If I'm playing old time or celtic stuff I hold the bow 2" or so from the frog, bluegrass and swingy stuff closer or right on the frog. But not hard and fast rules, more like what feels good for the tune and makes it move. Slow tunes I'll use a more traditional hold. I have a bad tendency to put the bow diagonal across the strings, which I have to conscientiously keep track of - lazy right arm! I try to keep the bow right off the edge of the fingerboard or closer to the bridge if i need more volume or sonority, but my fiddle has plenty of both and to spare.

If one was to divide the hair into 3rds. It's usually between the middle third and the tip third.
Then if one naturally bends one's elbow and grips the bow as I do, then parks the fiddle in the same place every time. The bow strikes the strings just below the fingerboard. Not precisely perpendicular to the strings. I'd call it very unrevolutionary. 
As Tony says, I'm not teaching anybody, and I surely don't want a lesson.
If one would want to see and hear if this works, all you'd have to do is watch one of my videos.

Afew other things I could have added was: do you favor long bow, fast / slow strokes, tight or loose hair?

Pretty much a standard Franco-Belgian hold here, except moved up a bit. My thumb usually ends up at the front of the thumb leather or just onto the winding; little finger about an inch in front of the screw; on top, but it usually ends up on the near side of the stick. Bow leans slightly toward the fingerboard. I don't really think about where the hair hits the strings, but I am conscious of the angle across the strings, which gives me problems due to a combination of bad habits and joint issues that leave me holding the fiddle at a bit of a strange angle to my body. My bow hold comes from a partially-successful attempt to teach myself a proper hold many years ago. The shift up the stick is a comfort thing for me. It just feels better there.

I like the feel of fairly loose hair, but I can't get much sound out of it so I usually play with the bow about 80% tight (that means something to me, but prolly no one else). Bow stroke and such depend on the tune or style I'm trying to play. My OT and BG bow styles can be very different, even for the same tune. I'm using Gustave Bernardel gold rosin right now because it was spoken highly of in some violin forums, but it seems that I can't get enough of it on my bow (I guess I like a lot of rosin).

quote:

---

Originally posted by tonyelder

Afew other things I could have added was: do you favor long bow, fast / slow strokes, tight or loose hair?

---

The hair looks loose, but the stick is very, very stiff and greatly cambered. I tighten just enough not to rub on the stick.

O.T. Fiddle tunes, I feeling like they dictate the bow, just to get the tune out. But songs, on the other hand, you can do as you(i) wish. I try to get a good shuffle going, because it seems like that's what folks want to hear. They want to hear a fiddle as they understand it. Not a violin. I guess I like it too. 

Interesting topic, mainly bc it's not telling everyone how it “should" be done. There are tons of instructions about what to do and why that’s the best way, but that becomes kinda repetitive after a while.

I think many of us in the fiddling world have developed our own ways of doing things. So I find it interesting to see all the different ways that everyone has figured out how to accomplish basically the same thing.

Rather than giving me some “correct” prescription to grind on, this opens up my mind to consider alternative ways to get that pesky bow to cooperate.

For Celtic fiddling I find myself often playing more in the upper half of the bow. It’s a lot harder to make quick bow changes at the frog.

For Old Time I play more in the middle, sometimes more toward the tip for specific tunes.

For classical playing I use the whole bow unless a section of a piece necessitates playing in one area.

For jazz, it really depends on the style. If you’re trying to play Gypsy jazz like Grappelli, it makes sense to emulate his style and stay at the tip. If you’re playing swing like Venuti, you may find that it helps to use longer bows.

As far as the placement between fingerboard and bridge, I generally stay in the sweet spot where the tone is fullest and richest (first third from bridge to fingerboard). Too close to the bridge and you have sul ponticello, so precision is important for tone production. If I’m playing in a group and learning a new tune and I don’t want to project, I’ll play closer to the fingerboard. In orchestra playing at the fingerboard, or sul tasto makes for a more muted sound without adding actual mutes.

I have to say, though, that I’ve never understood the “special snowflake” argument that some fiddlers use to justify the idea that they have to play in a manner that’s unique to them in order to get the best results. I think it’s hubris to assume that one can understand the complexities of playing the instrument better than the greatest players and teachers throughout history, and it’s ridiculous to suggest that one’s physiognomy is so vastly different from that of an ordinary person that the method of playing has to be adjusted (unless there’s a true genuine physical limitation); furthermore, I completely disagree with the idea that the player is his own best teacher or critic.

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Violin Beautiful

For Celtic fiddling I find myself often playing more in the upper half of the bow. It’s a lot harder to make quick bow changes at the frog.

For Old Time I play more in the middle, sometimes more toward the tip for specific tunes.

For classical playing I use the whole bow unless a section of a piece necessitates playing in one area.

For jazz, it really depends on the style. If you’re trying to play Gypsy jazz like Grappelli, it makes sense to emulate his style and stay at the tip. If you’re playing swing like Venuti, you may find that it helps to use longer bows.

As far as the placement between fingerboard and bridge, I generally stay in the sweet spot where the tone is fullest and richest (first third from bridge to fingerboard). Too close to the bridge and you have sul ponticello, so precision is important for tone production. If I’m playing in a group and learning a new tune and I don’t want to project, I’ll play closer to the fingerboard. In orchestra playing at the fingerboard, or sul tasto makes for a more muted sound without adding actual mutes.

I have to say, though, that I’ve never understood the “special snowflake” argument that some fiddlers use to justify the idea that they have to play in a manner that’s unique to them in order to get the best results. I think it’s hubris to assume that one can understand the complexities of playing the instrument better than the greatest players and teachers throughout history, and it’s ridiculous to suggest that one’s physiognomy is so vastly different from that of an ordinary person that the method of playing has to be adjusted (unless there’s a true genuine physical limitation); furthermore, I completely disagree with the idea that the player is his own best teacher or critic.

---

I enjoyed your comments - up until the point you revealed your "self" -  special snowflake. 

And everything thing else you said suddenly - just got lost in the noise.  Would you like to temper your rhetoric a bit - before someone decides to leave - because they've had enough of that kind of crap? 

I purposely worded the inquiry the way I did, thinking it might avoid "this" - and - here we are anyway...  a bunch of special snowflakes having to listen to the master talk down to us again. Why does this matter so much to you? ...that you have to....  never mind. 

I understand -  some people are just made that way - can't help themselves. And others are made to handle the bow the way they want to (sometimes just to aggravate).

I thought it would be interesting to hear what "others" do. Provide an invitation that allows folks to share what they do, why, and how well they think it works for them. Why should it matter to anyone else? So what, if it is not the "right way" or the "best way" according to someone else?  If it can be done "this way" - and the person doing it likes doing  it - or maybe even loves doing it, why should they care about how the masters do it?  

And why do you care? Why do feel compelled to interrupt - with uninvited comments and slander? 

I'm glad you are here at FHO. You are certainly someone with a lot of knowledge about very specific things. I know who to ask if I want an answers to some specific questions. 

And now back to our regular program .....

When I listen to recordings I've made, I think I sound best when I hold the bow well above the frog, past the bindings. However, since I started having the mysterious trouble with my right arm that I was on here bewailing about a year ago, I tend to lose control with that grip, so I'm back down at the frog these days - and lately I've taken to the thumb under the frog, because I like the tone I get there. And my bow seems to move from just this side of the fingerboard to around the middle. Here's a recent illustration - the recording volume level was pretty low, but you'll get the idea - and, yes, I know I paid for the whole bow:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzTZnOpGmpg&list=PL34E6D7B19C847888&index=139

Tony,

First of all, I made my post by stating what I do and did not say what was correct, only made some general observations, mostly about what I do (which is exactly why you asked about).

There are two reasons I mentioned the “special snowflake” argument:

1) that kind of attitude is what has made violin shops extremely frustrated with fiddlers and has unfortunately led to many of them just doing everything they can to encourage those players to go to different shops (usually rivals that they hope to annoy by sending over “problem” customers). The same people that show up at shops and tell the luthiers how to do their work then leave the shops complaining that the luthiers are just stuck-up elitists. I hate seeing that happen because I really enjoy working with all kinds of players. Until the problems are called out and addressed, the polarization will only get worse. I worry that a number of people are making the disdain of luthiers a self-fulfilling prophecy. It bothered me when I saw a couple employees at a shop where I worked put fiddlers down and then them away from the shop. My concern about that attitude was a reason (along with family tradition) for my establishing an old time jam at another shop where I worked. 

2) you started a discussion thread but made it clear that you weren’t interested in hearing anything that differed from your own opinions and attempted to police the discussion. You’re not a moderator, so trying to shut other people down (preemptively and after the fact) and calling comments “crap” is an overreach.

My disagreement was directed at concepts or ideas, not at you or anyone else personally. You responded by insulting me personally. Which of those things seems more inflammatory to you?

Oh boy. Tony, I hear ya...it is what we do as individuals that makes for interesting topics of discussion.

I guess when a fellow worker of my husband once found an old beat up violin in the garbage, sold it to me after a year of my asking...lol...she didn't play but mainly used it ornamentally right next to the fireplace...with two big dogs running back and forth to boot...anyway, I took it to a luthier...a luthier who makes and sells violins for 20,000 a piece...the only luthier I know of in this area...so I guess maybe I was one of those "problem customers," because I had special needs for the bridge cutting, which he did not abide by...lol...he didn't charge me much for gluing it back together and cutting a bridge and putting in a soundpost...so I didn't complain. I guess he just thought I was nuts in describing my bridge preference in amateurish language, etc. So I didn't complain, but took it home and talked to hubby...not a musician or a luthier, but he understood what I wanted, took the bridge off and carved it to my liking and I've been happy with it since...lol.

Well but anyway, as to the bow...I don't know right off hand where I place my bow, but I'm trying to imagine playing and I think I keep it sort of toward the neck...not very close to the bridge, and I think I tend to do most of my playing on that upper third of the bow...and use the bottom part by the frog when I've got some choppier stuff going on...seems to me.

I've heard all about the old fiddlers who would play Turkey in the Straw with a toothpick for a bow...I tried it one time, just wondering how tough that would be...it's amazingly easy...so, in case anybody wants to try it. I mean, I guess if you were playing at some lively event or other it might be a fun thing to dazzle your friends with...but it was a lot easier when I tried it that I thought it would be. Just sayin', I mean, don't hold me responsible if anyone "tries that at home..." lol...

Oh yeah I'm sure my bow hold would make any classically trained violinist shiver...lol...but it's what works for me.

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Violin Beautiful

Tony,

First of all, I made my post by stating what I do and did not say what was correct, only made some general observations, mostly about what I do (which is exactly why you asked about).

There are two reasons I mentioned the “special snowflake” argument:

1) that kind of attitude is what has made violin shops extremely frustrated with fiddlers and has unfortunately led to many of them just doing everything they can to encourage those players to go to different shops (usually rivals that they hope to annoy by sending over “problem” customers). The same people that show up at shops and tell the luthiers how to do their work then leave the shops complaining that the luthiers are just stuck-up elitists. I hate seeing that happen because I really enjoy working with all kinds of players. Until the problems are called out and addressed, the polarization will only get worse. I worry that a number of people are making the disdain of luthiers a self-fulfilling prophecy. It bothered me when I saw a couple employees at a shop where I worked put fiddlers down and then them away from the shop. My concern about that attitude was a reason (along with family tradition) for my establishing an old time jam at another shop where I worked. 

2) you started a discussion thread but made it clear that you weren’t interested in hearing anything that differed from your own opinions and attempted to police the discussion. You’re not a moderator, so trying to shut other people down (preemptively and after the fact) and calling comments “crap” is an overreach.

My disagreement was directed at concepts or ideas, not at you or anyone else personally. You responded by insulting me personally. Which of those things seems more inflammatory to you?

---

 ...amazing.  NO response, unless you ask for one. 

I hope you had a Merry Christmas, Rich.

I agree that when someone finds ways of playing that suits them that's good. But I also agree with Rich, and find the oft given advice to "express your own self" to be mostly ill advised. The idea that it's important to express uniqueness is one of the myths about what makes a musician great. In general what it actually takes is some inherent talent and using that to learn how music works. I've often said here, in regard to myself, that "expressing myself" held me back. Only playing my own licks my own way limited me very much. I eventually learned to read and take in more of what I listened to. I've since concluded that cultivating uniqueness is actually often an excuse for laziness. If there's unique character in a good player it's usually because of how wide and deep their skills are.

I pull my bow about a third or half of the way from the bridge to the fingerboard. I mostly play in the middle third of the bow, seldom going very near the frog but occasionally using nearly the whole bow when called for. I keep the bow hair about a pencil width or less from the stick and give about 4 or 5 swipes of rosin about every 3 hours of playing. I use a fairly stiff Fiddlerman carbon fiber bow.

Getting back to Tony's original post, I usually try to bow the strings midway between bridge and fingerboard -- the part of the string where I get the best combination of sweetness & bite. When I want to get rasty & nasty I bow close to the bridge. When I want to be Mr. Hey Man Mellow, I'll bow a couple inches into the fingerboard.

I wish Tommy Jarrell could join in on this discussion...lol...might be interesting.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brian Wood

I agree that when someone finds ways of playing that suits them that's good. But I also agree with Rich, and find the oft given advice to "express your own self" to be mostly ill advised. The idea that it's important to express uniqueness is one of the myths about what makes a musician great. In general what it actually takes is some inherent talent and using that to learn how music works. I've often said here, in regard to myself, that "expressing myself" held me back. Only playing my own licks my own way limited me very much. I eventually learned to read and take in more of what I listened to. I've since concluded that cultivating uniqueness is actually often an excuse for laziness. If there's unique character in a good player it's usually because of how wide and deep their skills are.

---

I’m going to jump in here and say that I agree with you 100%. And that was exactly my point - and at the same time - I’m going to temper my agreement with a qualifier that will sound like I don’t agree.

The 100% part: It’s one thing for a person to come to those conclusions on their own and understand that what is being suggested is the best route for them to take. And I have said that very thing in the past - in response to Rich. (I’ll quote if you like.) YES - by all means - if that is the way you feel - pursue that very thing with vengeance. Don’t let anything stand in your way. I would never try to talk you out of it.

The tempered part: And let me also temper that by saying - just because you came to that conclusion - don’t think that everyone is going to come to that same conclusion. Don’t force your opinion on others - saying that is what they should do too - “because anything less is just being ______.”

It's not a myth that a great majority of folks who have made a name for themselves in the world of popular / folk music are musicians who have not adhered to a “conventional” understand of what is the “right way” or the “correct way” to do things - according to others. That is fact.

THAT IS NOT TO SAY - there is no merit in following someone else’s lead - no matter what that might mean. There was a person who tried to convince me that the only way I would ever be able to be a truly accomplished old time fiddler was to learn prescribed bowing patterns - like he did. And if I didn’t - I had no hope of ever reaching that pinnacle of achievement. And now I being told - I can ‘t be something else unless I do something else according to someone else.

OK. I accept that according to someone else’s opinion I will not live up to their expectations. Opinion. That’s fine. I accept that. Should that really bother me?  Should my adventure in music be for the purpose of pleasing them or someone else? If I'm fortunate enough to get before an audience - I only hope that I can “…give them folks a smile.” (NB / Church Street Blues) - but sometimes it doesn’t work.  So?  Does that really make me a failure?  Being lazy Is not what got me to that point - THAT IS NOT BEING LAZY!!!

Well, it would be fair to ask first - how do you define being “lazy”? The way I’m reading the comment  …it seems to border on being offensive. If I give you names - will you call them lazy?

“Wide and deep” is not what I hear being offered in the narrow path plowed by those mentioned as the ones who "should be my heroes" - according to some.  I only hear one way being preached - and those that don’t believe and follow are….

BTW - I’m not promoting “my way” Rich. I haven’t even said what my way is yet.  I'm I'm interested in hearing what others do - I may want to try that out. 

As recent as two years ago I changed to the Russian bow hold. I was getting pain in my right index finger and I thought that was from too much scrolling. But the pain was caused by applying too much pressure to the bow stroke, a relic from the days of playing in loud electric bands. I find the Russian hold to be more relaxed than previous hold.
I always have my bow hair as loose as possible, and I make necessary adjustments due to environmental conditions. I use all parts of the bow and I practice common bow patterns on scales but never designate them to specific tunes, I just hope that they'll appear during improvisations.
Being self taught I am a believer of the old adage..."You yourself are your own best teacher", "Tu ipse tibi optimus magister es".

I think of music as a form of communication and expression. Some people deliberately tare up the manual and do their own thing. I think that’s great and it wouldn’t bother me if they played their violin upside down with the scroll under their chin. A lot of players with an unconventional approach have a lovely style that I enjoy listening to. For me. My default spot is to bow over the top of the f hole. I generally use the top three quarters of the bow for reels, jigs, hornpipes and so on. The whole bow for the slow stuff. I always used to crank up the tension on the hair but now I use the Incredibow (fixed tension) which I have two. First I purchased a high tension cello Incredibow for my tenor viola. I had issues getting it to grip the bottom G string. There wasn’t a weight option on their cello bows medium is what you get. I then purchased a heavy omni bow with regular tension and that was a big improvement for the tenor. I now find that the lighter high tension bow works great for my violin, happy out! The Incredibow has a very pronounced pad that raps around the shaft for a grip that takes a little getting used to. Previously my fingers would slip towards the center of the bow on long passages but with the Incredibow they stay in position more easily. My little finger almost never touches the bow.

quote:

---

Originally posted by tonyelder

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brian Wood

I agree that when someone finds ways of playing that suits them that's good. But I also agree with Rich, and find the oft given advice to "express your own self" to be mostly ill advised. The idea that it's important to express uniqueness is one of the myths about what makes a musician great. In general what it actually takes is some inherent talent and using that to learn how music works. I've often said here, in regard to myself, that "expressing myself" held me back. Only playing my own licks my own way limited me very much. I eventually learned to read and take in more of what I listened to. I've since concluded that cultivating uniqueness is actually often an excuse for laziness. If there's unique character in a good player it's usually because of how wide and deep their skills are.

---

I’m going to jump in here and say that I agree with you 100%. And that was exactly my point - and at the same time - I’m going to temper my agreement with a qualifier that will sound like I don’t agree.

The 100% part: It’s one thing for a person to come to those conclusions on their own and understand that what is being suggested is the best route for them to take. And I have said that very thing in the past - in response to Rich. (I’ll quote if you like.) YES - by all means - if that is the way you feel - pursue that very thing with vengeance. Don’t let anything stand in your way. I would never try to talk you out of it.

The tempered part: And let me also temper that by saying - just because you came to that conclusion - don’t think that everyone is going to come to that same conclusion. Don’t force your opinion on others - saying that is what they should do too - “because anything less is just being ______.”

It's not a myth that a great majority of folks who have made a name for themselves in the world of popular / folk music are musicians who have not adhered to a “conventional” understand of what is the “right way” or the “correct way” to do things - according to others. That is fact.

THAT IS NOT TO SAY - there is no merit in following someone else’s lead - no matter what that might mean. There was a person who tried to convince me that the only way I would ever be able to be a truly accomplished old time fiddler was to learn prescribed bowing patterns - like he did. And if I didn’t - I had no hope of ever reaching that pinnacle of achievement. And now I being told - I can ‘t be something else unless I do something else according to someone else.

OK. I accept that according to someone else’s opinion I will not live up to their expectations. Opinion. That’s fine. I accept that. Should that really bother me?  Should my adventure in music be for the purpose of pleasing them or someone else? If I'm fortunate enough to get before an audience - I only hope that I can “…give them folks a smile.” (NB / Church Street Blues) - but sometimes it doesn’t work.  So?  Does that really make me a failure?  Being lazy Is not what got me to that point - THAT IS NOT BEING LAZY!!!

Well, it would be fair to ask first - how do you define being “lazy”? The way I’m reading the comment  …it seems to border on being offensive. If I give you names - will you call them lazy?

“Wide and deep” is not what I hear being offered in the narrow path plowed by those mentioned as the ones who "should be my heroes" - according to some.  I only hear one way being preached - and those that don’t believe and follow are….

BTW - I’m not promoting “my way” Rich. I haven’t even said what my way is yet.  I'm I'm interested in hearing what others do - I may want to try that out. 

---

 I have never said everyone or even anyone must do what I say. When a question is asked about playing technique, I give an answer based on the experience I've had and the knowledge of great players and teachers whose accounts have been left behind for posterity. In the interest of helping the poster get to the root of the problem quickest and to provide a real solution, I propose the method that has the best track record of which I'm aware, drawing not merely from personal experience, but from that of millions of others. I have to laugh when I read the comments that I'm parading my own opinions around,  because, on the contrary, I often feel as though I spend most of my time sharing the more expert opinions of others rather than positing something unique.

I don't expect everyone to come to the same conclusions I do or to accept whatever I post as fact. I encourage anyone who is curious enough to read the same source material or listen to the same recordings and then make a decision about them. I do, however, strongly believe that the information I share is valuable (not because it comes from me), and I will vigorously defend it until it can be proven that something else is superior. I welcome thoughtful argument and questioning of the ideals I value because it forces me to closely examine them and risk the possibility that they might need to be replaced.

I think your argument that folk and pop musicians have found success without learning "proper" musical practices, while somewhat true, runs the risk of opening the door to dismissing the genres altogether. It's not my own opinion, but I can easily see an argument being made that the pop and folk musicians found success in their niches but would never be able to do so anywhere else. This is how pop and folk become seen as lesser forms of music. The problem there is that the focus is solely on technique, even though the folk and pop players aren't using traditional techniques or ideas (a claim I don't entirely espouse). I don't think it's the technique that makes any of them great; a certain proficiency is required to be able to communicate well, but beyond that, I think it comes down to musicality. So I would agree that some folk musicians have very unusual technique or even that some lack proficiency in technical aspects, but where I seem to differ is that I think the musicality of the player comes across strongly enough that it allows the listener to forgive any shortcomings. 

whether you actually like it or not
you're only ever going to be one person
of course that person is you and your
sound is only ever going to be your
sound

so as much as we want to look
outside of ourselves and get inspiration
we also equally have to address a level
of acceptance both about ourselves and
the sound that we make and we have to
kind of work on developing it and
deepening it from that perspective


youtu.be/06SY5861UOk

quote:

---

Originally posted by martyjoe

I think of music as a form of communication and expression. Some people deliberately tare up the manual and do their own thing. I think that’s great and it wouldn’t bother me if they played their violin upside down with the scroll under their chin. A lot of players with an unconventional approach have a lovely style that I enjoy listening to. For me. My default spot is to bow over the top of the f hole. I generally use the top three quarters of the bow for reels, jigs, hornpipes and so on. The whole bow for the slow stuff. I always used to crank up the tension on the hair but now I use the Incredibow (fixed tension) which I have two. First I purchased a high tension cello Incredibow for my tenor viola. I had issues getting it to grip the bottom G string. There wasn’t a weight option on their cello bows medium is what you get. I then purchased a heavy omni bow with regular tension and that was a big improvement for the tenor. I now find that the lighter high tension bow works great for my violin, happy out! The Incredibow has a very pronounced pad that raps around the shaft for a grip that takes a little getting used to. Previously my fingers would slip towards the center of the bow on long passages but with the Incredibow they stay in position more easily. My little finger almost never touches the bow.

---

A friend I play seessions with every Monday plays with an Incredibow. It is a strange looking beast. but he swears by it. And he plays well. I'm tempted to get one just to see what I can do with it. 

The funny thing is that I have no ambition to sound like a classical player. It’s actually the last thing I want to sound like. I have only being playing fiddle for about 6yrs but I have achieved national titles on other totally unrelated instruments and I have competed in the final of the All Ireland competition in the last three years claiming two Leinster titles. So the expectation is that I should become a good fiddle player. I have entered the fiddle competition in the last two years and come nowhere! I don’t mind because I’m improving all the time. The one thing that is clear, classical style players simply don’t cut it in the competition and they are generally seen as inferior in trad circles. There are some great players that do both and can easily switch back and forth between the two different styles. But over here folk fiddling is definitely not inferior.

quote:

---

Originally posted by ShawnCraver

whether you actually like it or not
you're only ever going to be one person
of course that person is you and your
sound is only ever going to be your
sound

so as much as we want to look
outside of ourselves and get inspiration
we also equally have to address a level
of acceptance both about ourselves and
the sound that we make and we have to
kind of work on developing it and
deepening it from that perspective


youtu.be/06SY5861UOk

---

I really enjoyed watching this video. She was able to present the information in a way that transcended the formal setting. That makes it accessible. Does that mean I will follow the exercises or study her techniques?  Not totally - but there were some good take aways for me. I especially appreciated having this principle confirmed and re-enforced - beginning at the 4:10 mark. 

But it was also interesting to hear her demonstrating how the instrument responds under deliberate "bow attacks".  I enjoyed hearing her wisdom at around 8:40 and especially at 9;00. 

The video is definitely worth watching. Thanks. 

"Now, I don’t claim to be a top fiddler, but I fiddle it from the heart, the way I want to and, you know, the way it does me good." -Wilson Douglas

quote:

---

Originally posted by ShawnCraver

"Now, I don’t claim to be a top fiddler, but I fiddle it from the heart, the way I want to and, you know, the way it does me good." -Wilson Douglas

---

I'm reminded of the familiar tag he like to use for his tunes - "shave and a haircut, two bits"...

I like the quote!  ...it speaks to a few things I said in the recent past. Perhaps others would not want to say this, but to me - if a fiddler is playing "from the heart" is kin to what I meant - when I said:  

In my opinion - art finds it's best expression when it is made from within the "soul" of the artist - as an expression of them self. When art is only created for the purpose of having the praise of others - most of the time it will be "soulless".  

That is how I define it anyway... Could that be what Wilson was saying? Nevertheless, I understand "heart" and "soul" can be defined with different things in mind. That's ok too.