what are the differences between a flute and an irish flute?

[benhall.1]

Honestly?

No. An old timer down south told me that in jest. Might have to do with square dance callers that need to flap their jaw and stamp their foot, but I'm not sure. My understanding is "fiddle" is a broader term for bowed string thingy and violin means only violin (a taxonomy kind of thing).

Ah, right! I like taxonomy. I'm a splitter, personally, so fiddle is, to me, the same as violin. Quite specific. Other things are something else.

[jim stone]

It's like this:

What's the difference tween a flutist and a flautist?
Fifty dollars an hour.

With fiddles and violins there is one type of instrument which is related to in two different ways.
There are violinists and fiddlers and we naturally come to call the particular instruments they play
accordingly. This was Immanuel Kant's view in The Critique of Pure Horse Hair,
anyhow.

[Nanohedron]

Here's a bit of a flip-flop: the Carnatic violin tradition. The majority of pics I've come across show a technique more or less similar to this:



Scroll resting on the foot, base resting at or below the collarbone, no chin rest. The young lady below would appear to be something of an anomaly in her use of a chin rest.

[I.D.10-t]

Just for the sake of it some fiddling.

Poplar Bluff
Soldiers Joy

[benhall.1]

Oh yeah. Loads of people play with the fiddle in that position. But he's still got a chin rest, hasn't he? Just ain't using it.

Now that, as I understand it, is an American technique which is, nowadays, copied by various people the world over, including back here in dear old Blighty, for reasons which completely elude me. They'll still normally play with fiddles with chin rests on 'em. Go figure.

Oh, and, btw, I reckon it's the same sort of motive makes people play fiddle with their hands halfway up the bow. And that would be a motive that I completely fail to understand.

[jemtheflute]

Found while seeking clips of Sigiswald Kuijken (Bart's brother) who famously plays baroque fiddle/violin against his shoulder: beat/fathom this! (There are quite a few YT clips of him playing it!!!) I couldn't readily find a clip of him playing a normal violin very low against his upper arm, though I've seen pictures of him doing so, but here's a double treat - no chin or shoulder rest nor chin support of the fiddle to speak of...... (P.S the whole of The Musical Offering is available from the same YouTube source from that performance - wonderful!)

[Nanohedron]

Found while seeking clips of Sigiswald Kuijken (Bart's brother) who famously plays baroque fiddle/violin against his shoulder: beat/fathom this! (There are quite a few YT clips of him playing it!!!)

Viola da spalla, eh? That's one strapping fiddle.

[benhall.1]

A strapping fiddle indeed.

The "violin" in the second clip looked odd to me. I don't think it was either a modern size or shape. Doesn't look like any of mine anyway. But it does illustrate what I was saying above: a long time ago the things were played without chin rests. I guess those players are being "authentic".

[I.D.10-t]

Now that, as I understand it, is an American technique which is, nowadays, copied by various people the world over, including back here in dear old Blighty,

Really? That seems a bit odd to me. Can't say that I have seen it more than once in real life.

[jemtheflute]

Oh yeah. Loads of people play with the fiddle in that position. But he's still got a chin rest, hasn't he? Just ain't using it.

Now that, as I understand it, is an American technique which is, nowadays, copied by various people the world over, including back here in dear old Blighty, for reasons which completely elude me. They'll still normally play with fiddles with chin rests on 'em. Go figure.

Comes on the fiddle from the shop, like, dunnit? Why take it off? I reckon that explains the Indian girl..... As long as it doesn't get in the way.....

Oh, and, btw, I reckon it's the same sort of motive makes people play fiddle with their hands halfway up the bow. And that would be a motive that I completely fail to understand.

Well, its relaxed, unstarchy, folksy, innit? "Authentically" untutored, not (as in anti-) Classical.

[Nanohedron]

A strapping fiddle indeed.

...as in he's using a strap to hold it up, in that vid. Just in case anyone noticed that, and my pun as well.

I saw another pic of him holding it poised for playing but without a strap, though, too. Crazy.

[benhall.1]

Now that, as I understand it, is an American technique which is, nowadays, copied by various people the world over, including back here in dear old Blighty,

Really? That seems a bit odd to me. Can't say that I have seen it more than once in real life.

Ain't been to enough "Celtic Roots" festivals eh?

[Doug_Tipple]

Oh, and, btw, I reckon it's the same sort of motive makes people play fiddle with their hands halfway up the bow. And that would be a motive that I completely fail to understand.

Unless you are a master of using the standard violin bow, most people find it easier to play fast (reels for 10 minutes at contra dance tempos, for example) by holding the bow above the frog to effectively shorten the bow. I've seen this done by skilled fiddlers, even those with classical training.

[jemtheflute]

Ain't been to enough "Celtic Roots" festivals eh?

Or met enough English would-be fiddlers - plenty of Morris types'll clutch the bow half way up etc. too.... and will tell you that is "the traditional way to do it" and be oh-so-proud of not doing it the "harder" Classical way.

But I'm sure someone once explained to me how the physics/mechanics of the thing makes the orthodox Classical way more efficient and gives more control for less effort - so forgive me, Doug, but I doubt your point.

[jemtheflute]

A strapping fiddle indeed.

...as in he's using a strap to hold it up, in that vid. Just in case anyone noticed that, and my pun as well.

Groan. Hard to miss!
Never explain..... or at least, not so soon!
(No subtlety, nor timing, these Merkins .... and now we're back to the "humour" thing..... )