I think his observations reflect the physical characteristics of the fiddle.
Oh yes, I am such a fiddlehead that I forgot to say that. I often recognize the key a fiddle is playing in from the character of the tone (although possibly I'm subconsciously noticing which strings are open as well), but I don't know the key (unless I guess from knowing the tune) when I listen to other instruments because I am not familiar enough with them and don't have perfect pitch. I'm going to start watching for Jack's colours.
Another great point was brought up on this thread.. Wasn't sure whether it was on this list, or the Fiddle-L list: the tone color can be different depending on where you play the tune on the neck of the fiddle, or any other stringed-instrument.. We all know that whether you choose to play notes closed (fretted), or with open strings, or even as double-stopped unisons, makes a huge difference in the tone. One technique on the guitar that is pretty popular among country musicians here in the US, is called cross-picking. It basically involves using notes on the open-strings as often as possible.. It give a very nice open, ringing tone to certain passages. I have a feeling it's a technique that was borrowed from banjo playing, as banjo players rely on alot of open strings using "open" tunings on that instrument.
This all got me to thinking about how I play certain things on the fiddle, and I've made some changes based on that understanding..
My wife was explaining to me some of the things that determine tone color on woodwinds, but I don't remember all of them.
I feel that maybe Skinner should have better qualified his statements about those tone colors, because there's just so many variables..
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