Apr. 14 - A Fiddling Tradition

Tonight Vermilionville dance hall is filled with cane-back chairs (very uncomfortable, unfortunately) where we sit to listen to Anya Burgess (Bonsoir Catin, Magnolia Sisters, etc.), Matthew Doucet (son of Michael - Beausoleil) and Chris Segura, all talented fiddle players, talk about making fiddles.

Did you know??
1) hand-made fiddles are made to the 10th of a millimeter precision
2) the backs are made from a single piece of wood, split, then "butterflied"
3) the grain of the wood can be flared or cross-cut
4) the ribs are glued to the frame with Hide Glue (made from dead horses)
5) the back and top are carved to achieve the curve

6) the difference between a fiddle and a violin?



A violin has strings; a fiddle has strangs.