Stuck on the fiddle: 10 great songs starring the fiddle

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a violin and a fiddle? It’s simple: No one cares if you spill beer on a fiddle. Jokes aside, there are a few minor differences. The term “fiddle” is used primarily in country and pop music, while the “violin” is spoken of in classical and orchestral use.

Fiddles, like violins, have four strings, but since many were home-made, they could come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Nowadays, the instruments are shaped the same. Fiddlers tend to prefer a flatter curve on the top of the bridge, but we’re talking in terms of millimetres here. The flatter bridge allows for faster string-crossings and easier chord playing. Classical violinists prefer a more rounded curve, to articulate each note.

Other differences in the past included the type of strings used and the use of fine tuners, which are little metal mechanisms on the tailpiece. Fiddlers used steel stings which are difficult to tune with the wooden pegs, hence the fine tuners made the job easier. Violinists used gut strings (made from sheep gut) that didn’t require the fine tuners. However, hybrid strings are generally used now by both styles.

One thing that still holds true is that the fiddle is one of the leading instruments in country music. In fact, it has been there from the start. When country music was first recorded, it was Texas fiddler A.C. “Eck” Robertson who recorded some tunes for the Victor Talking Machine Company in New York in 1922.

The fiddle is at the core of western swing and bluegrass music. Mainstream country has also featured the fiddle prominently, both in recordings and in touring bands. It’s hard to imagine country, without the fiddle.

If you’re new to country music, here are 25 fiddle tunes to give you an idea of the instrument’s range:

"Louisiana Saturday Night" - Doug Kershaw