Violin

Violin The violin is a stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a perfect fifth apart. It is the smallest and highest-tuned member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola, cello and arguably the double bass (the double bass technically belongs to the similar but distinct viol family). The lowest string (and hence the lowest note) is the G just below middle C, then in ascending order D, A and E. A common colloquial name for the violin is the fiddle, and a violin is typically called a fiddle when used to play traditional music (see below). Occasionally the instrument is modified for playing in these styles. Sheet music for a violin almost always uses the G clef (treble clef). A person who plays violin is called a violinist or fiddler, and a person who makes or repairs stringed instruments is a luthier. Contents 1 Parts of the violin 1.1 Materials 1.1.1 Strings 1.1.2 Bow 1.2 Acoustics 1.3 Sizes 2 Playing the violin 2.1 Left Hand & Producing Pitch 2.1.1 Positions 2.1.2 Open strings 2.1.3 Double-stopping 2.1.4 Vibrato 2.1.5 Harmonics 2.2 Right Hand & Tone Colour 2.2.1 Bowing techniques 2.2.2 Pizzicato 2.2.3 Mute 3 Tuning 4 Making violins 5 Maintenance 6 History 6.1 Jazz 6.2 Classical music 6.3 Popular music 6.4 Folk music 7 Fiddle 7.1 Fiddle styles 7.2 Fiddle players 8 See also 9 Further reading and external links Parts of the violin Detail of bridge and strings; image courtesy www.sxc.hu The violin is a carefully made hollow wooden box, with a neck protruding from the top, and an internal sound post wedged between the top sounding board (belly) and the back sounding board. Two soundholes (distinctively shaped like a stylized letter "f") are cut in the top (belly) of the instrument to help with sound projection. The sides of the violin, curiously, are called ribs. The belly is reinforced by an internal bass bar, which runs vertically through the instrument underneath the lowest string. The inlaid outline of dark wood which follows the outer edge of the surface of the belly and back of the violin is called the purfling. The purfling keeps the wood from splitting along the edges, and, according to some, allows the belly to vibrate independent of the rigid ribs. At the base of the violin, the end button is fitted through a small hole in the ribs. The tailpiece is anchored to the button by a cord called tailgut, which runs over the saddle (a small bridge near the purfling of the instrument). The tailpiece is often fitted with one or more fine tuners (or string adjustors). The four strings run from the tailpiece across an intricately carved wooden bridge, then upward just above the fingerboard. At the top end of the fingerboard, the strings cross the nut, a very small second bridge, mounted just slightly above the fingerboard. They then enter the pegbox, where they are wound around their tuning pegs, which are mounted sideways through tightly fitting holes in the pegbox. The tip of the pegbox is ornamented with a carved wooden scroll. The bridge of a violin has two purposes. First, it holds the strings in an arched configuration, permitting each to be touched separately by the bow. The bridge also transmits the sound vibrations of the strings to the belly, from which they are transmitted to the back by the sound post, which is inside the violin. The bow consists of horsehair strung from the tip of the stick to the frog (or heel) on the opposite end of the stick. The frog is mounted to the stick by the screw, which allows the horsehair to be loosened or tightened. The frog is generally decorated with two eyes and an inlaid plate of mother-of-pearl. A ferrule holds the hair in place at the edge of the frog. Just above the frog, a leather grip and a metal, ivory, or wooden winding surround the stick. Some student bows substitute a plastic sleeve for the grip & winding. Tuning pegs Materials Generally the belly (also called the top), the sound post and the bass bar are made of spruce, a light but strong softwood. The back, ribs, neck, pegbox, scroll and bridge are of maple, a hardwood. The best woods have been seasoned for many years in large wedges and the seasoning process continues indefinitely after the violin has been made. The fingerboard of a violin is ideally made of ebony, but some particularly old violins have ivory fingerboards. Fingerboards on factory violins are often made of a less expensive variety of wood stained black. Ebony is the preferred material because of its hardness, beauty and superior resistance to wear. The tuning pegs are also often made of ebony, although a softer wood is sometimes chosen to minimise wear on the peg holes and economies can be made with cheaper woods. The tailpiece is the last part of the violin traditionally made from ebony, although there are now many suitable and popular materials, including aluminium and plastic. Strings Strings were first made of sheep's intestines, stretched, dried and twisted. Contrary to popular belief, violin strings were never made of cat gut. Such strings are still often used in historically accurate performances of music from the 18th century and earlier. They are also sometimes used in older instruments in fragile condition, where a synthetic string would potentially harm the instrument. Tonally, they can be compared to the speaking voice. Later it was found that strings could be improved by winding metal around the gut. The resulting strings were stronger and more even, and by tuning them to a higher tension more volume could be drawn out of the same instrument. The higher tension results in an equivalent pitch because the outer winding gives them greater mass. Although an enormous improvement, this design still has a tendency to go out of tune and snap more easily than modern synthetic strings. Nevertheless some players are willing to forgo the reliability of synthetic strings for the warm, singing tone of metal-wound gut strings. Modern strings are most commonly either synthetic material wound with metal (various), pure metal (various), braided steel filaments, or else monofilament steel. The uppermost E string is usually a steel mono-filament: carbon steel plated with gold delays corrosion of the steel, or stainless steel gives a slightly different tone. Synthetic-cored strings, the most popular of which is Perlon™ (a trade name for stranded nylon wound with metal), combine some of the tonal qualities of gut strings with greater longevity and tuning stability. They are also much less sensitive to changes in humidity than gut strings, and less sensitive to changes in temperature than all-metal strings. All-metal strings are stiff when newly replaced, and tend to go out of tune quickly. The price of these different string types varies dramatically; gut and gut-core strings are typically the most expensive, followed by leading synthetic core brands, and student steel strings at the lowest price range. Bow The hair of the bow is traditionally white horse (male) hair, although many cheaper bows use synthetic fiber. The hair must be frequently rubbed with rosin in order to grip the strings and cause them to vibrate. The stick is traditionally made of pernambuco (or brazilwood in cheaper bows), although some student bows are made of fiberglass. Recent innovations have allowed carbon-fiber to be used as a material for the stick at all levels of craftsmanship. For more on the materials of the bow, see Bow (music). Acoustics It has been known for a long time that the thickness of the wood and its physical qualities govern the sound of a stringed instrument such as the violin. The sound and tone of the violin is determined by how the belly and back plates of the violin behave acoustically, according to modes or schemes of movement determined by German physicist Ernst Chladni. Patterns of the nodes (places of no movement) made by sand sprinkled on the plates with the plate vibrated at certain frequencies are called "Chladni patterns", and are often used by luthiers to verify their work before assembling the instrument. A scientific explanation includes a discussion of how the properties of the wood determines where the nodes occur, whether the plates move with end or diagonally opposite points rising together or in various mixed modes. Sizes Children learning the violin often use 'three-quarter', 'half', 'quarter', and on down to 'sixteenth' sized violins. Occasionally, even a 'thirty-second' sized instrument is used. In all meaningful parts, they are scaled but otherwise identical to full-sized instruments. The body length (not including the neck) of a 'full-size' or 4/4 violin is 14 inches (or smaller in some models of the 17th century). The 3/4 violin is 13 inches, and the 1/2 size is 12 inches. There is a size referred to as '7/8' which is approximately 13.5 inches, but this size is fairly rare. The viola is also made in different sizes, but the n/4 designation is not used for violas. Instead, the viola size is specified in inches, giving the length of the body. A 'full-size' viola averages 16 inches. When determining the violin size appropriate for a child, a general rule is to have the child hold the instrument against the neck, and reach out past the end of the scroll. Different teachers will have different methods for picking the appropriate size: some feel that students can handle a size if they are able to reach around the end of the scroll to the point of being able to see the tips of the fingers, while others recommend smaller sizes as safter, opting to have students play on instruments where the scroll falls short of a student's wrist. Sometimes, the finger board is inlayed or otherwise marked with finger positions; however, these are not a fret as with a guitar or other stringed instrument. This is often achieved by applying a piece of adhesive tape across the finger board in several places. This tape method is very popular for beginning violinists but is quickly abandoned as players advance. There are also commercial decals made for this purpose which are more convenient to install, and typically more accurate than individual tapes. Another commonly-used marking technique is the placement of dots of 'white-out' on the fingerboard. These dots wear off in a few weeks with regular practice. Playing the violin The violin is usually held under the chin and supported by the left shoulder. It is played by using the right hand either to draw the bow across one or more of the strings near the bridge, causing the string to vibrate, or to pluck the string. The left hand then controls the pitch by regulating the sounding length of the string by pressing it down towards the fingerboard. The different fundamental ("open") pitches of the four strings facilitate a wide range of notes to be accessible with the left hand staying in one position. Left Hand & Producing Pitch The placement of the fingers on the strings invokes no physical aid like frets; the player must achieve the correct position from skill alone, or else the instrument will sound out of tune. Violin players practice long hours to attain good "intonation", a skill that results from training the fingers to land in the right places, training the ear to distinguish when a note is or isn't in tune, and cultivating the ability to correct the pitch very rapidly (and automatically) as notes are being played. A professional violinist usually knows the correct position of each note through constant pratice, but since it is impossible to be perfect, they "sing" the note in their mind. When the note is sung, then the violinist can accordingly adjust to that pitch. For example, Jascha Heifetz, said to be a genius of the violin and never practiced finger exercises, played very much in tune due to his very quick adjusting. The fingers are conventionally numbered "first" (index) through "fourth" (little finger). The digits 1, 2, 3, 4 and O sometimes appear over the notes in violin music, especially in instructional editions, to indicate which finger to use, with "O" indicating "open" string. The strings can be referred to either by numbers or by the notes they produce when bowed "open" (without being pushed to the fingerboard, see below) from the nut: 1st string = E-string (highest), 2nd string = A-string, 3rd string = D-string, 4th string = G-string (lowest). Higher notes can be achieved by sliding the hand up the neck of the violin and pressing the fingers down to shorten the string length. Positions The placement of the left hand on the fingerboard is characterized by "positions". First position, where all beginners start, is nearest to the nut (towards the scroll) and farthest from the bridge (away from the violinist's face). The lowest note available in this position (and on any standard violin in standard tuning) is an open G (again, see below); the highest note in first position is made by pressing the fourth finger down on the E-string, sounding what musicians would call a "high" B. Thus, in first position, the first finger placed on the E-string gives an F#. Pressing the first finger instead on a G (still on the E-string) is called second position. Third position is achieved when the first finger presses down on an A, and so on. The upper limit of the violin's range is largely determined by the skill of the player. A good player can easily play more than two octaves on a single string, and four octaves on the instrument as a whole. Excepting only the lowest and highest notes, the same note can be played on multiple strings in different positions. That is, the "high" B note referred to above can be played not only by the fourth finger on the E-string in first position, but also by the fourth finger in fifth position on the A-string, in ninth position on the D-string, and in thirteenth position on the G-string. Violinists often change positions on the lower strings, sometimes to the consternation of composers and much to the confusion of beginners. This is usually done to handle a musical passage which would otherwise require fast switching (or "crossing") of strings. It is also done to produce a particular timbre: the same note will sound substantially different depending on what string is used to play it. That "high" B, when played on the E-string (the highest, usually a mono-core metal string) can have a clear, even piercing timbre; the same "high" B played on the A-string or D-string or G-string (usually wrapped strings rather than mono-core) may sound "warmer" or less abrasive. For this reason violinists often avoid playing a single note on the E-string within a phrase of notes on the A-string, as one E-string note would stand out with a different timbre. Sometimes the composer or arranger will specify the string to be used in order to achieve their desired tone quality. The most common indication uses the letter name of the string: for example, the composer wants a passage that would otherwise be taken on the D-string to be played on the G-string, so he writes "sul G" or "G saite" or "G corde" on the part. Occasionally, numbers are used, so the example might be written "4. corde" or "IV corde" (as above, with the highest string being #1 and the lowest #4). Open strings A special timbre results from playing a note without touching its string with a finger, thus sounding the lowest note on that string. Such a note is said to played on an open string. Open string notes (G, D, A, E) have a very distinct sound resulting from absence of the damping action of a finger, and from the fact that vibrato (see below) is extremely difficult. Other than low G (which can be played in no other way), open strings are usually selected for special effects. One striking effect that employs open strings is bariolage. Here, the player fingers the same note of an open string (necessarily D, A, or E) on the immediately lower string, then moves the bow with a rapid snake-like motion that causes it to touch the fingered string and the open string alternatingly. The same pitch is thus sounded, but the different timbres of an open string vs. a fingered string produce an audible rhythmic pulsation. Bariolage was a favorite device of Joseph Haydn, who used it for example in his string quartet Opus 50 no. 6, and in the "Farewell" Symphony. Playing two open strings simultaneously produces a bagpipe-like drone, often used by composers in imitation of folk music. Audio samples Style Audio (Ogg) Fingered 67 KB ▶ Open 49 KB ▶ Double-stop 90 KB ▶ Pizzicato 44 KB ▶ Vibrato 55 KB ▶ See the Violins category at Wikipedia Commons for more media Double-stopping Double stopping is when two separate strings are depressed (stopped) by the fingers, and bowed simultaneously, producing a chord. This is much harder than normal single-string playing as more than one finger has to be accurately placed on two different strings simultaneously. Sometimes moving to a higher position is necessary in order for it to be physically possible for the fingers to be placed in the correct places. Double stopping is also used to mean playing on three or all four strings at once, although such practices are more properly called triple or quadruple stopping. Collectively, double, triple and quadruple stopping is called multiple stopping. See Double stop for general information about the techniques of double stopping and bowing. Vibrato Vibrato is a very common technique used by violinists which causes the pitch of a note to vary up and down quickly. This is achieved by moving the finger pressing on the string slightly forwards and backwards. Violinists oscilliate backwards from the actual note when using vibrato, never forward. Vibrato is often perceived to create a more emotional sound, and it is employed heavily in music of the Romantic era. There are several different styles of vibrato ranging from the use of just the fingers, to the use of the wrist or even the whole forearm. These produce different effects and are favoured by different players for different styles of music. Some styles of music use little or no vibrato at all. It is often thought that vibrato can partially disguise an out of tune note, the intuitive idea being that the ear should not be able track pitch as accurately when it is moving up and down. However, recent experimental work finds no such effect: the human ear detects the upper pitch of the vibrato, then the lower one (not the mean frequency). It is not necessarily the case that results obtained under careful experimental conditions will carry over to real-life playing, and there is at least some evidence that vibrato may be able to disguise mistuning at faster tempos. Nevertheless, it now appears that individuals learning to play the violin are well advised never to suppose that using vibrato will help them with their pitch problems. In fact, music students are taught that unless marked in music, vibrato is assumed and even mandatory. There are two main types of vibrato: The one originating from the arm, and the one from the wrist. Both these styles produce a similar sound. The arm vibrato is more primitive. Harmonics Just touching the string with a finger and not pressing down can create harmonics. This means that instead of the normal solid tone a wispy-sounding note of a higher pitch is heard. This is caused by the light finger blocking the string's fundamental; the string must be touched exactly at a "node", an integer division of the string, for example exactly half-way along the length of the string, or exactly one-third along the length of the string. When one touches the node at one of these points, the string vibrates in parts: either in halves or thirds, in these two examples. The pitch produced in these two cases will be an octave higher in the case of halves, and an octave and a fifth higher in the case of the string vibrating in thirds. This way, different members of the string's harmonic series are allowed to sound. If the pressure on the string is too deep, the harmonic will not sound, and a scratchy, unclear sound will resonate, so it is essential to touch the node lightly. Harmonics are marked in music with a little circle above the note that determines the pitch of the harmonic. There are two types of harmonics: natural harmonics and artificial harmonics. Natural harmonics are the type of harmonic described in the first paragraph of this section, and are achieved by simply touching the string with one finger at a node point. This is a relatively easy technique, and can be done by most beginner to intermediate students. Artificial harmonics, however, are much more difficult. They requires pressing down a finger on one string (for example, first finger on the D string on the note "E"), and having another finger just touching the string a fourth higher, in this case on the position of the note "A". When the violinist stops the string with the first finger, and touches it lightly with the fourth finger in this way, the node one-fourth of the way along the string is touched, and the string will vibrate in four parts, sounding a tone two octaves above the note that is stopped (in this case, E). The distance between the two fingers must be extremely accurate, or else the harmonic will not sound. In addition, the pressure from the bow and the two fingers must be exactly right or it will not sound. The "harmonic finger" can also touch at a major third above the pressed note, or a fifth higher. These harmonics are less commonly used because they are even more difficult to make sound well. In the case of the major third, the harmonic is higher in the overtone series, and does not speak as readily; in the case of the fifth, the stretch is greater than is comfortable for many violinists. The sounding pitch of the major third harmonic is two octaves and a major third above the lower note, and in the case of the fifth, it is an octave and a fifth above the lower note. Traditional notation of artificial harmonics uses two notes on one stem: the lower note employs a round note-head representing where the string is strongly stopped with the first finger, and the upper note uses an open diamond note-head representing where the string is lightly touched with the fourth finger. Elaborate passages in artificial harmonics can be found in virtuoso violin literature, especially of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Right Hand & Tone Colour The right arm & hand are responsible for tone quality, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, and certain (but not all) changes in timbre. Bowing techniques The violin produces louder notes when the player either moves the bow faster or pushes down harder on the string. The two methods are not equivalent, because they produce different timbres; pressing down on the string tends to produce a harsher, more intense sound. The location where the bow intersects the string also influences timbre. Playing close to the bridge (sul ponticello) gives a more intense sound than usual, emphasizing the higher harmonics; and playing with the bow over the end of the fingerboard (sul tasto) makes for a delicate, ethereal sound, emphasizing the fundamental frequency. There are several methods of 'attack' with the bow that produce different articulations Détaché - The term détaché simply means ‘separated’ and it can be applied to any notes not linked by a slur. Stopping the bow on the string deadens the vibrations and thus creates a muted accent, elastic détaché which covered off-the-string strokes, and dragged détaché (détaché traîné) where smooth bow changes leave no audible gap between each note. Video Example of Detache. Legato - Of successive notes in performance, connected without any intervening silence of articulation. In practice, the connection or separation of notes is relative, and achieved through the presence or absence of emphasis, Accent and attack, as much as silences of articulation; degrees of connection and separation vary from legatissimo (representing the closest degree of connection), tenuto, portamento, legato, portato, non legato, mezzo-staccato, Staccato (the natural antonym of legato), to staccatissimo, and some of these terms have connotations going beyond simple degrees of connection or separation. Sautillé - A bowstroke played rapidly in the middle of the bow, one bowstroke per note, so that the bow bounces very slightly off the string of its own accord. It is not indicated in any consistent manner: sometimes dots are placed above or below the notes, sometimes arrow-head strokes, and sometimes the stroke is simply left to the performer's discretion. Spiccato and sautillé are sometimes used as synonyms, though Spiccato tends to be applied to a broader range of off-the-string strokes. Video Example of Sautille. col legno - Occasionally the strings are struck with the back of the bow (col legno). This gives a much more percussive sound, and is most effective when employed by a full orchestral violin section, since it produces little volume. "chopping" - A more modern percussive technique, in which the hair near the bottom of the bow is struck against the strings. It is used by some jazz musicians, including the Turtle Island String Quartet. Pizzicato When a note is marked pizz (abbreviation for pizzicato) in the written music, it is played by plucking the string with the pointer finger of the right hand rather than being bowed. Sometimes in virtuoso solo music where the bow hand is occupied, left hand pizz (or pizzicato) will be written in. In addition, some players have acquired the trick of playing fast pizzicato passages using two alternating fingers of the right hand. For details of how pizzicato notes are played, see the Wikipedia article "Pizzicato". Mute The tone of the violin can also be altered by attaching a small metal device called a mute to the bridge of the instrument usually between the middle two strings (D and A). This stops the bridge itself from vibrating as much, and causes a more mellow tone, with fewer audible harmonics above the note being played. It is often used for practice purposes to lower sound, and often in performances for a desired dulled effect. The effect on a single violin is noticeable, but mutes are more often used in an orchestral situation with the entire section playing with muted violins. There are also large metal, rubber, or wooden mutes available that encompass the top of the bridge. These are known as "practice mutes" or "hotel mutes". Such mutes are not used in performance, but are used to deaden the sound of the violin in practice areas such as hotel rooms. See also: How to play the violin Tuning Violins are tuned by twisting the pegs in the scroll (around which the strings are wrapped), or by winding the fine tuners at the tailpiece. A violin always has pegs, but Fine Tuners (also called adjustors) are optional. These permit the tension of the string to be adjusted in very small increments by rotating a small knob. Such tuning is generally easier than using the pegs, and adjustors are usually recommended for younger players, fractional sized instruments, those using high tension or metal strings, and/or beginners. Adjustors work best, and are most useful, with higher tension metal strings. It is very common to use one on the E-string even if the others are not equipped with them. The A string is tuned first, typically to 440 or 442Hz (see Pitch (music)). The other strings are then tuned to it in intervals of perfect fifths using double-stopping. Small tuning adjustments can also be made by stretching a string with the hand. The tuning G-D-A-E is used for the great majority of all violin music. However, other tunings are occasionally employed (for example, tuning the G string up to A), both in classical music (where the technique is known as scordatura) and in some folk styles. Making violins Stroh violin, from the Smithsonian Institute There is a three-dimensional geometric underlying construction that explains the main properties and placement of the different parts and proportions. The outer contour is designed by the violin maker, and today the outlines of the old masters' violins are usually used. The traditional approach starts with a set of plans, which include a drawing of the outer shape of the instrument. From these plans a template is constructed, which can be made from thin metal or other materials, and is a flat "half-violin" shape. The template is used to construct a mould, which is a thick violin-shaped piece of wood. Around the mould are built the sides (or ribs), which are flat pieces of wood curved by means of careful heating. The front and back are carved sections which fit on top. When the body is complete, the neck, which is carved out of a separate piece of wood (usually maple), is grafted on to complete the basic structure of the instrument. Maintenance "Quite as important as the excellence of the instrument is its care." -Carl Flesch, from The Art of Violin Playing The violin itself requires careful maintenance and it should last and improve for many years. Most importantly, whenever the violin has been used the collected rosin should be wiped from the varnish on the violin (under the strings) and bow with a soft cloth. If left for long enough, the rosin will fuse with the varnish. Cleaning the rosin off strings can also make a striking difference to the sound, and should be done regularly. Any kind of pure alcohol removes rosin and dirt very well but care must be exercised to prevent any alcohol from coming in contact with the varnished parts of the violin. The strings and fingerboard are the only parts which need alcohol for cleaning, and then only if the fingerboard is made from ebony. A neck or wooden chinrest does not react well to being cleaned in this way because the deliberately impregnated oil will be removed and eventually replaced with dirt. Ebony is the exception and plastic chinrests can also be cleaned with alcohol. The violin should be occasionally checked by a technician, who will know if repairs need to be made. The tuning pegs may occasionally be lubricated with "peg dope" (also called "peg drops"; a solution of rosin in alcohol), or "peg soap" (a soft solid cake of rosin resembling soap) when they either slide too freely, causing the violin to slip out of tune often, or they do not slide freely enough, making tuning difficult. Violinists carry replacement strings with their instruments to have one available in case a string breaks. A complete set of four replacement strings must be included because they differ in thickness and are not interchangeable. Even before breaking, worn strings may begin to sound tired and to become "false" over time, producing an unreliable pitch. Another common problem with strings is unravelling of the metal winding. Strings may need replacement every two or three months with frequent playing and practicing. The higher strings require replacement more frequently than the lower strings – fortunately higher strings cost less. The price of strings varies, and the quality of the strings strongly influences the timbre of the sound produced. A teacher can advise students how often to change strings, as it depends on how much and how seriously one plays. It is said that Niccolo Paganini purposefully weakened some of his strings so that in performance they would snap. He would then play the rest of the piece on the remaining strings, sometimes going into remarkably high positions in order to impress the audience. His "Variations on a Theme from Rossini's 'Moses'" is played on just the lowest string. For the bow, the only real maintenance is regular cleaning of the varnish with a cloth and re-hairing. In the course of playing the violin, hairs are often lost from the bow, making it necessary to have it rehaired periodically, which is done by professionals at roughly the cost of a new set of strings. The old horse hair or in some cases polyester is replaced with new hair. Other than that, the wire lapping can be replaced, and the screw (which tightens and loosens the bow) is lubricated at times, but big cracks and breakages are fatal, they cannot be repaired like the instrument itself can. A bow which has warped and is no longer straight can sometimes be bent back to true but this must be done with heat, by a craftsman, and it is not always successful or worthwhile. When the bow is not being used the hair must be loosened in order to prevent the bow from becoming "sprung" and the hair stretched. There are now bows available made from fiberglass or carbon composite which are less fragile. History An intricately carved 17th century (believed 1660) British Royal Family violin, on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The violin first emerged in northern Italy in the early 16th century. While no instruments from the first decades of the century survive, there are several representations in paintings; some of the early instruments have only three strings. Most likely the first makers of violins borrowed from three different types of current instruments: the rebec, in use since the 10th century (itself derived from the Arab rebab), the Renaissance fiddle, and the lira da braccio. The earliest explicit description of the instrument, including its tuning, was in the Epitome musical by Jambe de Fer, published in Lyons in 1556. By this time the violin had already begun to spread throughout Europe. It is said that the first real violin was built by Andrea Amati in the first half of the 16th century by order of the Medici family, who had asked for an instrument that could be used by street-musicians, but with the quality of a lute, which was a very popular instrument among the noble in that time. Andrea Amati, one of the famous luthiers, or lute-builders, in that time decided to use the technique of applying a mould to build the instrument very precisely. In addition to that, he made the instrument vaulted, for he knew that that would provide for a much greater tone than was common until then. Needless to say that the violin immediately became very popular, both among street-musicians and the noble, which is illustrated by the fact that the French king Charles IX ordered Amati to build a whole orchestra in the second half of the 16th century. The oldest surviving violin, dated inside, is the "Charles IX" by Andrea Amati, made in Cremona in 1564. Perhaps the most famous, and certainly the most pristine is the "Le Messie" (also known as the 'Salabue') made by Antonio Stradivari in 1716 and never used. It is now located in the Ashmolean Museum of Oxford. The most famous violin makers, called luthiers, between the late 16th century and the 18th century included: Amati family of Italian violin makers, Andrea Amati (1500-1577), Antonio Amati (1540-1607), Hieronymous Amati I (1561-1630), Nicolo Amati (1596-1684), Hieronymous Amati II (1649-1740) Guarneri family of Italian violin makers, Andrea Guarneri (1626- 1698), Pietro of Mantua (1655-1720), Giuseppe Guarneri (Joseph filius Andreae) (1666-1739), Pietro Guarneri (of Venice) (1695-1762), and Giuseppe (del Gesu) (1698-1744) Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) of Cremona Jacob Stainer (1617-1683) of Absam in Tyrol It is still believed, perhaps erroneously, that at the beginning of the 18th century, the violin was built in a way that can be expressed as "perfect", as the instruments built by, for example, Antonio Stradivari, when played by a skilled player, can provide a constant, firm and expressive tone, from the depths of the G-string until the highest note, some four octaves higher. The Stradivarius model of violin has been copied thousands of times by the greatest luthiers of following generations and now to the most exact tolerances technology can give us. It is commonly asserted that "Never since that time has a major improvement been made to the instrument", but changes have occurred, including: the fingerboard was made a little longer to be able to play even the highest notes, the fingerboard was tilted a little more, to produce even more volume as larger and larger orchestras became popular. nearly all old instruments were modified, including lengthening of the neck by one centimeter, in response to the raising of pitch that occurred in the 19th century. the bass bar of nearly all old instruments was made heavier to allow a greater string tension. the classical luthiers nailed and glued the instrument necks to the upper block of the body before gluing on the soundboard, while later luthiers mortise the neck to the body after completely assembling the body. The result of these adjustments are instruments that are significantly different in sound and response from those that left the hands of their makers. Regardless, most violins nowadays are built superficially resembling the old instruments even in completely non-functional details such as the decorative scroll at the top of the neck. Nevertheless, instruments of approximately 300 years of age, especially those made by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesù, are the most sought after instruments (for both collectors and performers). In addition to the skill and reputation of the maker, an instrument's age can also influence both price and quality. Jazz The earliest references to jazz performance using the violin as a solo instrument are documented during the first decades of the 20th century. The first great jazz violinist was Joe Venuti who is best known for his work with guitarist Eddie Lang during the 1920s. Since that time there have been many superb improvising violinists including Stéphane Grappelli, Stuff Smith, Ray Perry, Ray Nance, Claude "Fiddler" Williams, Leroy Jenkins, Billy Bang, Mat Maneri, Malcolm Goldstein, and others. Classical music Since the Baroque era the violin has been one of the most important of all instruments in classical music, for several reasons. The tone of the violin stands out above other instruments, making it appropriate for playing a melody line. In the hands of a good player, the violin is extremely agile, and can execute rapid and difficult sequences of notes. Indeed, the violin seems to lend itself to virtuosity more than any other instrument (its only plausible rival is the piano), and top violinists have amazed their audiences with their wizardry since the 17th century. The violin is also considered a very expressive instrument, which is often felt to approximate the human voice. This may be due to the possibility of vibrato and of slight expressive adjustments in pitch and timbre. Many leading composers have contributed to the violin concerto and violin sonata repertories. Violins make up a large part of an orchestra, and are usually divided into two sections, known as the first and second violins. Composers often assign the melody to the first violins (who are often given more technically difficult music), while second violins usually play harmony. A string quartet similarly has parts for first and second violins, as well as a viola part, and a bass instrument, such as the cello or, rarely, the bass. Popular music While the violin has had very little usage in rock music compared to its brethren the guitar and bass guitar, independent artists such as Final Fantasy and Andrew Bird have recently increased interest with the onset of the genre known as violindie. The hugely popular Motown recordings of the 60's and 70's relied heavily on strings as part of the trademark texture. Earlier genres of pop music, at least those separate from the Rock 'n' Roll movement, tended to make use of fairly traditional orchestras, sometimes large ones; examples include the American "Crooners" such as Bing Crosby. Though strings were heavily popular and relied upon in almost all types of music genre recordings in the 60's and 70's, disco music, which surged aggressively onto the music scene in the early to mid 1970's, also relied heavily upon strings within its compositions; in fact, almost all disco/dance music of that era incorporated the use of strings within its compositions and arrangements. After the sudden decline of disco began in the late 70's and early 80's, the use of strings not only dwindled in disco music, but ceased in almost all types of popular music during that time and more so immediately after disco's death. The 1980's saw an insurgence of electronic music mimicking strings with little or no use of traditional strings in music compositions. Indian and Arabic pop music is filled with the sound of violins, both soloists and ensembles. Folk music Like many other instruments of classical music, the violin descends from remote ancestors, cruder in form, that were used for folk music. Following a stage of intensive development in the late Renaissance, largely in Italy, the violin had improved (in volume, tone, and agility), to the point that it not only became a very important instrument in art music, but proved highly appealing to folk musicians as well. As a folk instrument, the violin ultimately spread very widely, sometimes displacing earlier bowed instruments, and ethnomusicologists have observed its use in many locations throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In many traditions of folk music, the tunes are not written but are memorized by successive generations of musicians and passed on in both informal and formal contexts. See the immediately following section on the fiddle for more information. Fiddle When played as a folk instrument, the violin is ordinarily referred to in English as a fiddle. One very slight difference between "fiddles" and ordinary violins may be seen in American (e.g., bluegrass and old-time music) fiddling: in these styles, the bridge is often shaved down so that it is less curved. This makes it easier to play double stops, and often makes triple stops possible, allowing one to play chords. Most musicians agree that the technical difference between a violin and a fiddle is the bridge. Most classical violinists prefer rounded bridges that allow them to more easily articulate the notes which have better clarity. Fiddlers often prefer flatter bridges that allow the playing of double notes and shuffles. In practice, most instruments are constructed with a rounded bridge to better accommodate the shape of the fingerboard. Historically, the word fiddle also referred to a predecessor of today's violin. Like the violin, it tended to have 4 strings, but came in a variety of shapes and sizes. Another series of instruments which contributed to the development of the modern fiddle was the viol, which was played while held between the legs, and has a fretted fingerboard. Fiddle styles To a greater extent than classical violin playing, fiddle playing is characterized by a huge variety of ethnic or folk music traditions, each of which has its own distinctive sound, including, but not limited to: American fiddling, including Old Time fiddling New England style fiddling Cajun fiddling Texas style fiddling Contest Fiddling Bluegrass fiddling Balkan Music & Táncház (Transylvanian) or Romanian Music Newfoundland fiddle player Patrick Moran Canadian fiddling, including Cape Breton fiddling, with a distinct Scottish and Acadian influence Québécois fiddling, influenced from the Brittany area of northern France Newfoundland fiddling, with a strong Irish Sliabh Luachra style of playing English fiddling French fiddling (including a rich Breton fiddling tradition) Irish fiddling (with many distinct styles, including, for example, the Donegal fiddle tradition) Nordic folk fiddling (including Hardanger fiddling) Scottish fiddling Slovenian fiddling South Indian Carnatic fiddling Fiddle players Mark O'Connor is a well-known fiddler who mostly plays American styles. English folk fiddle players include Dave Swarbrick and Ric Sanders, both of whom have been members of Fairport Convention, and the "darling" of the new generation of English folk musicians Eliza Carthy. Famous Bluegrass fiddle players include John Hartford and Alison Krauss. Charlie Daniels is a famous fiddle player in southern rock. He is perhaps most famous for the song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". Sharon Corr (of the folk/rock band, The Corrs) is well known for interchanging from classical violin style to Irish fiddle style from song to song (sometimes during the same song). Examples of this are the songs "The Right Time" and The Corrs' remake of the Fleetwood Mac hit, "Dreams". Famous Canadian fiddlers include Nova Scotian fiddlers Ashley MacIsaac and Natalie MacMaster and Newfoundland fiddler Patrick Moran. Doug Kershaw is a famous Louisiana player of Cajun fiddle music. See also For instruments related to the violin, see String instruments. See also Electric violin and Stroh violin. The piccolo violin, a transposing instrument playing a major third higher than written, appears in a few works by Bach. Violinist List of violinists Luthier Category:Composers for violin Category:Classical violinists Further reading and external links www.PabloSarasate.com Online Violin Dictionary, Violin Books and Ebooks, Sheet Music Downloads, Violin Journal - MusicForStrings.com Latin Violin, by Sam Bardfeld, ISBN 0962846775. The Contemporary Violin: ExtENDed Performance Techniques, by Patricia and Allen Strange, ISBN 0520224094 All About the Violin - Violin practice methods, music, and information violin making Anatomy of a violin The Fiddle and Alternative Strings Forum The geometric construction of the violin The history of the violin - A quick overview about the history of the violin, including answers to questions such as "Why old master instruments sound so good" the violin - A ThinkQuest 1999 website for education (history, manufacture, etc.) Violin Acoustics ViolinMP3.com - Violin Information, MP3, Music Downloads and Webcasts, Violin Literature Violinist.com - An online community of violinists, including discussion, blogs, FAQ and a luthier directory. BeginBand.com has information about learning to play the violin as well as a soundclip. 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Q&A: Violin Maker Sam Zygmuntowicz