About Baritone (Octave) Fiddles

If you have ever wondered about baritone violins (aka baritone fiddles or octave violins), hopefully this essay will tell you what you need to know to get started in your quest for knowledge.

The first thing you need to know is that "baritone violin" is the the name given to two distinctly different instruments. The first type of baritone violin is a member of the "new" violin family known as the Violin Octet. The baritone of this family of instruments is a huge instrument, with longer string length than a full-size 'cello. This is not the instrument that we are interested in presently; however, if you wish to learn more, take a look at:

• The official New Violin Family Association website
• The New Violin Family: Augmenting the String Section

The second type of baritone violin, and more interesting to us is the small octave violin played like a regular violin.

One of the first things Rickert & Ringholz Musical Instruments set out to do is to design and build the best acoustic octave violin in the world. There are several instruments referred to as 'baritones'. You can find out about this topic by reading the extended post, especially information about the New Violin Family, also known as the Violin Octet. When we say baritone violin or baritone fiddle, we are talking about an instrument with the exact nut to bridge length (just under 13") as a standard violin or fiddle, but tuned an octave lower.

We have extensively tested several models with professional and amateur old time, bluegrass and Scottish fiddlers, expert level viola players, 20 or so violinists in the Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra and a former violinist in the Russian Chamber Orchestra.

Click here to see YouTube videos of our newest (Type II) Octave Violin being expertly played by Darci Jones.

One model (the future Type III) is based on an enlarged Chanot-type (i.e. cornerless or 'guitar-shaped) violin, another on a modified 14" viola and yet another on the concave back 'Cradle of Harmony', patented by the artist William Sidney Mount in 1852!

Photos of the Chanot-type baritone being played: One of the players is Natalie Haas, known for here 'New Age'/Traditional fusion style on the 'cello. She is the great Scottish fiddler, Alastair Fraser's, accompanist.

Laura Risk, one of the finest fiddlers (and teacher) on the planet.

A very fine viola player and fiddler giving the Chanot-type baritone prototype a try. Her playing was beautiful and her insights were extremely helpful.

   

Several photos of Natalie Hass appear below.

        

 

Our Type I Octave Fiddle, based on a modified 14" viola, is already in production. This instrument has unbelievable power and great projection volume. It is a best seller. The Type II and Type II Cradle of Harmony, both inspired by the instruments designed and built by William Sidney Mount, are also in full production. The Type IIs are a collaboration with Fiddarci Lutherie in Birmingham, AL.

Ultimately, we do plan on a Type III, based on the Chanot cornerless instruments, but with 40 mm ribs. It will look very much like the instrument being played by Natalie Haas in the photos above.