaves much to be desired.
The fiddle?
Ask at the luthier if anyone teaches fiddle in the area, and failing that, who teaches violin.
If all you can find is a violinist who plays only Classical, he/she is worth hiring to get you started. There’s a lot of body mechanics/muscle memory involved. Unlearning bad habits is a drag, especially when the bad habits can eventually cause physical pain.
It usually takes people a couple years before they can play the fiddle in any recognizable style.
Have fun.
Went to get advice and check out some fiddles today.
I reckon I might pick one up next week.
My budget is very limited indeed. There are a couple of specialist violin shops near me and both have said that, with a decent set up, a Romanian Gliga violin should be adequate to get me started. They have firmly steered me away from comparably priced Chinese models saying that, although they’re ok, the Romanian ones have the edge.
Any opinions? Bear in mind my options are limited by cost, and by being in England.
I’ve been toying with getting a Gliga as well. I’ve been wondering if a 7/8 violin would be better for me and thought at their prices it might be a reasonable experiment.
I haven’t heard anything negative about Gliga with the exception of a possible interpretation of a comment from Steve Perry (a very vocal on the internet American luthier) that their necks tend to be a bit thicker or wider (sorry, I can’t remember his exact words) than what he normally sees.
Can’t you find anything second hand?
(That’s not an option for me. When second hand 7/8 violins come on the market here in Chicago they’re usually priced at more than my car.)
Do you have an opportunity to rent a violin for a while?
Were I take classes they offer a percentage of money back if you purchase an instrument from them after renting the same kind of instrument.
Ummm, I know you already have all the helpful toys you'll need to go with a fiddle (tuner, recording device, etc.) but you might want to pick up a violin mute too.
It only costs a couple bucks for a rubber mute. A metal mute might be a bit more.
If getting a mute slips your mind when you get you fiddle, a lot of fiddlers simply clip a wooden clothes pin
(the kind with a metal spring on it. I have no idea if you folks call the things clothes pins either. Here a clothes pin is a thing one uses to hang laundry on a clothes line outside to dry.)
to the bridge of the fiddle.
This kind of violin was what was reccommended to my great niece (by her teacher - Jennifer Wrigley) when she was looking for a fiddle (she wanted purple not red however ).
I’ve had contact with Steve Perry in the past on Mandolin Cafe. He seems like a very knowledgeable bloke.
With mandolins I actually prefer a thickish neck… wonder if that’ll tranlate to fiddle.
Clothes pins are clothes pegs over here.
I’ll bear the mute tip in mind. Thanks.
The only place to rent is an overpriced shop who, I am told, tried to persuade me to part with much more money than is justified for my needs. I’d rather buy from a shop who have been straight and helpful.
When I go in next week I’ll ask the shop guy if he has any used instruments that might suit.
There is a hobbyist or two around here who buy and repair the boxes, just for the fun of it. I’ve had such a guy work on mine. Might be worth checking that angle for a good old fiddle with character if you’ve got such a person nearby.
After a bit of research and opinions from a few teachers I have got a violin. It’s only a student one, but it seems to be of reasonable quality. It’s Romanian and I was pleased to see it has an oil varnish instead of nitro-celulose lacquer. Some of the Chinese ones I saw looked ok but were ruined by thick layers of nitro. I’ve seen mandolins like that and it never helps the tone…
I wonder if many banknotes have traces of rosin on them…
On a more serious note…
I just had my first lesson. I can get a couple of scales out of the thing, and I think I’ll have ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ nailed by the end of the week.
If I’d know it was this exciting I’d have started years ago!
Seriously, most of the really elementary stuff assumes that the learner is a kid. The lady apologised for the on behalf of music publishers everywhere, but I told her that I was just happy that I knew the tunes I’m supposed to be learning!
buddhu,
I found that if I could get my third finger in the right place by playing it against the lower open string and then judging using the octave (before starting a tune), my first and second fingers fell into place.
My pinky finger in the right place has always been a challenge. Yeah, I can judge it against the higher (same octave string) but because my hands are so small on a 4/4 violin I have to do a bit of a shift to get there.
Instead of the children’s tunes, why not try some simple versions of tunes you’d normally play (in the same key) on your mandolin?
You already have the advantage of knowing chords on a mando? Well, there’s your double stops should you decide to use them.
I’ve found an occasional double stop good at bringing my fingers back into the right position too (if I’m not playing with other musicians to keep me legal).
heh heh!
It’s by far the best instrument I’ve ever played. So stop considering! Just do it! 
