Read on for our guide to the violin, the most popular string instrument and a mainstay of both orchestral and chamber music.
Among the string instrument family of the orchestra, the violin is the smallest and highest-pitched of all the instruments, often playing a leading role in ensemble playing. In fact, the leader of an orchestra is always the person sitting in the first violin seat. The violin is a particularly prominent instrument in western classical tradition, but it is also used widely in jazz, country, folk and even pop and rock music.
The violin is the most popular stringed instrument, taken up by children as young as three. It has perhaps the greatest depth and emotional range of any instrument.
What is the range of a violin?
It's easy to identify the lowest note on a violin: that's an open G. As for the highest - that really depends on your skill and level of tolerance for itchy and scratchy sounds. Technically a violinist can play an E two octaves above an open E, but it requires exceptional control due to the instrument's relatively short scale length and the physical limitations of the human hand. Overall it's possible to play around 51 notes on the violin, which includes semitones (also known as half-steps). That's roughly four octaves.
Violin guide: what are the different parts of a violin?
The violin has at least nine main parts that contribute to sound production:
1. The hollow body
This is the main part of the violin. It's hollow to allow the vibrations to reverberate inside the instrument.
2. The Scroll
This is the decoratively carved beginning of the violin neck. Usually it looks like a snail shell but some scrolls are carved into the shape of human and animal heads.
3. The Pegs
Positioned just above the scroll, these hold the strings taut. Twisting them allows us to adjust the tautness, and allow the strings to vibrate at the correct frequency, thus tuning the violin.
4. The Fingerboard
Running from the bottom to almost the top of the violin, this is the board on which violinists put their fingers.
5. The Bridge
This is the narrow piece of wood above the fingerboard that is held up by the tension of the strings and supports them.
6. The Soundpost
This is a cylindrical piece of spruce wood that is wedged between the front and back plates inside a violin. Its function is to transmit the vibrations of the string from the top plate to the back plate.
7. The Chin rest
An attachment, moulded to the shape of the chin, that is placed on top of the instrument. This allows violinists to rest the side of their heads comfortably on the violin and hold the instrument in place.
8. The Strings
Made from a variety of materials, including gut (sheep intestine), nylon and steel, these produce the vibrations that we hear as sound.
9. The Tailpiece
Sitting above the bridge, this holds the strings in place and transfers their vibrations to the violin's body.
Who are some of the most famous Italian violin makers?
The best-known of the early Italian violin makers was Andrea Amati, who is credited with making the first instruments of the violin family that are in the form we use today. His grandson Nicola Amati passed on his knowledge to a young craftsman named Antonio Stradiveri, who would go on to become the most famous luthier of all time, creating over 1000 instruments over his 93-year life-span. Other celebrated Italian luthiers included Giuseppe Guarneri and Francesco Ruggieri.
Violin wood: what types are used?
The most commonly used types of wood species for making violins are spruce, willow, maple, ebony and rosewood.
How many strings does a violin have?
The violin has four strings: G (at the bottom), D, A and E.
How do you play a violin: a brief guide
I've been doing it for 35 years and have yet to quite figure it out. On a basic level, however, you play it by moving a bow across the strings of the violin, generating vibrations of different frequencies which we perceive as sound. You can also play the violin by plucking notes with your fingers - a technique known as pizzicato.
What are the most famous pieces of violin music?
That's a big old question, given that, in terms of repertoire, the violin is perhaps the best-supplied of all instruments. But there are a few top contenders, among them Vaughan Williams's evocative masterpiece The Lark Ascending, Paganini's Caprices, Bach's Violin Partitas and concertos by Beethoven, Bruch, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius.
A guide to violin accessories: what do you need?
Rosin
This strange substance, which ranges in colour from pale yellow to black, is pretty crucial to a fiddler's toolkit: it adds friction to the bow hair, allowing it to grip the string and make a sound.
Music stand
Everyone knows these can be a nuisance: try playing in a concert with a wobbly, recalcitrant stand. Still, we'd be lost without one.
Violin case
You'll need one of these if you want to take your violin anywhere. That said, I did once take my case home after a concert and leave my violin behind. Some options come with humidity gauges and velvet cushioning worthy of a boudoir.
