The violin is the smallest in size of all the stringed instruments. This compact size also gives the violin the highest pitch of the string family of instruments, with the viola and cello both having a lower tone. Almost any musical style can be played on the violin, from classical to jazz to rock.

The first violin is believed to have been created in 1555 by Andrea Amati, but this date cannot be verified. What is known is that the violin become popular right away, especially among street musicians because of its light weight and small size. Turkish and Mongolian horsemen from Inner Asia are thought to have been the first fiddlers in the world's history. They used two-stringed fiddles with horsehair strings, but the fiddles were generally held upright instead of on the musician's shoulder. The modern-day violin has its origins in 16th century Italy. Several modifications were made in 18th century, leading to the variations we see today. A heavier bass bar was added and the neck angle was adjusted several times.

Most violins are constructed of some type of wood and are strung with either steel, gut, or synthetic strings. There are also electric violins that may not be made out of wood because the tone is not as vibrant. The top is generally made out of spruce, with maple being used for the ribs and back. The neck, end blocks, bridge, and four strings fill out the rest of the violin's parts. Additional modifications may be made to the instrument, including a chin rest that can be attached to the tailpiece for extra comfort while playing.

The violin has a definitely hourglass shape and an arched back and top. The shape of a violin determines its sound, along with the type of wood used in construction. from, the graduation (the thickness profile) of both the top and back, and the varnish which coats its outside surface. The varnish and especially the wood continue to improve with age, making the fixed supply of old violins much sought-after.

Maple wood is generally used for the neck, and sometimes the ribs and back. The best fingerboards are made from ebony, with other woods being used for lower-priced violins. Ebony works well for violin construction because it is extremely hard and durable, while still looking stylish. If other wood is used, it is usually painted or stained black to approximate the look of ebony. Fingerboards are designed with a certain level of curve, which is typically more obvious on the lower strings.

The bridge is also usually constructed out of maple and anchors the bottom of the strings to the body of the violin. The top curve holds the strings at the proper distance from the fingerboard so that each note can be struck separately and cleanly with the bow. The sound post fits into the violin between the back and top to support the treble foot of the bridge. This piece also transmits the vibrations between the top and the back of the violin.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-11-25 05:56:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related Posts

• Tips for Playing the Violin Here are some tips for learning how to play the violin, which provide an accompaniment to the series we just did on learning how to properly play and practice the violin. 1 - If you want to learn more quickly, it would be wise for you to consult a private......
• Acoustic Musical Instruments Glossary, pt 2 Bucking - Bucking is characterized by the cancellation of one frequency component or signal by another signal that has the equal amount of amplitude but an opposite polarity. Capo - Short for capotasto, a Capo is a moveable bar that is attached to the finger board of any fretted instrument......
• Confused About the Difference Between a Fiddle and a Violin? Basically, a violin is just a more specialized type of fiddle. A fiddle can be any type of stringed instrument that is played with a horsehair bow. The main distinction between a fiddle and a violin generally refers to the different styles of music played on each. Fiddles are more......
• What are Acoustic Guitars Made Out Of? There are a number of different materials that are used for the purpose of constructing guitars. Let us take a look at a few of them. Mahogany When this wood is used as a guitar top, it has a low velocity of sound as compared to other woods, good density,......
• Proper Care and Maintenance of a Violin If you have just received or purchased a violin, and you are worried that you may damage or break your violin accidentally, then the following set of instructions will help you keep your violin looking and playing well. 1 - First and foremost, you need to make sure that you......

Related Websites

• Disharmony in perfumes I'm enjoying navigating the Le Jardin Retrouvé site. I have babelfish translate a page, if it hasn't been done for me already, or read along in my very rusty French. Disharmony in perfumery written and delivered in 1968 at the Société Technique des Parfumeurs de France by Yuri Gutsatz could......
• How to Stop Horses from Chewing Wood Wood chewing is a common horse problem which not only damages wood but can also injure your horse. The splinters can get stuck in the teeth or gums of the horse. If swallowed, they could puncture the stomach or intestines. Consequently, to protect your horse and your property, one should......
• Musical Instruments Bass When some people hear the word bass, they immediately think about the bass guitar, a popular instrument in many types of music today. However, there is actually a large number of different instruments that fall under the base category, and the bass guitar is only one of them. Bass instruments......
• The Copperhead Snake. Copperhead snakes are the cause of most of the snake-bite problems in the United States. The copperhead can be distinguished by its thick shape and its neck, which is quite distinct from its body as well as by its pale cross-band tan pattern that darkens in the middle and......
• PGA Championship at Hazeltine: Top 10 Contenders The PGA Championships is returning to Hazeltine, located in Chaska in MN, which is where the 2002 PGA Championships were held. Here are the top ten contenders who are going to wipe up this tournament. 1 - Tiger Woods - He finished in second place here during 2002, and the......

Online Stores

• Violin String Musical Instruments
• 4 4 Size Acoustic Violin String Musical Instruments
• Violin Vintage Pre-1980 String Musical Instruments
• Acoustic Violin String Musical Instruments
• Paint Varnish Household Advertising Collectibles

If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.



Categories:

Acoustic Musical Instruments, Instrument History, Violin

Tags:

andrea amati, arched back, bass bar, chinrest, electric violins, fiddlers, fiddles, first violin, horsehair, hourglass shape, inner asia, maple wood, musical style, old violins, playing the violin, street musicians, string family, stringed instruments, synthetic strings, thickness profile