Cornstalk fiddle

Cornstalk fiddle

The cornstalk fiddle is a type of bowed string instrument native to North America.

The instrument consists of a cornstalk, with slits cut into the shaft to allow one or more fibrous sections to separate from the main body and serve as "strings." Pieces of wood or other material are wedged under the strings before they rejoin the body to serve as a nut and bridge.

The fiddle can be bowed with a bow made from another cornstalk, made from a shoelace or other piece of string, or with a standard violin bow.

The instrument is attested as far back as the American Civil War or further.[1]

Contents

Basic Assembly and Use of Instrument

Each fiddle uses three sections of stalk, and each bow two. The fiddle contains two strings which are constructed by slitting the section between the two joints so that thin slivers can be raised from the stalk by means of two bridges. The bow used to play the fiddle only contains one string crafted the same way as the fiddle's strings.

The tones or pitches of the instrument are produced by the way the musician drags the bow across the strings. Differences in the tension, width, and length of the strings enable the instrument to play two distinct tones.welsch, roger (1964). "the cornstalk fiddle". the journal of american folklore (american folklore society) 77 (305): 262–263. http://0-www.jstor.org.ignacio.usfca.edu/stable/pdfplus/537751.pdf?acceptTC=true. Retrieved September 27, 2011. 

Cultural references

References

  1. ^ Mary A. Howe. The rival volunteers: or, The black plume rifles J. Bradburn, 1864. Original from the University of California. Digitized Jan 5, 2009

External links





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