We've all heard the amazing and wonderful things fiddlers can do when they are not playing the melody, but what the heck do you call the assorted effects, ornaments, and stylings when the fiddle is playing neither melody nor harmony and some other instrument (or the vocal) is leading?

How come I wanna know is because it's time to stretch our capabilities into non-gospel songs. As I work up the chords and vocal scheme, I can often sort of "hear" a fiddle part, but I lack words to describe what I want to my fiddling husband. We can't seem to get to any lessons, because of his schedule. What do we need to be listening to, to develop our ears and his technique for the sounds, and what they heck do YOU do with your fiddle to support a tune, when you aren't taking the starring role? And what do you CALL all those little things-- riffs? licks? or some arcane, known-only-to-fiddlers terminology?

Give it to me straight, in plain English!

~Susan