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quote:
Originally posted by Old Scratchquote:
Originally posted by ChickenManquote:
Originally posted by Old ScratchJust as a curiosity, many of the old Cape Bretoners would hold their fiddles like this, although most of them were right-handed(!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1-3KUNIiVg
Are you saying right handed folks played left handed, or that they held it at this angle but on the right? I've seen US old time fiddlers do similar. One guy who holds it like that only lower on the chest and it seems like a guitar/mandolin approach.
Same way on the right - well, on the left, actually. If you follow me. Normal right-handed fiddling but with the fiddle held perpendicular to the floor. And then, a lot of the old Cape Bretoners would hold the fiddle up high, as you can see Ian MacDougall do here, starting at about 00:23, when he gets going - I could never manage that for more than a minute or so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfxIDVWvrT8
somehow things would seem to be reversed for both the left and right. This would not be an easy transition for me to make. 
But I have seen others do it to.
I remember a video of a guy playing gypsy jazz this way. Sounded great. But I wonder if that's one of those things where - there's no going back after making the transition.
sorry... my editing may have caused a bit of confusion from what I first said. But I thought about it some more - then pulled out a fiddle to see if I was correct. The edit was to correct the first comment.
Edited by - tonyelder on 08/19/2024 10:23:40
Okay, to clarify, I was just talking about the way of holding the fiddle, not the way it's strung - yeah, Kinnon Beaton plays a 'normal-strung' fiddle upside-down (as does Ashley MacIsaac, who's also left-handed, btw) - I'm not saying that right-handed fiddlers would string the fiddle upside-down.
quote:
Originally posted by tonyelderquote:
Originally posted by Old Scratchquote:
Originally posted by ChickenManquote:
Originally posted by Old ScratchJust as a curiosity, many of the old Cape Bretoners would hold their fiddles like this, although most of them were right-handed(!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1-3KUNIiVg
Are you saying right handed folks played left handed, or that they held it at this angle but on the right? I've seen US old time fiddlers do similar. One guy who holds it like that only lower on the chest and it seems like a guitar/mandolin approach.
Same way on the right - well, on the left, actually. If you follow me. Normal right-handed fiddling but with the fiddle held perpendicular to the floor. And then, a lot of the old Cape Bretoners would hold the fiddle up high, as you can see Ian MacDougall do here, starting at about 00:23, when he gets going - I could never manage that for more than a minute or so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfxIDVWvrT8
somehow things would seem to be reversed for both the left and right. This would not be an easy transition for me to make.
I remember a video of a guy playing gypsy jazz this way. Sounded great. But I wonder if that's one of those things where - there's no going back after making the transition.
sorry... my editing may have caused a bit of confusion from what I first said. But I thought about it some more - then pulled out a fiddle to see if I was correct. The edit was to correct the first comment.
Now I feel ike I need to fix "me" again. (right the first time)
While the fiddle is the same - the left hand and right hand orientation to each other while playing the fiddle would be reversed. The fiddler's bowing hand will have to approach the strings that will be oriented in a reversed order from normal. The left hand would still note the same - but the strings will present a different field of view for the fiddler that could be a little disorienting while playing . None of which would be intuitive after learning to play from a more traditional position.
And if I still didn't get things right, well - you know what i mean. "It'd be real hard to do." 
Edited by - tonyelder on 08/19/2024 10:49:52
Okay, I agree with that! ... I think ........ !
Man that is the wonky-est bow hold I've ever seen!
Gosh, I thought the official prescribed classical position was a challenge -- this makes that look easy!
I sympathize with the OP in their attempts at holding the thing; it's been a struggle for me as well for a somewhat different reason (old age!). So many little things to adjust and optimize. Gotta just keep at it, and find a way to stay TRULY relaxed while playing (which should always be the barometer of "am I doing this right?") -- this is almost impossible at first for a beginner, but gradually you'll find a way I suspect.
As far as unusual fiddle stances, I think this gentleman (Stefan Dymiter) takes the cake:
youtu.be/3CbETXqd0xQ
quote:
Originally posted by JonDI sympathize with the OP in their attempts at holding the thing; it's been a struggle for me as well for a somewhat different reason (old age!). So many little things to adjust and optimize. Gotta just keep at it, and find a way to stay TRULY relaxed while playing (which should always be the barometer of "am I doing this right?") -- this is almost impossible at first for a beginner, but gradually you'll find a way I suspect.
As far as unusual fiddle stances, I think this gentleman (Stefan Dymiter) takes the cake:
youtu.be/3CbETXqd0xQ
ha! That is the video I was referring to: I remember a video of a guy playing gypsy jazz this way."I remember a video of a guy playing gypsy jazz this way."
And seeing it - that's even more radical. Goes to show...
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