About the Violin:
In comparison to the viola, cello and double bass, the violin is the smallest member of the violin family, with the highest-pitch. The word “violin” means “stringed instrument,” and stems from the latin word vitula.
Created in the 16th century in Italy, the violin receieved many modifications during the 18th century by violin makers or luthiers, like Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati and Giovanni & Paolo Maggini. These luthiers constructed their violins from wood. Typically, violins are given a spruce top and maple back and ribs.
Believe it or not, the earliest known violins were played simply by being plucked. It was in Central Asia where the violin became considered a bowed instrument. Soon, the violin had become present in China, India and the Middle East. However, it was in Northern Italy in the 16th century when the violin became the instrument that we know today.
The modern day violin has four strings, and has been constructed as so since 1555 when Andrea Amati began manufacturing his own. In fact, the French king Charles IX arranged for Amati to build 24 violins just for himself in 1560, and before long the instrument had spread in popularity, among the noble and street performers alike.
While Amati was one of the very first to build violins, other families have left their mark in musical history by creating some of the finest instruments ever to be played. In the middle 1600’s, the Guarneri family and Strativari families were also constructing beautiful and rich sounding violins in Cremona, Italy. Instruments such as these from the “Golden Age” of violin production are worth millions of dollars and are highly hunted for by professional performers and collectors. On May 16, 2006, the most expensive Stradivari violin was sold at auction for well over $3,000,000.00. World renound violinist Itzhak Perlman plays on what is considered to be one of the premium violins constructed during Stradivari’s “golden period”, known as a Soil Stradivarius violin from 1714 as well as the 1943 Sauret Guarneri del Gesu.
As mentioned earlier, the top and back of the violin are typically made with two different types of wood: spruce and maple. The other parts of the violin consist of a neck, bridge, sound post, four strings, and fittings. Some people also prefer to have a chinrest attached over the tailpiece of the violin. The shape of the violin, which looks much like an hour glass, directly correlates to the type of sound it produces, as well the the type of wood, the thickness of the wood, and the coating of varnish on the surface of the instrument. As a violin ages, the wood and varnish contribute to the richness of sound the violin produces, which actually gets better with age.
Finding the perfect size violin is the first step towards becoming a great violinist. Violins are constructed using fractional sizes, except for the full-size or 4/4 violin. For children sizes can range from ¾, ½, ¼, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16 and in some rare cases, even 1/32. Keep in mind, however, a ½- sized violin is not half the size of a full-size instrument. Not including the neck, the body length of a full size violin (4/4) is 14 inches.
A very important role of what makes a great violin is definitely its strings. In the beginning, luthiers made strings by stretching, drying and twisting sheep guts. While there aren’t too many strings still made this way, you can still find them. However, most modern violins have strings made of steel or synthetic material. While the strings of the violin may have come a long way from sheep guts, their lifetime is still restricted. Violinists generally change a string when it no longer plays accurately or loses its tone, or when a string becomes worn from playing. The power of playing, as well as the quality of the strings, definitely depends on the lifetime of your violin’s strings.
Of course you can’t make a violin sound the way we are accustomed to it sounding without the ever important bow. A typical violin bow is basically a stick with horsehair strung between the frog (where the hand holds the bow) and it’s tip. At the end of the bow where the frog is found, adjusting the tightness or loosness of the hair can be done by twisting the screw adjuster. Traditionally, the hair of the bow comes from the tail of male horses, however synthetic hair is also sometimes used to lower costs. Rosin is very important and should be rubbed on the hair to better it’s grip on the strings, causing vibrations. The bow’s stick itself is typically made of brazilwood, however most student bows are fiberglass or carbon fiber.
In order to ensure that the strings sound their best, a violinist must always play in tune. Violins can be tuned by turning the pegs under the scroll or top of the violin, as well as using the fine tuner screws at the tail piece. Turning one of the pegs clockwise will cause the violin’s pitch to become sharper, while turning a peg counterclockwise will cause a flatter pitch. Tuning a violin begins with the A string being tuned using another instrument, such as a piano, or a tuning device. The other strings can then be tuned comparing to one another in intervals of fifths while bowed in pairs. One might want to examine the violin’s bridge after tuning to ensure that it is centered and straight between the f-holes, as a crooked bridge could jeopardize the sound of the instrument.
Now that you know all about the violin itself, the next step is learning how to play! With the support of your left shoulder, the left side of your jaw can sit on the chinrest. However, this is not the ONLY way to hold / play a violin. In some Indian cultures, players prefer to play while seated on the ground, with their foot support their scroll of the violin. There is also a way of playing called pizzicato, where the player plucks the strings with their fingers instead of rubbing the strings with a bow.
Today, violins are used by performers outside the normal orchestra or classical settings we associate them with. Folk music, which was developed during the renaissance period in Italy, began to displace other stringed instruments due to the violin’s rich tones and agility. Even popular rock and alternative groups have found ways to incorporate the violin into their music, including Sigur Ros, Andrew Bird and Broken Social Scene.
*How do you know which size violin is the best for you?
It is best to consult a violin teacher, maker or dealer , as violins come in many sizes. The best way to know if a violin fits you well is by holding the violin and placing your left chin on the chin rest. If you can hold out your left arm under the violin and with a slight bend at your left elbow, curve your fingers around the end of the scroll, then the fit of the violin is good. If you find that your fingers cannot reach the end of the scroll, it is best for you to try a size smaller.
*Should I rent or buy a violin?
For someone beginning on the violin, it is recommended that you rent a violin first. If you do choose to purchase a violin however, make sure you choose a reputable source, such as a violin maker, music store or music school. It’s always a great idea to ask your music teacher who can always steer you in the right direction for finding a well made instrument that is worth buying or renting.
Created in the 16th century in Italy, the violin receieved many modifications during the 18th century by violin makers or luthiers, like Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati and Giovanni & Paolo Maggini. These luthiers constructed their violins from wood. Typically, violins are given a spruce top and maple back and ribs.
Believe it or not, the earliest known violins were played simply by being plucked. It was in Central Asia where the violin became considered a bowed instrument. Soon, the violin had become present in China, India and the Middle East. However, it was in Northern Italy in the 16th century when the violin became the instrument that we know today.
The modern day violin has four strings, and has been constructed as so since 1555 when Andrea Amati began manufacturing his own. In fact, the French king Charles IX arranged for Amati to build 24 violins just for himself in 1560, and before long the instrument had spread in popularity, among the noble and street performers alike.
While Amati was one of the very first to build violins, other families have left their mark in musical history by creating some of the finest instruments ever to be played. In the middle 1600’s, the Guarneri family and Strativari families were also constructing beautiful and rich sounding violins in Cremona, Italy. Instruments such as these from the “Golden Age” of violin production are worth millions of dollars and are highly hunted for by professional performers and collectors. On May 16, 2006, the most expensive Stradivari violin was sold at auction for well over $3,000,000.00. World renound violinist Itzhak Perlman plays on what is considered to be one of the premium violins constructed during Stradivari’s “golden period”, known as a Soil Stradivarius violin from 1714 as well as the 1943 Sauret Guarneri del Gesu.
As mentioned earlier, the top and back of the violin are typically made with two different types of wood: spruce and maple. The other parts of the violin consist of a neck, bridge, sound post, four strings, and fittings. Some people also prefer to have a chinrest attached over the tailpiece of the violin. The shape of the violin, which looks much like an hour glass, directly correlates to the type of sound it produces, as well the the type of wood, the thickness of the wood, and the coating of varnish on the surface of the instrument. As a violin ages, the wood and varnish contribute to the richness of sound the violin produces, which actually gets better with age.
Finding the perfect size violin is the first step towards becoming a great violinist. Violins are constructed using fractional sizes, except for the full-size or 4/4 violin. For children sizes can range from ¾, ½, ¼, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16 and in some rare cases, even 1/32. Keep in mind, however, a ½- sized violin is not half the size of a full-size instrument. Not including the neck, the body length of a full size violin (4/4) is 14 inches.
A very important role of what makes a great violin is definitely its strings. In the beginning, luthiers made strings by stretching, drying and twisting sheep guts. While there aren’t too many strings still made this way, you can still find them. However, most modern violins have strings made of steel or synthetic material. While the strings of the violin may have come a long way from sheep guts, their lifetime is still restricted. Violinists generally change a string when it no longer plays accurately or loses its tone, or when a string becomes worn from playing. The power of playing, as well as the quality of the strings, definitely depends on the lifetime of your violin’s strings.
Of course you can’t make a violin sound the way we are accustomed to it sounding without the ever important bow. A typical violin bow is basically a stick with horsehair strung between the frog (where the hand holds the bow) and it’s tip. At the end of the bow where the frog is found, adjusting the tightness or loosness of the hair can be done by twisting the screw adjuster. Traditionally, the hair of the bow comes from the tail of male horses, however synthetic hair is also sometimes used to lower costs. Rosin is very important and should be rubbed on the hair to better it’s grip on the strings, causing vibrations. The bow’s stick itself is typically made of brazilwood, however most student bows are fiberglass or carbon fiber.
In order to ensure that the strings sound their best, a violinist must always play in tune. Violins can be tuned by turning the pegs under the scroll or top of the violin, as well as using the fine tuner screws at the tail piece. Turning one of the pegs clockwise will cause the violin’s pitch to become sharper, while turning a peg counterclockwise will cause a flatter pitch. Tuning a violin begins with the A string being tuned using another instrument, such as a piano, or a tuning device. The other strings can then be tuned comparing to one another in intervals of fifths while bowed in pairs. One might want to examine the violin’s bridge after tuning to ensure that it is centered and straight between the f-holes, as a crooked bridge could jeopardize the sound of the instrument.
Now that you know all about the violin itself, the next step is learning how to play! With the support of your left shoulder, the left side of your jaw can sit on the chinrest. However, this is not the ONLY way to hold / play a violin. In some Indian cultures, players prefer to play while seated on the ground, with their foot support their scroll of the violin. There is also a way of playing called pizzicato, where the player plucks the strings with their fingers instead of rubbing the strings with a bow.
Today, violins are used by performers outside the normal orchestra or classical settings we associate them with. Folk music, which was developed during the renaissance period in Italy, began to displace other stringed instruments due to the violin’s rich tones and agility. Even popular rock and alternative groups have found ways to incorporate the violin into their music, including Sigur Ros, Andrew Bird and Broken Social Scene.
*How do you know which size violin is the best for you?
It is best to consult a violin teacher, maker or dealer , as violins come in many sizes. The best way to know if a violin fits you well is by holding the violin and placing your left chin on the chin rest. If you can hold out your left arm under the violin and with a slight bend at your left elbow, curve your fingers around the end of the scroll, then the fit of the violin is good. If you find that your fingers cannot reach the end of the scroll, it is best for you to try a size smaller.
*Should I rent or buy a violin?
For someone beginning on the violin, it is recommended that you rent a violin first. If you do choose to purchase a violin however, make sure you choose a reputable source, such as a violin maker, music store or music school. It’s always a great idea to ask your music teacher who can always steer you in the right direction for finding a well made instrument that is worth buying or renting.
