NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

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posts: 915

reviews: 16

NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

Dec 21, 2012, 4:42 AM

OK, so after a lifetime of piano, I'm taking violin lessons at the ripe old age of 43!! This is something I've wanted to do for years, and now my schedule and $$ permits, so YAY!!

I'm getting the basics down, but I'll soon have to make the choice of classical violin or fiddle (zydeco, appalacian, blues...OMG too many choices!). My first love is classical violin, but I want to learn fiddle as well.... my teacher says I need to narrow down my "fiddle" preferences if I'm going to take the hard path and work on both.

I'm finding it hard to choose a fiddle style as I love them all!!

Which of these speaks to you guys?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA4YWOKWri8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC0pmOeYoEo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNaK_nBp2Yc

I just watched each one and without exception I was "Oohh, that's the one" until I heard the next one...Totally different sounds from the same instrument!

I can't choose, so my fiddle lessons will be based on TA votes! It's gotta be better than the "eeny-meeny-miny-moe" process I was previously considering, LOL!

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16 replies to this topic

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kjosker

Lewes, Delaware

posts: 693

reviews: 100

1. Re: NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

Dec 21, 2012, 5:53 AM

cerelife! You are an inspiration!

Im not an expert on music, but I am a great fan. If I had to characterize the first two, I would say the first is Cajun, and the second zydeco. Technically, I can't tell you what the difference is. But what moves me? Both really, depending on my mood, or what mood I think I want to be in.

To me Cajun is is soulful, introspective, maybe lamenting. Sad also comes to mind, but that is a poor choice of wording. Cajun to me recognizes the downside of life, offering hope of a way out.

Zydeco on the other hand, seems to be more of "yeah, things are tough, but I ain't gonna let it bother me tonight!"

And finally, I could be totally wrong.

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bcla

Bossier City, LA

posts: 2,293

reviews: 4

2. Re: NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

Dec 21, 2012, 10:17 AM

Cerelife, wow, I am really, really impressed. Can't help you make a choice though. Between cajun and zydeco I'm in the zydeco camp. Between classical and zydeco I wouldn't know what to do. Have you ever seen Nuttin' But Strings. They came to one of the festivals in Shreveport a few years back. Two brothers who are classically trained at Julliard but now they play jazz/hiphop/rock violin and they are brilliant. You can find them on youtube i'm sure. If you haven't already heard them I think they would be worth you checking them out on youtube.

Edited: 10:21 am, December 21, 2012

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porelly

Moncton, Canada

posts: 4,393

reviews: 41

3. Re: NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

Dec 21, 2012, 12:41 PM

You go girl!!!! I wish I would have learnt to play an instrument, but I guess it's never to late to start.

I say go with the cajun/zydoco fiddle. Both styles are so similar, that I would think you could eventually play either style. And those styles are much more fun at a party. ;)

And just a heads up, we will expect a live performance one day.

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Deny777

Toronto, Canada

posts: 8,458

reviews: 51

4. Re: NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

Dec 21, 2012, 1:06 PM

Hey Cerelife! My vote goes to video #3 The Carolina Chocolate drops. I actually liked all of them but #3 spoke to me more than the others! Good luck on your endeavor! You will have to keep us posted : )

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cheltie68

Fairfield Ohio

posts: 122

reviews: 18

5. Re: NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

Dec 21, 2012, 1:39 PM

I really, really like #2!

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Loopwhole

College Station...

Destination Expert

for New Orleans

posts: 4,882

reviews: 3

6. Re: NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

Dec 21, 2012, 3:23 PM

The is another New Orleans violin style that I'm fond of, somewhere among swing, jazz and Gypsy. One example from some guys we saw at Bacchanal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLuyD_5XT4g

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etudeChicago

Chicago, Illinois

posts: 539

reviews: 1

7. Re: NOLA violin/fiddle music...what moves you? Help me out!!

Dec 21, 2012, 3:25 PM

#3 was my favorite.

Check out Lousiana's child prodigy & Cajun fiddler, Amanda Shaw.My son saw her in concert at Rock 'n Bowl a few months ago and said she was AMAZING. (He's a strings player himself.)

http://www.amandashaw.com/fr_home.cfm

Loopwhole, Love your choice!

Edited: 3:28 pm, December 21, 2012

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