Violin Learn More

The violin has the following parts: The Structure of the ViolinThe structure of the strings The violin has four strings From high to low, the strings on the violin are E, A, D, and G. They are made from a variety of materials including catgut (sheep intestine), nylon, and steel. The tuning pegs are used for tuning The neck is carved from a single piece of wood, and the part at the end that appears to wind in on itself is called the "scroll." The strings are attached to the tuning pegs, which are fitted inside narrowly carved holes, and held in place by friction.Only the high E string has an adjuster so that it can be easily tuned, while the others rely on the tuning pegs for tuning, which might take some getting used to.Recently, some violins come with four adjusters built into the tailpiece, so this is another option to consider. The tuning pegs The four strings are attached to the four tuning pegs The neck is carved from a single piece of wood, excluding the tuning pegs The Structure of the ViolinThe structure of the bow Bow hair is made from horse hair The bow hair is made of a hank of horsehair. A single violin bow will use between 160 and 180 individual hairs. These hairs are all attached next to each to form a ribbon. Unusually thick hairs and kinked hairs are removed so that only straight hairs are used. Bow hair made of horsehair The stick is made out of hardwood Rosin is used to create friction, and thus sound Rosin is applied to the bow hair before being used. Rosin is the hardened sap of the pine tree and comes in yellow or black cakes, which produce a white powder when rubbed. Rosin powder is sticky, which helps the bow rub the strings. Let's listen to the sound produced by a bow with rosin, and one without. Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 With rosin Without rosin The Structure of the ViolinHow sound is produced The vibration of the strings produces a spectacular sound Vibrations from the strings are transmitted to the top plate and bottom plate through the bridge, and this reverberates within the hollow body, producing the rich, brilliant tone characteristic of the violin.A bowed string vibrates and moves in a circular motion that produces the fundamental tone, while the vibration produces overtones like a rippling wave. This complex movement of the string is transmitted to the body by the bridge. The bridge transmits this vibration to the top plate of the violin through two fundamental movements; one in which it pushes down on the top plate alternately one foot at a time, and the other in which both feet push down on the top plate simultaneously. The bridge transmits the vibrations of the strings There is another small yet important part: the sound post. The sound post is a post sandwiched between the top plate and the bottom plate underneath the bridge, and it transmits the vibrations from the top plate to the bottom plate. It also serves to preserve the shape of the body.If you look inside a violin, you can see the bass bar running up the left hand side as you face the instrument. The piece sitting under the bridge on the right-hand side is the sound post. The position of the bass bar and the sound post Musical Instrument Guide How to Play the ViolinThe basic position How to hold the instrument The instrument is trapped between the chin and the shoulder to stabilize it. The chinrest was developed in the nineteenth century to support the instrument, and this played a major role in improving playing techniques. Initially, the violin appears to have been held against the chest or the shoulder. How to hold the bow The bow is normally held in the right hand. It is pinched between the fingers and should not be squeezed too tightly. The way the bow is moved, calling "bowing," determines the length, volume, tone, and other characteristics of the note. The left hand The neck is held lightly around the thick of the thumb and the base of the index finger. The strings are pressed down by the other four fingers. Unlike the guitar, the violin does not have any frets, so if the angle at which the finger meets the string is even slightly off, the finger will slip. How to Play the ViolinBowing Bow at right angles to the strings Move the bow across the strings at right angles. The basic position is between the end of the fingerboard and the bridge. The violin is played with the bow, not the hand The violin is always played with a bow, not with the hands. The hand only helps the bow produce the most beautiful sound that it can. Thus, the strength used to support and move the bow should always be kept to the absolute minimum, and being able to bow smoothly and naturally with only the weight of the bow and the arm, produces a beautiful sound. However, most beginners often cannot help but grab the bow with a firm grip. When this happens, rotate your right shoulder several times to relax it. It will take a little time before you get the hang of bowing. From Yamaha Music Media, "Beginning the violin," by Chihiro Murakawa How to Play the ViolinFingering The violin does not have frets While the violin does not have frets like a guitar, the right note is produced if the instrument is properly tuned and the string is pressed in the right position. However, being able to press the string down in the right position all the time requires practice.A number is assigned to each of the fingers of the left hand that press the strings. The index finger is 1, the middle finger is 2, the ring finger 3, and the little finger 4. The hand position at which the first finger plays a note two steps higher than that of the open string is called the first position. Let's start practicing by accurately pressing the B note on the A string with the number 1 finger and the hand in the first position. The finger positions on the fingerboard in the first position