Fiddle Introductions: Part I, Aisling

Since I don’t want this page or blog to be solely about sewing, I thought I’d kick off the music entries with one about my fiddle.

Meet Aisling, named by a friend when I asked what I should name her.  This actually isn’t my very first fiddle.  I had started playing years before, but I had to sell that instrument about a year or so later.  Aisling was affordable and has worked well enough while I started learning, but over time I discovered that I was having trouble and progress seemed to come to a halt.  The bow she came with was starting to fall apart as well.  I bought another bow — not the one I really wanted, but one that will someday become a decent backup, I hope.  I still had trouble, and started noticing that the sound hurt my ears.

I couldn’t really afford to buy another instrument, and even if I did I would want one that I’d had a little time to play and be familiar with.  No sense ending up with a more expensive instrument that had a tone I didn’t like, either!  I talked to a friend of mine and she and her husband loaned me a warmer-sounding fiddle to practice on.  Aisling now sits as my backup, occasionally getting played here and there.

I have no regrets purchasing Aisling.  At the time I bought her, I was very pleased and excited.  I’d been unemployed, but managed to do a quick job and put those earnings with some birthday cash to buy her.  There are a lot of great memories there!  Someday I will have to buy a better fiddle and the bow I really want.  I look forward to creating more memories with a new instrument, as I continue learning.

Next Monday: While Aisling was giving me fits, another fiddle comes to the rescue!