All purely correct.

However, I was addressing the playing of violin, which in order to achieve the most latitude in expression, it has been developed over the years in such a way that the classical handling techniques aren't arbitrary but I can speak as a young rebel playing fiddle in folk clubs followed by violin elsewhere that I soon found that holding it like my folk heroes would be way too limiting for many classical pieces, especially solos.

By the way, I never asked if anyone gave a damn, my only laugh out loud moment was reading the absurd notion that classical playing is somehow paint by numbers and that a score tells you how to play.

I merely added to the actual debate by pointing out that holding it differently to a violin does indeed limit your potential. Whether you are a professional or a bloke banging out jigs and reels in a.circle with mates and think you can't improve and are content with that. It isn't a a view, it's a fact that is drilled into every violinist and experience underlines it, how ever much I or anyone else tried to think otherwise, and I did for a while.

Cards on table, I only play guitar now and not very well at that. I wish I could still play a violin and as I'm purely playing folk these days, perhaps I'd call it a fiddle. I do play in a folk duo with a violinist who plays in orchestras and is in demand as a conductor, but like me, loves to play folk too. Although I note he isn't living the folkie dream, he holds it correctly. I just dream of still being able.