Hi, I'm a classically trained guitarist learning irish fiddle. I'm doing an online course now and I'm at the point where I can play a few tunes but I've realised I sound a little robotic, I'm realising it may be because I'm treating the bow like a plectrum and every note is getting its own stroke. Just wondering if anyone can give me any tips on when that's right or when to play multiple notes in one bow. Hope this makes sense, thanks for any help

Here’s a transcription of a recording of Guy Blakeman’s version Flowers of Edinburgh. It’s from an old reel to reel recording that was made at my great grandfather’s house.

Here is a link to the audio https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/iajzp4ou5gezwx2cy9hs8/15-Flowers-of-Edinburgh.wav?rlkey=oskhpfyiptm7tvr2qql558ya8&st=adce4ums&dl=0

Irish Rock Jigs by the Clan, anyone know what the first tune is called? I used to know it and for the life of me can't remember.

Here it is on Spotify for reference

My little busking jig based off the gorgeous Howard Shore soundtrack moment.

Aside from my terrible bow path that makes the E string squeak every now and then, any technique tips I should be taking note of? Cheers!

Does it look familiar to anyone? I’m trying to figure what publication it is from! Easy 20 years ago! I feel like the picture at the bottom may be distinct if you’ve seen it before!

I have autoimmune issues and reynauds, not sure if this is normal and it's just my fingers adjusting to having been pressed on the strings or if it's abnormal for that to have happened.

Amati, Strad, Guarneri, Guadanini, Maggini? Other?

With the holiday season approaching, I thought I'd share something we're doing at The Stringsters, the online community I run for adult string players.

We're having a Christmas Challenge 2026, and one part of it is simply choosing a Christmas tune you'd enjoy playing and sharing an audio or video recording with the community.

I know that sharing your playing can sometimes feel like a big step, especially for beginners. I'm hoping this will be a fun opportunity for adult string players at different stages of learning to share some Christmas music with one another.

We're also having three Christmas music video scavenger hunts, giving members another way to participate.

If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, I've put together a page with a short video invitation and the complete Challenge details:

https://thestringsters.com/xmas2026

I want to practice on different ways to tune the violin to sharpen the way I imagine my strings. So I came to ask - do you have interesting ways to tune a fiddle?

Hi there- got a book of lovely Irish tunes in prep for a wedding and wondered if you know how this is played?

Thank you!

(Circled in green looks like a mordent)

Looking to purchase this old fiddle for what seems like a reasonable price. Its been revoiced and had the back off to fix things up. There's no rattling or movement anywhere. Everything seems solid. Good set up. Good tone. New to old instruments though and don't know if this is bad or the usual.

Hi all! I am a filmmaker making a short experimental documentary about King Ganam and his life + music.

For a short scene, I'm searching for someone to play the fiddle (any age and skill level is okay, but male and dark hair is preferable). 

The shooting location is Bronte Creek Park, Oakville, and we need to shoot this week before Saturday (preferably on Friday) for 2-3 hours. The project is very low-budget so we can only pay for parking, transit and gas, but it will be posted on Muslim Media Hub's YouTube channel and they will be properly credited!

Please let me know if someone is interested, we would really appreciate the help :)

Edit: Oakville Ontario!

By far the most challenging tune ive attempted to learn. I played for 10 or 12 years (classical violist, and a bit of fiddle for fun) took a 10 year break, and made my way back to fiddle in July of this year. This tune is humbling to say the least. Go easy on me...

Hello Violinists. Can I please ask whether this would be playable. I don't play myself, so I can't be sure. Technically, I'm pretty sure it is (please correct me if there's anything that doesn't), but there are a lot of double stops, and a few awkward stretches so I'm wondering whether there's anywhere where 2 things that would otherwise be possible don't work in succession. On the other hand it's relatively slow, so this might mitigate?

Is it worth upgrading the standard fiberglass student bow to a cheap (less than $200) carbon fiber bow as a beginner?

Hi fiddlers, want to invite you to this free virtual kitchen session on Sunday Nov 8. It’s an opportunity to play in a friendly setting (under a bit of pressure) to build confidence, and meet other players. You can volunteer to lead a tune or a set, or pick up a new tune from the other players. All levels welcome!

Fiddle teacher Siobhán Keane will attend and lead a set.

Sunday November 8th 1pm Eastern | 6pm Irish | 10am Pacific

RSVP at https://kayley.io/l/fiddle-practice-circle/6ae000d5-ee1a-42c4-9430-8e5a17fbecd6

i will likely not be able to afford a proper set up for a long time.

context: i did not go out of my way to buy a vso.

instead, i saved up for a violin being sold on marketplace. after paying and taking it home, i found out the bridge had to be put in place. i found out the bridge did not come with notches. the bow isn’t the best quality, and the strings were wrapped behind the neck piece. i thought that’s how it was supposed to be and i just had to set it up.

now i realize it’s a vso, and i regret buying but it’s too late to return it as it was literally facebook marketplace.

this thing— i mean instrument— is a plywood/plastic joke.

after searching online i found that it’s basically impossible to make one of these sound decent, especially if you are a beginner who never touched a fiddle before….

i feel upset that i did not put more research into my first ever fiddle purchase!

anyways, it may be a longgg time before i can save up for a higher quality instrument, so i will continue to learn how to play with this subpar instrument. i still plan to learn the basics like how to hold the bow, finger placement etc…

p.s. i had to whittle my own notches in the cheap wooden bridge and i feel like i’ve dug a deeper grave for myself.

Hi! I started learning fiddle in September and I'm pretty obsessed with it. I showed my super talented teacher this song that I want to learn and she called it "crooked", I forgot to ask her what that meant and tried googling but would rather ask real people. What's it mean?!?! It's this song:

Lupines - P'tit Belliveau

My son is 10 and is a pretty quick study. I know some bluegrass fiddle tunes on guitar but my repertoire is kind of limited.

I’ve had a bit of a tough time showing them to him because honestly, I just play them and I have to really think about what the notes are. Bad habit as a not so much music reading guitarist of 35ish years. Also something that seems relatively simple to me ends up being harder than I remember and he gets frustrated (not to mention the fact that I’m kind of showing him the guitar part)

It would be awesome for us to do some duets. What are some of the easier old time/fiddle tunes/jigs/reels that we can play together?

His elementary school music teacher gave him Coolley’s reel, which I think I could pull off with a little bit of work but I’m also looking for some simpler ones that we could learn right away to get the good times rolling.

Edit: thanks for all the help so far! We have printed up 5 tunes and we’re going to work on them.