Octaves on the violin. Bowed string instruments: group description. How they are played


Musical instrument: Violin

The violin is one of the most refined and sophisticated musical instruments, with a charming melodious timbre very similar to the human voice, but at the same time very expressive and virtuoso. It is no coincidence that the violin was given the role of “ orchestra queens».

The violin's voice is similar to that of a human; the verbs “sings” and “cries” are often applied to it. She is able to cause tears of joy and sadness. The violinist plays on the strings of the soul of his listeners, acting through the strings of his powerful assistant. There is a belief that the sounds of a violin stop time and take you to another dimension.

History violins and many interesting facts about this musical instrument read on our page.

Sound

Expressive violin singing can convey the thoughts of the composer, the feelings of the characters opera and ballet more accurate and complete than all other instruments. Juicy, soulful, graceful and energetic at the same time, the sound of the violin is the basis of any piece where at least one of this instrument is used.


The timbre of the sound is determined by the quality of the instrument, the skill of the performer and the choice of strings. Bass sounds are distinguished by a thick, rich, slightly austere and harsh sound. The middle strings sound soft, soulful, as if velvety, matte. The upper register sounds bright, sunny, sonorous. The musical instrument and the performer have the ability to modify these sounds, add variety and additional palette.

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Interesting Facts

  • Athira Krishna from India played the violin continuously for 32 hours in 2003 as part of the Trivandrum City Festival in 2003, making it into the Guinness Book of Records.
  • Playing the violin burns about 170 calories per hour.
  • Inventor of roller skates, Joseph Merlin, Belgian musical instrument manufacturer. To present a novelty, skates with metal wheels, in 1760 he drove to a costume ball in London, while playing the violin. The audience enthusiastically greeted the graceful sliding on the parquet to the accompaniment of a beautiful instrument. Inspired by success, the 25-year-old inventor began to spin faster, and at full speed crashed into an expensive mirror, smashing it into smithereens, a violin and seriously injured himself. There were no brakes on his skates then.


  • In January 2007, the USA decided to conduct an experiment in which one of the brightest violinists Joshua Bell took part. The virtuoso went down to the subway and, like an ordinary street musician, played the Stradivarius violin for 45 minutes. Unfortunately, I had to admit that passers-by were not particularly interested in the genius playing of the violinist, everyone was urged on by the bustle of the big city. Only seven out of a thousand that have passed during this time paid attention to the famous musician and another 20 threw money.In total, $ 32 was earned during this time. Joshua Bell's concerts are usually sold out with an average ticket price of $ 100.
  • The largest ensemble of young violinists gathered at the stadium in Zhanghua (Taiwan) in 2011 and consisted of 4645 school students aged 7 to 15 years.
  • Until 1750, violin strings were made from sheep intestines. The method was first proposed by Italians.
  • The first work for violin was created at the end of 1620 by the composer Marini. It was called "Romanesca per violino solo e basso".
  • Violinists and violin makers often endeavor to create tiny instruments. So, in the south of China, in the city of Guangzhou, a mini-violin was made, only 1 cm long. It took the master 7 years to create this creation. Scotsman David Edwards, who played in the national orchestra, made a 1.5 cm violin.Erik Meisner in 1973 created a 4.1 cm long instrument with a melodic sound.


  • There are masters in the world who make violins from stone, which sound as good as their wooden counterparts. In Sweden, the sculptor Lars Wiedenfalk, while decorating the facade of a building with diabase blocks, came up with the idea to make a violin out of this stone, because surprisingly melodic sounds came out from under the chisel and hammer. He named his stone violin "Blackbird". The product turned out to be surprisingly jewelry - the thickness of the walls of the resonator box does not exceed 2.5 mm, the weight of the violin is 2 kg. In Bohemia, Jan Roerich makes instruments from marble.
  • While writing the famous "Mona Lisa", Leonardo da Vinci invited musicians playing the strings, including the violin. At the same time, the music was different in character and timbre. Many consider the ambiguity of the Mona Lisa's smile (“the smile of either an angel or a devil”) as a consequence of the variety of musical accompaniment.
  • The violin stimulates the brain. This fact has been repeatedly confirmed by famous scientists who knew how and enjoyed playing the violin. So, for example, Einstein played this instrument with virtuosity from the age of six. Even the famous Sherlock Holmes (prefab) always used her sounds when thinking about a difficult problem.


  • Some of the most difficult pieces to perform are "Caprices" Nicolo Paganini and his other works, concerts Brahms , Tchaikovsky , Sibelius ... And also the most mystical work - " Devil's sonata "(1713) G. Tartini, who was himself a virtuoso violinist,
  • The most valuable in monetary terms are the Guarneri and Stradivari violins. The highest price was paid for Guarneri's Viétagne violin in 2010. It was sold at an auction in Chicago for $ 18,000,000. The most expensive Stradivarius violin is considered to be "Lady Blunt", and it was sold for almost $ 16 million in 2011.
  • The largest violin in the world was created in Germany. Its length is 4.2 meters, width is 1.4 meters, bow length is 5.2 meters. Three people play on it. This unique creation was created by the craftsmen from Vogtland. This musical instrument is a large-scale copy of the violin by Johann Georg II Schonfelder, which was made at the end of the eighteenth century.
  • A violin bow is usually strung with 150-200 hairs, which can be made of horsehair or nylon.
  • Some bows can cost tens of thousands of dollars at auctions. The most expensive is the bow made by the master François Xavier Turt, which is estimated at about $ 200,000.
  • Vanessa Mae is recognized as the youngest violinist to record Tchaikovsky's violin concerts and Beethoven at the age of 13. Vanessa-Mae made her debut with the London Philharmonic at the age of 10 in 1989. At the age of 11, she became the youngest student at the Royal College of Music.


  • Episode from the opera " The Tale of Tsar Saltan » Rimsky-Korsakov "Flight of the Bumblebee" is technically difficult to execute and is played at high speed. Violinists from all over the world organize competitions for the speed of performance of this piece. So in 2007 D. Garrett got into the Guinness Book of Records, performing it in 1 minute and 6.56 seconds. Since then, many performers have been trying to overtake him and receive the title of "the fastest violinist in the world." Some of them managed to perform this piece faster, but at the same time it lost a lot in the quality of performance. For example, the "Discovery" TV channel considers the Briton Ben Lee, who performed "Flight of the Bumblebee" in 58.51 seconds, not only the fastest violinist, but also the fastest person in the world.

Popular works for violin

Camille Saint-Saens - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (listen)

Antonio Vivaldi: "The Seasons" - Summer Thunderstorm (listen)

Antonio Bazzini - "Round Dance of the Dwarfs" (listen)

P. Tchaikovsky - "Waltz-Scherzo" (listen)

Jules Masnet - "Meditation" (listen)

Maurice Ravel - "The Gypsy" (listen)

J.S.Bach - "Chaconne" from the partita in d-moll (listen)

Violin application and repertoire

Due to its varied timbre, the violin is used to convey different moods and characters. In a modern symphony orchestra, these instruments occupy almost a third of the composition. Violins in the orchestra are divided into 2 groups: one plays the upper voice or melody, the other lower or accompanies. They are called first and second violins.

This musical instrument sounds great both in chamber ensembles and in solo performance. The violin easily harmonizes with wind instruments, pianos and other strings. Of the ensembles, the most common is the string quartet, which includes 2 violins, cello and alto ... A huge number of works of different eras and styles have been written for the quartet.

Almost all brilliant composers did not ignore the violin with their attention; concertos for violin and orchestra composed Mozart , Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky , Brahms, Dvorak , Khachaturian, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens , Kreisler, Wieniawski and many others. The violin was also trusted with solo parts in concerts for several instruments. For example, in Bach is a concerto for violin, oboe and string ensemble, and Beethoven wrote a triple concerto for violin, cello, piano and orchestra.

In the 20th century, the violin began to be used in various modern styles of music. The earliest mentions of the use of the violin as a solo instrument in jazz are documented in the early decades of the 20th century. One of the earliest jazz violinists was Joe Venuti, who performed with renowned guitarist Eddie Lang.

The violin is assembled from over 70 different wooden parts, but the main difficulty in manufacturing lies in the bending and processing of the wood. Up to 6 different types of wood can be present in one copy, and the craftsmen constantly experimented, using all the new options - poplar, pear, acacia, walnut. The best material is a tree that grew in the mountains, because of its resistance to temperature extremes and moisture. The strings are made of veins, silk or metal. Most often, the master makes:


  1. Resonant spruce top.
  2. Neck, back, maple curl.
  3. Hoops of coniferous, alder, linden, mahogany.
  4. Conifers.
  5. Ebony neck.
  6. Chin rest, tuning pegs, button, head rest from boxwood, ebony or rosewood.

Sometimes the master uses other types of wood or changes the options presented above at his discretion. The classical orchestral violin has 4 strings: from “basque” (G of a minor octave) to “fifth” (E of the second octave). On some models, a fifth alto string may also be added.

Various schools of craftsmen are identified by klots, hoops and curls. The curl stands out. It can be figuratively called "the author's painting".


The varnish used to cover the wooden parts is of no small importance. It gives the garment a golden to very dark shade with a reddish or brown sheen. The varnish determines how long the instrument will "live" and whether its sound will remain unchanged.

Did you know that it is the violin that is shrouded in many legends and myths? Even at the music school, children are told an old legend about the Cremona master and wizard. For a long time they tried to unravel the secret of the sound of the instruments of the famous masters of Italy. It is believed that the answer lies in a special coating - varnish, which was even washed off from a Stradivarius violin to prove it, but in vain.

The violin is usually played with a bow, except for the pizzicato technique, which is played by plucking the strings. The bow has a wooden base and horsehair tightly pulled over it, which is rubbed with rosin before playing. It is usually 75 cm long and weighs 60 grams.


Currently, you can find several types of this instrument - a wooden (acoustic) and an electric violin, the sound of which we hear thanks to a special amplifier. One thing remains unchanged - it is surprisingly soft, melodious and bewitching with its beauty and melodic sound of this musical instrument.

Dimensions (edit)

In addition to the standard full-size full violin (4/4), there are smaller instruments for teaching children. The violin "grows" with the student. Learning begins with the smallest violins (1/32, 1/16, 1/8), the length of which is 32-43 cm.


Dimensions of a full violin: length - 60 cm, body length - 35.5 cm, weight about 300 - 400 grams.

Violin playing techniques

The violin vibration is famous, which penetrates the soul of the listeners with a saturated wave of sound. A musician can only slightly raise and lower sounds, adding to the musical range even greater variety and breadth of the sound palette. The glissando technique is also known, this style of playing allows you to use the absence of frets on the neck.

Clamping the string not strongly, touching slightly, the violinist produces original cold, hissing sounds, reminiscent of the sound of a flute (harmonic). There are harmonics, where 2 fingers of the performer are involved, placed on a fourth or fifth from each other, they are especially difficult to perform. The highest category of mastery is the performance of harmonics at a fast pace.


Violinists also use such interesting playing techniques:

  • Col Legno - strikes with a bow reed on the strings. This technique is used in "Dance of Death" by Saint-Saens to simulate the sound of dancing skeletons.
  • Sul ponticello - playing with a bow on a stand gives an ominous, hissing sound characteristic of negative characters.
  • Sul tasto - playing with a bow on the fretboard. Reproduces a gentle, ethereal sound.
  • Ricochet - performed by throwing a bow on a string with a free bounce.

Another technique is the use of a mute. This is a wood or metal comb that reduces the vibration of the strings. Due to the mute, the violin emits soft, muffled sounds. A similar technique is often used to perform lyrical, emotional moments.

On the violin, you can take double notes, chords, perform polyphonic works, but most often its many-sided voice is used for solo parts, since a huge variety of sounds, their shades is its main advantage.

The history of the creation of the violin


Until recently, it was considered to be the progenitor of the violin viola , however, it has been proven that they are two completely different instruments. Their development in the XIV-XV centuries went in parallel. If the viola belonged to the aristocratic class, then the violin came out of the people. Mostly peasants, wandering artists, minstrels played on it.

This unusually diverse sounding instrument can call its predecessors: the Indian lyre, the Polish violin (rebeca), the Russian squeak, the Arab rebab, the British mole, the Kazakh kobyz, the Spanish fidel. All of these instruments could have been the progenitors of the violin, since each of them served the birth of the string family and rewarded them with their own virtues.

The introduction of the violin into high society and its reckoning as an aristocratic instrument began in 1560, when Charles IX ordered 24 violins from the stringmaster Amati for his palace musicians. One of them has survived to this day. This is the oldest violin in the world, it is called "Charles IX".

The creation of violins as we see them now is disputed by two houses: Andrea Amati and Gasparo de Solo. Some sources claim that the palm should be given to Gasparo Bertolotti (Amati's teacher), whose musical instruments were later perfected by the Amati house. It is only known for certain that it happened in Italy in the 16th century. They were later succeeded by Guarneri and Stradivari, who slightly increased the size of the violin body and made larger holes (f-holes) for a more powerful sound of the instrument.


At the end of the 17th century, the British tried to add frets to the construction of the violin and created a school to teach how to play a similar instrument. However, due to a significant loss in sound, this idea was quickly abandoned. The most ardent supporters of the free style of playing with a clean neck were violin virtuosos: Paganini, Lolli, Tartini and most composers, especially Vivaldi.

Video: listen to the violin

The violin is a high-register stringed bowed musical instrument. It acquired its modern look in the 16th century, became widespread in the 17th century. Has four strings, tuned in fifths: g, d1, a1, e2 ("G" of the small octave, "D", "A" of the first octave, "E" of the second octave), the range is from g ("G" of the small octave) to a4 ("la" of the fourth octave) and higher. The timbre of the violin is dense in the low register, soft in the middle and brilliant in the upper register.

The violin consists of two main parts: the body and the neck, along which the strings are stretched.

Frame

The violin body has a specific rounded shape, with rounded grooves on the sides, forming a "waist". The roundness of the outer contours and the "waist" lines provide a comfortable play, especially in high positions. Lower and upper body planes - decks - connected to each other by strips of wood - sides ... They have a convex shape, forming "vaults". The geometry of the vaults, as well as their thickness, its distribution, to one degree or another, determine the strength and timbre of the sound. Inside the case is placed darling giving vibrations from coasters - across top deck lower deck ... Without it, the timbre of the violin loses its liveliness and fullness.

Bottom deck made from solid maple wood (other hardwoods), or from two symmetrical halves.

Top deck made from resonant spruce.

Has two resonator holes - efy (in shape they resemble the Latin letter f).

In the middle top deck relies on stand on which they rely strings attached to tailpiece (undergrip) .

Stand is a support for the strings from the side of the body and transmits vibrations from them to the decks, to the upper - directly, to the lower - through the douche. Therefore, the position of the stand affects the tone of the instrument. It has been experimentally established that even a small shift of the support leads to a significant change in the tuning of the instrument due to a change in the scale and to a certain change in timbre - when shifting to the sub-voice, the sound is muffled, from it - brighter. The stand raises the strings above the top deck to different heights for the ability to play on each of them with a bow, distributes them at a greater distance from one another on an arc of a larger radius than the nut, so that when playing on one string, the bow would not catch the neighboring ones.

Shells unite the lower and upper soundboards, forming the side surface of the violin body. Their height determines the volume and timbre of the violin, fundamentally influencing the sound quality: the higher the shells, the softer and softer the sound; the lower, the more piercing and transparent the upper notes. The shells are made, like the decks, of maple wood.

Darling - Spruce round spreader bar that mechanically joins the decks and transmits string tension and high-frequency vibrations to the back. Its ideal location is experimentally found, as a rule, the end of the sweetheart is located under the leg of the stand on the side of the Mi string, or next to it. The soul is rearranged only by the master, since its slightest movement significantly affects the sound of the instrument.

(here you can see a sweetheart inside the violin through the hole of the f-hole)

Subtitle , or tailpiece , serves to fasten the strings. Previously made from hardwoods of ebony or mahogany (usually ebony or rosewood, respectively). Nowadays, it is often made from plastics or light alloys. On one side of the neck there is a loop, on the other there are four slotted holes for attaching strings. The end of the string with a button is threaded into a round hole, after which, by pulling the string towards the neck, it is pressed into the slot. Nowadays, underfits are often installed in the holes lever-screw machines that greatly facilitate setup.

Button - the head of a wooden peg, inserted into the hole in the body, located on the side opposite to the neck, serves to attach the peg. The wedge is inserted into a tapered hole corresponding to it in size and shape, completely and tightly, otherwise cracking of the wedge and shell is possible. The load on the button is very high, about 24 kg.

Vulture

Violin fretboard - a long plank of solid hard wood (black ebony or rosewood), bent in cross-section so that when playing on one string, the bow would not cling to adjacent strings. The lower part of the neck is glued to neck which goes into head consisting of peg box and curl .

Porozhek - an ebony plate, located between the neck and head, with slots for strings. The slots in the saddle distribute the strings at an equal distance from each other and provide a gap between the strings and the neck.

Neck - a semicircular part, which the performer covers with his hand during the game, constructively unites the body of the violin, neck and head. A neck with a nut is attached to the neck from above.

This is how the sound is extracted from the violin

Peg box - part of the neck, in which a slit is made frontally, two pairs are inserted on both sides kolkov , with the help of which tuning strings ... The tuners are tapered rods. The rod is inserted into the tapered hole in the peg box and adjusted to it - failure to do so can lead to the destruction of the structure. For a tighter or smoother rotation, the tuning pegs are slightly pressed or pulled out of the box when rotating, and for smooth rotation they must be lubricated with lapping paste. The tuners should not protrude much from the tuner box. The tuning pegs are usually made of ebony and are often decorated with mother-of-pearl or metal (silver, gold) inlay.

Curl has always served as something of a trademark - a certificate of the taste and skill of the creator. Some masters replaced the curl with a sculpture, like a viola's - a carved lion's head, for example, as did Giovanni Paolo Magini (1580-1632). The 19th century craftsmen, lengthening the neck of ancient violins, sought to preserve the head and curl as a privileged "birth certificate".

Jacob Steiner (c. 1617 - 1683) - the first famous Austrian violin maker.

Playing the violin bow based on wooden cane passing from one side to head , on the other is attached block ... It is stretched between the head and the block ponytail hair ... The hair has keratin scales, between which, when rubbed, it is impregnated (impregnated) rosin , it allows the hair to hook the string and make sound.

Bow head (top) and shoe (bottom)

How to use the bow correctly, hold a violin, make a sound, etc. at some other time. And now you just need to relax and listen to how the violin sounds))




In bowed musical instruments, sounds are produced by rubbing the hair of the bow against the strings; in this regard, their sonic characteristics are significantly different from plucked instruments.

Bowed instruments are distinguished by their high sound quality and endless possibilities in the field of performance techniques, and therefore are leading in various opchestras and ensembles and are widely used for solo performance.

This subgroup of instruments includes violins, violas, cellos, double basses, as well as a number of national instruments 1 (Georgian chianuri, Uzbek gidjak, Azerbaijani kemancha, etc.).

Violin among the bowed instruments - the instrument with the highest register. The sound of the violin in the upper register is light, silvery, in the middle it is soft, gentle, melodious, and in the lower register it is tense, thick.

The violin is tuned by fifths. The violin range is 3 3/4 octaves, from the G of the minor octave to the notes of the fourth octave.

Produce solo violins, size 4/4; educational, size 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 1/4, 1/8. Training violins, in contrast to solo violins, have a slightly worse finish and lower sound quality. In turn, training violins, depending on the sound quality and external finish, are divided into training violins of the 1st and 2nd grades. Violins of the 2nd class differ from violins of the 1st class in the worst sound quality and external finish.

Alto slightly more violin. In the upper register, it sounds tense, harsh; in the middle register the sound is dull (nasty), melodious, in the lower register the alto sounds thick, somewhat rude.

The viola strings are tuned in fifths. The range is 3 octaves, from note to minor octave to note to third octave.

Violas are subdivided into solo (size 4/4) and study grades 1 and 2 (size 4/4).

Cello almost 3 times the size of a full-length violin, it is played while sitting. The tool is installed on the floor, after inserting the stop.

The sound of the upper register of the instrument is light, open, chest-like. In the middle register it sounds melodious, thick. The lower register sounds full, thick, tight. Sometimes the sound of a cello is compared to the sound of a human voice.

The cello is tuned in fifths, one octave below the viola. The range of the cello is З1 / 3 octaves - from up to a large octave to E of the second octave.

Cellos are subdivided into solo and educational:

♦ solo (size 4/4) are made according to one of the Stradivari models, they are intended for solo, ensemble and orchestral performance of musical works;

♦ training cellos 1 (size 4/4) and 2 classes (size 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 1/4, 1/8) differ in sound quality and presentation. Designed to teach music to students of different ages.

Contrabass- the largest of the family of bowed instruments; it is almost 3 1/2 times longer than a full-length violin in length. They play the contrabass while standing, placing it on the floor in the same way as a cello. In its form, the contrabass has retained the features of ancient viols.

The contrabass is the lowest sounding instrument of the bow family. Its sound in the middle register is thick and rather soft. The top notes sound liquid, sharp and tense. The lower register sounds very dense and dense. Unlike other stringed instruments, the contrabass is built in fourths and sounds an octave lower than the iotated one. The range of the contrabass is 21/2, octaves - from mi controctave to si-be-mol of a small octave.

Contrabasses are subdivided into: solo (size 4/4); educational class 1 (size 4/4); educational 2 classes (size 2/4, 3/4, 4/4).

Also available are five-string solo double basses (timed 4/4), ranging from note to controctave to note to second octave.

By their construction, the violin, viola, cello and double bass are of the same type. The difference between the two is mainly in size and pitch. Therefore, this article describes the construction of only one bowed instrument - the violin.

The main structural units of a violin are: body, neck with neck, head, tailpiece, stand, tuner box, strings.

The figure-eight body amplifies the sound vibrations of the strings. It consists of the upper and lower decks (14, 17), which are the most important resonating parts of the violin, and the sides (18). The top soundboard has the greatest thickness in the middle, and gradually decreases towards the edges. In section, the decks are in the form of a small arch. The top has two resonator holes in the form of the Latin letter "f", hence their name - efy. Decks are connected by shells.

The shells of the tool consist of six parts and are attached to six legs of the body (16, 19). A neck (20) is attached to the upper body post, on which the neck (10) is mounted. The neck serves for pressing the strings during performance, has a conical shape along the length, and a slight curvature along the end. Continuation of the neck and its end is the head (3), which has a peg box (12) with side holes for strengthening the pegs. The curl (11) is the end of the peg box and has a different shape (often shaped).

The tuners are shaped like cone-shaped rods with a head and are used to tension and tune the strings. The neck (13) at the top of the neck limits the sounding part of the strings and has a curvature of the neck.

Tailpiece (6) is designed to secure the lower ends of the strings. For this, it has corresponding holes in its wide part.

The stand (15) supports the strings at the desired height from the neck, limits the sounding length of the strings, and transfers the vibration of the strings to the decks.

All bowed instruments are four-stringed (only a contrabass can have five strings).

Bows are used to extract sound, which differ in size and shape.

The bow consists of a cane (2) with a head at its upper end, a tension screw shoe (5) and a hair (6). The bow reed, on which the evenly spaced hair is pulled, is slightly curved. It has a head (1) at the end and springs in the direction opposite to the hair. A block serves to fix the hair, and at the other end of the bow the hair is fixed at the end of the cane in the head. The shoe moves along the reed by rotating the screw (4) located on the side of the end of the reed, and provides the hair with the required tension.

Bows are subdivided into solo and academic grades 1 and 2.

Spare parts and accessories for bowed instruments

Spare parts and accessories for bowed instruments are: tailpieces and necks, stands, tuning pegs made of stained hardwood or plastic; mute made of plastic or wood; machines for adjusting the tension of brass strings; violin and alto chins made of plastic; strings; buttons; cases and covers.

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Basic information Jouhikko (youhikannel, youhikantele) is an ancient Finnish stringed bowed musical instrument. Similar to the 4-string Estonian hiyukannel. Jouhikko has a dugout birch hull of a boat-like or other figured shape, closed by a spruce or pine deck with resonator holes, and a side cutout that forms a handle. The strings are usually 2-4. As a rule, the strings are hairy or veined. Jouhikko scale is quart or quart-quint. During


Basic information Kemenche is a folk stringed bowed musical instrument, akin to an Arab rebab, a medieval European rebecque, a French poshet, and a Bulgarian gadulka. Pronunciation options and synonyms: kemenge, kemendzhesi, kemencha, kemancha, kyamancha, kemenzes, kementsia, keman, lyra, pontiaki lyra. Video: Kemenche on video + sounding Thanks to this video you can get acquainted with the instrument, watch a real game on it, listen to it


Basic information Kobyz is a Kazakh national stringed bowed musical instrument. Kobyz does not have a top board and consists of a hollowed-out, bubble-covered hemisphere, with a handle attached to it at the top and a release at the bottom to approve the stand. The strings, tied on the kobyz in the amount of two, are woven from horsehair. They play the kobyz, squeezing it at the knees (like a cello),


Basic information The contrabass is the largest stringed bowed musical instrument, combining the features of the violin family and the viola family. The modern contrabass has four strings, although the 17-18th century contrabass may have three strings. Double bass has a thick, hoarse, but somewhat muffled timbre, which is why it is rarely used as a solo instrument. Its main field of application is the symphony orchestra,


Basic information Morin khuur is a stringed bowed musical instrument of Mongolian origin. Morin khuur is widespread in Mongolia, regionally in northern China (primarily the Inner Mongolia region) and Russia (in Buryatia, Tuva, Irkutsk Oblast and Trans-Baikal Territory). In China, morin huur is called matouqin, which means "horse-headed instrument." Origin, history One of the Mongolian legends attributes


Basics Nickelharpa is a traditional Swedish stringed bowed musical instrument with several modifications as it has evolved over 600 years. In Swedish, "nyckel" means a key. The word "harpa" is usually used to refer to stringed instruments like the guitar or violin. Nickelharpa is sometimes referred to as the "Swedish keyboard violin". The very first evidence of the use of nickelharpa is the image of two musicians playing this instrument,


Basic information, the device Rabanaster is an Indian stringed bowed musical instrument, akin to the Chinese erh and distantly Mongolian morin huuru. Rabanaster has a small wooden cylindrical body, covered with a leather sounding board (most often made of snakeskin). A long neck in the form of a wooden rod passes through the body, with pegs attached to the upper end. Rabanaster has two strings. Usually the strings are silk


Basic information Rebab is a stringed bowed musical instrument of Arab origin. The word "rebab" in translation from Arabic means the combination of short sounds into one long one. The body of the rebab is wooden, flat or convex, trapezoidal or heart-shaped, with small notches on the sides. The shells are made of wood or coconut, the decks are leather (from the intestines of a buffalo or the bladder of other animals). The neck is long,


Basic information, device, origin Rebeck is an ancient stringed bowed musical instrument. Rebecque consists of a pear-shaped wooden body (no shells). The upper tapering part of the body passes directly into the neck. The deck has 2 resonator holes. Rebeck has 3 strings that are tuned in fifths. Rebekah appeared in Western European countries around the 12th century. Applied until the 3rd quarter


Basic information The violin is a high-register stringed bowed musical instrument. Violins hold a leading place among the bowed strings - the most important part of the modern symphony orchestra. Perhaps no other instrument has such a combination of beauty, expressive sound and technical mobility. In an orchestra, the violin performs various and varied functions. Very often violins, due to their exceptional melodiousness, are used for

Parents who are going to send their child to a music school, as well as all art lovers, need to know that the instruments they play are divided into several types. Electrical devices such as a synthesizer stand apart. Wind instruments sound by vibrating air in a hollow tube. When playing keyboards, you must activate the hammer that strikes the string. This is usually done with the tap of your finger.

Violin and its variants

Stringed instruments are of two types:

  • bowed;
  • plucked.

They are very popular with music lovers. Bowed instruments often play the main melodies in orchestral pieces and symphonies. They acquired their modern appearance rather late. The violin changed the old viola only in the 17th century. The rest of the bowed ones were formed even later. Besides the classical violin, there are other varieties of this instrument. For example, baroque. Bach's works are often performed on it. There is also a national Indian violin. Folk music is played on it. In the folklore of many ethnic groups there is a sounding object similar to a violin.

Main group of the symphony orchestra

Stringed instruments are very popular all over the world. Their names are:

  • violin;
  • alto;
  • cello;
  • double bass.

These instruments make up the string group of a symphony orchestra. The most popular of these is the violin. It is she who attracts many children who want to learn music. This is logical, because there are more violins in the orchestra than other instruments. Therefore, art needs specialists of the appropriate profile.

Stringed instruments, the names of which are listed here, were formed in parallel. They developed in two directions.

  1. Appearance and physical and acoustic properties.
  2. Musical capabilities: performance of a melody or bass, technical mobility.

Antonio Stradivari

In both cases, the violin was ahead of its "colleagues". The heyday of this instrument was the 17th and 18th centuries. It was at this time that the great master Antonio Stradivari worked. He was a student of Nicolo Amati. When Stradivari began to study the profession, the shape and constituent parts of the violin were already formed. The size of the instrument was also established, which is convenient for the musician. Stradivari contributed to the development of art. He focused on the material from which the case is made and the composition that covers it. The master made musical instruments by hand. The violin was an exclusive item at the time. It was played only by court musicians. They often made individual orders. Stradivari knew the requirements and preferences of all leading violinists. The master paid much attention to the material from which he made the instrument. He often used second-hand wood. There is a legend that Stradivari hit fences with his cane while walking. If he liked the sound, then the students, at the command of Signor Antonio, broke out suitable boards.

Secrets of the master

Stringed instruments are coated with a special varnish. Stradivari developed a special composition that he kept secret. He was afraid of competitors. Researchers found that the craftsman covered the hull with wood plank priming oil, which was used by the painters of the time. Stradivari also added various natural dyes to the composition. They gave the instrument not only the original color, but also a beautiful sound. Today violins are coated with alcohol varnishes.

Stringed instruments have developed very intensively. In the 17th and 18th centuries violin virtuosos worked at aristocratic courts. They composed music for their instrument. Such a virtuoso was Antonio Vivaldi. The violin developed as a solo instrument. She has acquired unprecedented technical capabilities. The violin could play beautiful melodies, brilliant passages and even polyphonic chords.

Sound features

Stringed instruments were often used in orchestral works as well. Composers used such a property of violins as sound continuity. A smooth transition between notes is possible by guiding the bow along the strings. The violin sound, unlike the piano sound, does not fade. It can be strengthened or weakened by adjusting the bow pressure. Therefore, the strings were instructed to play long-lasting melodies at different volume levels.

Musical instruments of this group have approximately the same properties. The viola, cello and double bass are very similar to the violin. They differ in size, timbre and register.

The viola is larger than the violin. Play on it with a bow, pressing the instrument with the chin to the shoulder. Due to the fact that the strings of the viola are thicker than those of the violin, it has a different range. The instrument is subject to low sounds. He often plays accompanying melodies, echoes. The large size interferes with the mobility of the viola. Rapid virtuoso passages are beyond his control.

Bow giants

Music under the current

Harrison was an electric guitar virtuoso. This instrument does not have a hollow resonator housing. The vibrations of metal strings are converted into electrical current, which is then transformed into sound waves that are audible. The performer can change the timbre of his instrument using special devices.

There is another type of electric guitar that is very popular. It sounds exclusively in the low range. This is a bass guitar. It has four thick strings. The function of an instrument in an ensemble is to maintain a powerful bass prop.

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