Celtic Fiddle Loops | Violin and String Loops
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Celtic Fiddle Techniques and Sound
Celtic Fiddle has ancient roots in Ireland with the first account of bowed instruments similar to the violin being in the Book of Leinster (ca. 1160). By the early 1700s the modern violin was ubiquitous in Ireland. Fiddle is one of the most important instruments in all of the traditional repertoire of Celtic music. Even though the fiddle itself is identical to the violin, it is played differently in widely varying regional styles.
Compared to classical violinists, Irish fiddlers tend to make little use of vibrato except for slow airs, and even then it is used sparingly. Like the rest of Irish traditional music, melodies are embellished through forms of ornamentation, such as rolls, trebles, and cuts.
Irish fiddlers also use a vocabulary of bow slurs different from other fiddle traditions. Most notably, fiddlers often slur into the beat to produce a certain lilt, not unlike the Newcastle hornpipe style of bowing in England and Scotland. They may also slur over beats in such a pattern as to create a natural back-beat in reels.
Minor tonality in Celtic Music is often characterized by playing in Dorian Mode (scale off the 2nd degree) rather than the natural minor Aeolian Mode (scale off the 6th degree).
Defining characteristics of Celtic Fiddle:
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Minimal use of vibrato
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Rapid, percussive and rhtymic bow articulations. Trebles and cuts
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Rolls which are note ornamentaions on either side of the melody note
Free Celtic Fiddle Loops and Samples
The Free Celtic Fiddle Loops below were selected from the extensive ViolinLoops Loop Library. All of the ViolinLoops available from our Loop Library are AppleLoops. This means they are high quality AIF and will automatically snap to your session key and tempo settings if you are using Apple Logic or Garage Band.
No worries if you’re on PC and using a different software DAW, AIF files import as high resolution audio in to all current recording software, regardless of platform. The embedded AppleLoop meta data doesn’t apply on PC, but the Original Key and Tempo of all the loops appears at the beginning of every file name making it easy to stay organized.
If you do want to easily convert these files to any other format, there is a brilliant free audio conversion utility called Audacity. This free app is awesome and has a built in batch processor for converting multiple files in one go.
You can use any of the efiddler ViolinLoops royalty free in any composition, even for commercial purposes! Simply list "efiddler on violin" in your album credits. The only prohibited use of any or our loops is re-selling them on their own. As long as you use them within your song it is all good, no problem.
If you want to search for diferent loops in a wide range of tempos and keys simply click the link below.
Celtic Fiddle Loop - 1
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G_140_CE_HI-8-BAR-THEME
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Celtic Fiddle Loop - 2
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Am_120_CE_1-b7-BOW-WHIP
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Celtic Fiddle Loop - 3
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A_140_CE_HI-8-BAR-THEME
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Featured Styles and Free Sample Links
String Samples
String players intonate notes precisely while liberally applying vibrato which typically rolls below the intended pitch. This gives ensembles that lush chorus effect.
Celtic Fiddle
The defining characteristics of Celtic Fiddle are the rapid, rhythmic bow articulations and rolling note ornamentations on either side of the melody note.
Gypsy Violin
Gypsy Violin often uses harmonic minor or double harmonic minor Byzantine tonalities combined with wider emotive vibrato.
Country Fiddle
Country Fiddle is unique stylistically because the players often slide into the intended notes. Rhythmic sawing bow paterns give this style it’s characteristic propulsion.
Cajun Fiddle
Cajun music is dance music plain and simple. This style is all about bow rhythms and open notes are often dragged along with the melody notes to add gumbo.