Information About the Violin

Its origin is fairly obscure, the overall belief being that it started in Asia and was perfected in Europe. Three other stringed instruments that form the violin family will be the viola, the violoncello (or cello) and the double bass (or bass).

The violin itself is an extremely graceful instrument. Its parts are constructed with different types of wood. The belly, bass bar, and the sound post are made from spruce wood; the trunk, ribs, neck and bridge are constructed with maple; the fingerboard, the peg box, the nut and the saddle are made from ebony; as the pegs and the button are constructed with rosewood.

The violin makers have become particular of age wood used to help make the instrument. They prefer wood that is seasoned for 10 to twenty years. In accordance with them, the standard of a violin's sound depends upon the thickness of the wood, its age and seasoning.

A violin is normally around 36 cm (14 inches) long and is constructed of a hollow wooden box with a neck which has an interior sound post connecting leading (belly) with the trunk. The belly is reinforced by an interior bass bar, which runs under the lowest string. The sides of the violin are referred to as ribs.

Four strings run from the tailpiece mounted on the bottom of the violin across a wooden bridge and the fingerboard. They result in a peg box, mounted slightly above the fingerboard, where they're wound around tuning pegs.

The bridge holds the strings within an arched configuration, allowing the violinist to play the strings separately. In addition, it transmits the string vibrations to the belly, from where they're transmitted to the trunk by the sound post producing notes of great timbre and nobility.

Initially, the violin strings were manufactured from gut. However, these strings have already been replaced by metal-cored strings given that they last long and produce better notes. Several violin makers also use synthetic-cored strings because they're less susceptible to humidity and temperature changes.

The violinist generally cradles the violin in the left hand, and uses the proper hand to perform the bow over the strings.

The pitch is controlled with the aid of the bow as the sound is regulated by depressing the string with a left hand finger.