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Fiddlers in earlier times approached music in a very different way than today. Any given tune was a building block, a mere suggestive route — a skeleton of a map that trailblazed, pathfinding and creating the individual player's own version and direction. Musicians used to improvise, compose, and make paraphrases of music within the moment – both the playing and the act of creation were integrated into musicianship. The fiddler's desired achievement was not to be a reproductive force mimicking the licks and repertoire from the recordings of perceived masters. However masterful and well-workshopped, contemporary musicians are overly specialized in reproduction, eager to delineate said tune with appropriate footnotes. While some say artistically respectful, I say mighty boring. We also find that many Folk, Roots, and Old-Time musicians are equally caught up in the hyper-conscious act of playing dress-up. Just like any other reenactor and creative anachronism, this geeking-out takes over, becoming its own cult or click of "authenticity" driven folks always "re-creating" somebody else's 'done did', and never contributing within the force of the present. Traditionally, fiddle music is what some academics used to call a “vulgar” art form or vernacular music for dance, ritual, and meditation by the "folk" — the people. Unlike the violin (the same instrument), the fiddle is not considered a tool of “High Art” as represented in the Western Classical Music context. But that’s extremely OK, the grand concert hall is NOT the true goal of the fiddle. But, neither is the grand ole' opry. The fiddle is a vehicle or a vessel, much like the canoe. Its transported cargo is an intangible cultural heritage of rich and timeless music. What makes a good fiddle tune? I suppose that's within the beholder, but I'd say —it's a primal force that's heavy hitting, yet lifts with a repetitive hypnotic roll. A certain kind of fiddle tune, rendered just right — with the appropriate drive, drone, & twang — possesses a supernatural ability to bring both dancer and fiddler into a state of trance & ecstasy where different worlds and times intermix in the present.