Violin

Listen to the sound of a Violin

The violin is a bowed string instrument. It has four strings and is the smallest and highest pitched member of the string family, which also includes the cello, viola and double bass.

The violin is played in a wide variety of musical genres, including classical, pop, jazz, folk and rock and roll.

The violin is a very popular starter instrument for children. Because violins come in several different sizes, it is possible to start playing at a very young age.

Scroll

The scroll is the decoratively carved end of the neck of the violin.

Peg box

The peg box is the part of Violin housing the Tuning pegs

Tuning peg

The Tuning pegs holds the strings in the peg box. They also tighten or loosen the strings and change the pitch produced when the string is played.

Nut

The nut is the small piece of hard material which supports the strings at the end closest to the headstock. It sets the spacing of the strings across the neck and usually holds the strings at the proper height from the fingerboard. Along with the bridge, the nut defines the vibrating length of the open strings.

Finger board

The finger board is a long strip of wood that is glued to the neck of the cello and above which the strings run. The strings are pressed down on the finger board to change the vibrating length causing the pitch to change

Strings

The strings are the vibrating elements that are the source of sound in the violin. They are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely but controllably. Strings may be plain or wound

Bridge

The bridge is a device for supporting the strings on a violin and transmitting their vibration to some other structural component of the instrument in order to transfer the sound to the surrounding air. The bridge is not glued, but rather held in place by the tension of the strings

F Hole

F holes are located on either side of the bridge and allow air to move in and out of the violin as part of the sound production process. They also act as access points to the interior of the violin for repair and maintenance purposes

Fine Tuners/Adjusters

Fine tuners sit at the bridge end of the strings near to or on the tailpiece. They are used to finely tune the strings. They are adjustable clamps.

Tail piece

The tail piece attaches the strings to the lower end of the violin, and can have one or more fine tuners.

Chin rest

The Chin rest is a shaped piece of wood (or plastic) attached to the body of a violin to aid in the positioning of the player's jaw or chin on the instrument.

Point/Tip/Tow

The Point/Tip/Toe is the opposite end of the bow from where it is held. A shaped bit of bone or plastic through which the hank of hair passes and is secured.

Stick

The Stick is a colloquial name for a bow.

Hair

A hank of horsehair forming a ribbon stretched between the ends of the stick. It is used to stroke the strings to create sound.

Grip/Lapping

The Grip/Lapping is made of a silver wire wrapped around the end of the bow where the player holds the bow.

Pad

The Pad is a piece of material that sits between the frog and the screw where fingers rest.

Frog/Heel

The Frog/Heel holds and adjusts the near end of the horsehair. .

Screw

Turning the screw on a modern violin or Cello bow causes the frog/heel to move, which adjusts the tension on the hair. .

The violin body is a hollow, thus becoming a resonating box for the sound. It is glued together, with an arched top (or belly) and similarly arched back, joined by sides (or ribs). The belly is made of softwood, generally European spruce, and the back and sides are usually made from maple. The neck, pegbox and scroll are also normally made from maple. The fingerboard (normally ebony) runs along the neck and extends over the belly towards the bridge. Two f-shaped sound holes are cut in the belly, their exact placing, angle, and shape varying from maker to maker.

The four strings are anchored in the upper end of the tailpiece, strung over the bridge and passing above the fingerboard to the nut and secured by the pegs of ebony (or rosewood) in the pegbox. Strings were traditionally made from sheep gut but are generally now made from synthetic materials wrapped with steel or other metals. At the lower end of the violin, the tailpiece is secured by the tailgut (traditionally a heavy piece of gut but now sometimes wire or nylon) that runs over the ebony saddle and is looped over, and secured by, the end-button (‘end pin’). The tension of the strings is regulated by turning the pegs to bring the four strings to their proper pitches: g, d, a and e. In modern violins the e string (and sometimes the others also) is generally fine-tuned by means of a fine-tuner attached to the tailpiece.

A violin is played by either drawing a bow across one or more strings or by plucking the strings. The bow is very simple and constructed from a stick with a fine ribbon formed from horsehair (or synthetic alternative) stretched between the tip and the heel of the bow. Rosin is applied to the bow hair to enable the bow to ‘grip’ the strings and enhance the quality of the sound produced. It is played seated or standing, it is held under the chin and resting on the player's shoulder. It is held with the left side of the jaw resting on the chinrest of the violin, and supported by the left shoulder. This is often assisted by a shoulder rest or a sponge and an elastic band for younger players who struggle with shoulder rests. The left hand of the player is responsible for fingering the notes, while the right hand bows or plucks the strings, the bow is drawn horizontally across the strings to produce sound.

The violin is seen as the soprano voice in the string family. Ultra modern electronic violins are now being made alongside the traditional wooden instruments. They can produce sound by using amplifiers and microphones, eliminating the need for a sound box.

A person who plays the Violin is known as a Violinist or Fiddler and the maker of a violin is a luthier.

Related Instruments
The Violin, Cello, Viola and Double Bass are members of the family of string instruments.

History
Learn more about the history of the violin through various time periods

Accessories
Take a look at the different accessories for a violin and what they are used for.

Buying a Violin
There are so many different makers it is impossible to list them all.

Faults & Repairs
Guidance on the some common faults and repairs for violin owners.

Learn

The best way to learn to play the violin is to find an experienced and patient teacher in your local area. Sometimes, lessons can also be arranged via your child’s school where they may have a visiting teacher.

If you cannot find a local teacher, another option is to use online tutorials. There are many such resources available on the internet.

Below are just a few examples of what is available : -