What Exactly is the Difference in the Violin and Fiddle?

When I teach my students music theory and music composition, one of the most common questions I receive from students every year is, “What is the difference in the violin and the fiddle?” To be honest, there isn’t a difference at all. The violin and the fiddle are the exact same instrument, but worded differently based on the type of music being played and the region. For example, if you are performing with the violin/fiddle at a ball and playing classical music, the people will call it a violin. If you are in the countryside and playing the instrument with folk songs, the people call it a fiddle.

Then there’s the question often asked about which is more difficult to play. As said before, the instrument’s name changed depending on the music and region. A violinist is going to play a completely different way than a fiddler. Each one will need skills for their genre of choice. If you ask a fiddler to play classical, he might struggle!