Traditional Fiddle Technique: the 4th Finger

[Sweatshop_Tailor]

In using a fiddle in the traditional style -- without a chin rest -- one finds that it is necessary to support the neck a bit, with the end of the palm or the lower wrist at the neck heel. This makes it difficult to employ the 4th finger. In this regard, Marion Thede (who recorded traditional southern fiddle technique in the 1920s and 1930s) writes:

Fiddle music does not as a rule call for the use of the fourth, or little finger. The open string [retuned] is used instead... True, some fiddlers do play the prime with the fourth finger, but I always feel when I run across this that the original way of playing the tune was with the string tuned up. There is a reason for this practice. The holding of the fiddle with the palm of the hand against the neck of the instrument makes the use of the little finger difficult.

So, fellow denizens of the devils box, how do you deal with this problem? Do you play sets in certain tunings allowing for this? Do you use your 4th finger and if so (assuming you are playing without chinrest) how do you hold your left hand?

I have found that if I pose my wrist on the neck heel I can make reaches more easily (including the use of the 4th finger). However, I am afraid this might be inauthentic, and is certainly not as comfortable as having my palm there. My English folk fiddle teacher, though tolerant of my new found insistence for playing without a chin rest, suggests I use a leather pad beneath the fiddle to allow for a better chin hold (and thus more freedom for my left hand).

Any authentic suggestions?

Also, while I am here I might as well ask how many tunings do you use? Currently I only use two: 'Natural Flat tuning' (normal) and A-E-A-C#, simply because having to continually re-tune (especially while playing in public) seems a hassle. How do you folks cope?

Regards,
KC MacDonald
Lazy Jacks Mess

[fidlr1]

Re: Traditional Fiddle Technique: the 4th Finger

There's some period tunes ("My Love Is But a Lassie Yet", "Ricketts Hornpipe") that have a melody note that you just about have to use the 4th finger to reach. I keep my palm off the neck as much as possible, even w/o a chinrest. If i'm playing a "3-finger" tune, I relax a little bit & "palm" it more.

Most CW-era tunes can be played in standard tuning--I'm going by the ones found in printed collections. I do occasionally use A-E-A-E, & the DDAD tuning for "Bonaparte's Retreat". Usually it's tricky nough getting tune w/ gut strings, so I retune only as a last resort. :wink_smil

[Jeffrey Przewozniak]

Re: Traditional Fiddle Technique: the 4th Finger

Hello Mr. MacDonald,

While I can't bring forward any of the documentation you are searching for, I can relate my experience of playing without a chin-rest. I am not a classically trained violinist, so I never really used the correct posture (i.e. violin way up off to the side and "clamped" sort of, by the chin). I have always played (beginning days as well as now) with the fiddle more towards the center of my neck, so even though it is not the clasical position, it made the chin-rest transition much easier. I find that when I support the neck of my instrument in the shank of my thumb and forefinger, I have fine usage of my fourth finger. I do hope that in some miniscule way this helps. I am in earnest,

[John Keller]

Re: Traditional Fiddle Technique: the 4th Finger

In using a fiddle in the traditional style -- without a chin rest ... I have found that if I pose my wrist on the neck heel I can make reaches more easily (including the use of the 4th finger). However, I am afraid this might be inauthentic, and is certainly not as comfortable as having my palm there. My English folk fiddle teacher, though tolerant of my new found insistence for playing without a chin rest, suggests I use a leather pad beneath the fiddle to allow for a better chin hold (and thus more freedom for my left hand) ... Also, while I am here I might as well ask how many tunings do you use? Currently I only use two: 'Natural Flat tuning' (normal) and A-E-A-C#, simply because having to continually re-tune (especially while playing in public) seems a hassle. How do you folks cope?

Regards,
KC MacDonald
Lazy Jacks Mess

Mr. MacDonald,

I've tried a little bit to play my fiddle without a chin rest, it's awfully hard for me to do, and the research I've done indicates that chin rests were reasonably common during the Civil War. My opinion is it's just as accurate to use a chin rest as not. I do have to admit, though, that it's very fun watching good fiddlers who play without. I may keep giving a try in the future to playing without.

My problem is I was a classically trained violinist as a kid, and just making the transition to fiddler with the neck-in-the-palm, double-stops approach was a challenge at first.

I do use the fourth finger quite often, especially when the same note together on two strings on tunes such as Marmaduke's Hornpipe and Durang's Hornpipe. I don't want to give up the use of the fourth finger, which is another reason I'm reluctant to give up the chin rest.

Concerning alternate tunings, I use the traditional tuning GDAE most often, and keep my gut-string fiddled tuned that way. When I go to alternate tunings I cheat with my steel-string fiddle -- I take two fiddles to performances -- and use AEAE most often, with an occasional AEAC# for Rye Whiskey Waltz. I use AEAE most often for tunes in the key of A, and at performance when I play those tunes I just grab my other fiddle, which I have tuned AEAE just for that reason.

John Keller
Milford, N.H.

[Alan Lloyd]

Re: Traditional Fiddle Technique: the 4th Finger

Mr Keller

You stated that you believe chin rests were reasonably common during the war...are there any pictures or references that you can share?