Any fiddle player knows that it does take a little effort to put on a good performance. Not only must they have the fiddle down and know how to play it well, but they must also perform in an area that will give it the right sound. In the great outdoors, this can prove to be a very big challenge in some situations. However, if you want to play in your backyard for friends and family, building a fiddlers paradise is easier than you may expect.
Setting the Stage
When you play a fiddle in the wide-open space, you need to do what you can to ensure that it sounds like a fiddle should. In a large space, especially outdoors, the fiddle’s unique sound could be carried away on the breeze. At this point, you are faced with very few options. You can choose to only host indoor concerts, or you can amp up your performance. Amplifiers and microphones are ideal for ensuring that everyone close by can hear you play the way you want them to hear it. Your skills with the fiddle will be noticed by your audience, and you may even draw a crowd, but is it really enough to make your performance perfect?
Transforming Your Stage
Electronics can do a lot, but there is no reason to overlook the acoustics of a building. Theaters and concert halls are designed the way that they are for a reason. The stage is often set near a wall and all chairs wrap around the front of the stage. When you are hosting a backyard concert, you will not have the luxury of an enclosed space, but you can learn how to build a small garden wall and perform near it. The wall will give your instrument’s sound a place to bounce off of, which will increase your overall volume and help your instrument project further out from your “stage”. You may also consider building a wooden platform to stand on and at least a half wall on the sides of your stage. The more enclosed you are, the more impressive your fiddle will sound.
Bringing Down the House
An added bonus to having a dedicated stage is that you can create a fun atmosphere. With your stage, even if it is a small one, you can then consider adding lights, smoke, and other things that will make your fiddle performances look like you are a professional fiddler. Your fellow fiddlers can also come and join you in playing and most of them will want to when they see how your stage is set up. Friends and family that do not play will take time out of their busy lives to watch you. If that isn’t enough, you may also be able to move your little stage to the park where you can perform for people that have never heard you play. Perhaps it will encourage kids and adults to consider picking up a fiddle of their own, so that one day they will be able to play as well as you. Can you think of anything better than inspiring others to take up something that you love doing?