A fiddle is another term for a violin: a musical instrument with four strings, typically held under the chin, and played with a violin bow; the smallest and highest-pitched of a family of four instruments including violin, viola, cello, and bass viol. For more information about the physical instrument itself, see violin.
The fiddle is the same musical instrument as the violin. Essentially, "fiddle" is used to described a violin when the violin is played in a folk music (i.e., traditional music) or sometimes a jazz style. One very slight difference between fiddle and violin occurs in American (e.g., bluegrass and old-time music) fiddling: the bridge is shaved down so that it is essentially flat. This makes it easier to play chordss.
Historically, the word fiddle also referred to a predecessor of today's violin. Like the violin, it tended to have 4 strings, but came in a variety of shapes and sizes. Another series of instruments which contributed to the development of the modern fiddle was the viol da gamba, which was played while held between the legs, and has a fretted fingerboard.
To a greater extent than classical violin playing, fiddle playing is characterized by a huge variety of ethnic or folk music traditions, each of which has its own distinctive sound, including, but not limited to:
Fiddle and violin
Fiddle styles
History Of Fiddle Playing
Fiddle Music and Fiddle Tunes
Fiddle Tunebooks
Fiddle Players
Fiddle Recordings
How To Learn The Fiddle
Where To Play The Fiddle
In the US, fiddles provide music for wedding celebrations, at community dances, during music camps, and in concerts. Most metropolitan areas have Contradance events with live music, usually with a fiddle.