The fiddle?

Question:I really want to learn to play the fiddle and have done for a while now. How hard is it to learn? I'm going to start learning in a couple of months and am worried I will find it difficult. I started learning guitar but I found it hard because of my small hands and I stretching was difficult. My teacher didn't really help though I don't think but anyway, will I find fiddle difficult as well because of my small hands?
cheers

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I really want to learn to play the fiddle and have done for a while now. How hard is it to learn? I'm going to start learning in a couple of months and am worried I will find it difficult. I started learning guitar but I found it hard because of my small hands and I stretching was difficult. My teacher didn't really help though I don't think but anyway, will I find fiddle difficult as well because of my small hands?
cheers

4-year old kids start fiddle. Small hands are not an issue, even on a normal, 4/4 size instrument, so don't worry about that.

Fiddle is not the easiest instrument to learn, and it's very hard to become REALLY good.
There's a lot going on...position, bowing, intonation, etc. And the quality of the sound you get depends largely on the player...if a monkey hits a key on a good piano, that note will sound good, but if you want to get a good sounding note out of a good violin and bow, you have to know what you're doing.

But it's not NEARLYas hard to get going as some people would have you think. A teacher, especially at the beginning, is VERY important to make sure you're starting on the right foot and not developing bad habits. And you need a GOOD teacher. If your teacher isn't helping you, then that might not be the right teacher for you.

Even if you are interested in folk fiddling, I think it's best to start out with classical violin technique, as far as holding the instrument and bow, and basic 1st position scales and notes, and then once you know the basic rules you can feel free to ignore them and fiddle any way you like!

I don't really know how hard a fiddle/violin is to learn but your avatar indicates your female if you need something to shoot for check out the music of alison krauss.

the fingerboard of the violin is much narrower and has no frets like a guitar...it is much easier to manage, especially if you have small hands...i found the only tough part was coordinating the bow on the strings with the fingering, but like anything else its a matter of practice and dedication...have fun

I had my first violin lessons when I was about 12, so your small hands shouldn't be a problem - mine couldn't have been all that big then and I had a full-size violin.
Be prepared to not sound too musical till you get the hang of it - when I first started playing, my dog would tuck his tail between his legs and rush out of the room!
It's the bowing which is hardest - getting it to glide over the strings - but I'm sure you will soon get the hang of it.

You can get violins in different sizes, and progress onto a full size as you grow.

Good luck!