String Instruments
String instruments are made of wood, usually spruce and maple. They can be played by plucking the string (which is called pizzicato) or by using a bow (called playing arco)and drawing the bow across the strings. The bow is a wooden stick with horse hair attached. Players use rosin on the bow hair which is a sticky substance made from tree sap. This allows the bow to grip the string better to create a better sound. Each instrument is made in different sizes and a string teacher can help students find the correct size for them. Starting on an instrument that is the wrong size can cause all sorts of problems for the student. It is important to be aware that students as they grow may need to graduate up to a larger instrument.
String instruments are made of wood, usually spruce and maple. They can be played by plucking the string (which is called pizzicato) or by using a bow (called playing arco)and drawing the bow across the strings. The bow is a wooden stick with horse hair attached. Players use rosin on the bow hair which is a sticky substance made from tree sap. This allows the bow to grip the string better to create a better sound. Each instrument is made in different sizes and a string teacher can help students find the correct size for them. Starting on an instrument that is the wrong size can cause all sorts of problems for the student. It is important to be aware that students as they grow may need to graduate up to a larger instrument.
Violin
The violin is the smallest and highest pitched string instrument in the orchestra. It has four strings, pitched (from low to high) in G, D, A and E. The violin was first known in 16th-century Italy, with some further modifications occurring in the 18th and 19th centuries to give the instrument a more powerful sound and projection. In Europe, it served as the basis for the development of other stringed instruments used in Western classical music, such as the viola. Violins are made in 8 different sizes, ranging from 1/16 size for kids about 3-5 years old, up to 4/4 (full sized) instruments. Violins are held on the shoulder using a shoulder rest attached to the instrument and held in place with the side of the player's jaw resting on the instrument's chin rest.
Viola
The viola is slightly larger than the violin but held similarly using a shoulder rest and with the left hand underneath the fingerboard. It has a lower, deeper sound than the violin. The viola has three of the same strings as the violin, the G, D and A strings (from low to high) but it does not have a high E string like the violin has. Instead it has a low C string. These four strings (C, G, D and A) are the same as the Cello but one octave higher. The viola usually plays lower parts than the violins and is used as the alto, or middle voice of the string instrument family.
Cello
The cello is much larger than the violin or viola. Instead of being held on the shoulder like those two instruments, it rests on an endpin on the ground. The endpin can be adjusted to bring the instrument to the correct playing height for the player. The cello has four strings; C, G, D and A just like the viola but pitched on octave lower. The cellos plays in the tenor range of the orchestra and its music is usually written in bass clef like the left hand of the piano. There are around 6 sizes of cellos and as with the other string instruments, it is important for students to play the right size.
Bass
The bass (also called the string bass, double bass or contrabass) is the largest member of the string family. It has four strings that are the same note names as the strings on a violin except in reverse order. From the lowest string to the highest is E, A, D and G. Some professional orchestra bass players have an extra piece called a "C extension" that lowers the E string all the way down to low C giving them even lower notes that are possible to play. The bass rests on the floor using an endpin that adjusts the the instrument to the proper height for the musician playing it. The bass then leans back against the player's body so when done properly, there is no effort required to hold it. Basses come in different sizes such as 1/2, 3/4, 7/8 and 4/4 (or full sized bass). A 4/4 sized bass is so big, that even many adult professionals use a slightly smaller instrument. The bass is the only member of the string instrument family that is commonly used in bands as well although rather than a section full of players, a single bass player can be used in a jazz band or concert band.
As with all of the other string instruments, the bass can be plucked (pizzicato) or played with a bow (arco). There are two types of bows that bass players can use, a french bow, or a german bow. The french bow (on the left) is held similarly to a cello bow but it is shorter and heavier than the cello bow. The german bow (on the right) has a taller frog (the part on the right in this photo) and is held with an underhand grip. Each type has it advantages. Some players are more comfortable with one type or the other. It is common to see different players in the same orchestra using different bows.
French Bow
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German Bow
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