Posts Tagged ‘Fiddles’
Pearls of Songwriting Wisdom
Pete Seeger once said that “all songwriters are links in a chain,” and his body of work defends that statement. Known as a legendary folk singer, Seeger turned to roots music and storytelling tradition as sources for inspiration. He helped bring classic American spirituals back into the public consciousness during the 1960s. Along with fellow folk musician Joan Baez, Seeger ushered in an era of musical activism by reviving “We Shall Overcome.”
Seeger’s statement suggests an understanding and appreciation of musical history. Listeners can hear evidence of his dramatic influence on the radio today. Baby boomer troubadours like Joni Mitchell and Bruce Springsteen continued in Seeger’s songwriting tradition by penning tales of the less fortunate. Songwriting tips can’t be etched in stone because each artist taps into creativity in his or her own way. Take a lesson from Pete Seeger, however, and you won’t go far wrong.
One thing you will find that is popular in the Irish capital is traditional folk music. By going around the streets of Dublin like the Whelan’s in Camden Street, you will surely find traditional and folk music. This is one exciting spot has the best of Ireland’s talented folk performers.
A vast array of instruments are utilized in Irish folk music; and while fiddles and flutes are the first that come to mind, the banjo and guitar are now commonly used as well. Some famous Irish bands who have been very successful in taking traditional Irish folk music to the world are the Clancy brothers, The Dubliners and The Chieftans, Tommy Makem and Altan. These bands were even given tribute by the Irish post office by means of coming up with stamps of these iconic bands. Because of the distinct and mesmerizing sound of traditional Irish folk music, The Chieftans music, as well as The Dubliners’ and Clancy Brothers’ has been very popular all over the world.
The term fiddle is used to describe a wide range of bowed instruments. While the definition of fiddles is somewhat ambiguous, it now usually refers to a violin-type instrument. The earliest versions of the fiddle (bowed instruments) appeared in Asia in roughly 3000 BC.
Today the fiddle is a staple in bluegrass music. Although it closely resembles the violin, the two have a vastly different price range. Typically, the fiddle produces a more twangy and rustic sound than the classical violin.
While it is commonly believed to be a specific instrument, fiddles can be any bowed string instrument. A violin, viola and cello, all a part of the violin family, may sometimes be referred to by their players as a fiddle.
Over the years, there have been a number of clichés used to describe the differences between a fiddle and a violin. Three of those clichés include: “When you are buying it, it’s a fiddle. When you are selling it, it’s a violin.” “What’s the difference between a violin and a fiddle? About $10,000.” “A violin uses strings and a fiddle uses strangs.”