Name:
Violin; usually used as a solo instrument. When used in an orchestra, it is divided into first violins (plays the melody) and second violins.
Family:
String
How to Play:
By rubbing the bow across the strings, the musician changes the tone color and dynamics of the sound. By pressing the string/s on the fingerboard, the musician changes the pitch of the sound. Common playing techniques used in string instruments include double stop, harmonics, mute, pizzicato, tremolo and vibrato. Violins can be played while seated or standing.
Types:
The violin is the smallest and has the highest range in a symphony orchestra's string section. Violins may be classified according to type (i.e. acoustic or electric), size, period or era and country of origin. Visit this page for more information on the various types of violins.
First known Violin:
The violin is believed to have evolved from the Rebec and the Lira da braccio. In Europe, the earliest four-stringed violin was used in the first part of the century.
Famous Violinists:
Some of the most famous violinists are: Arcangelo Corelli, Giovanni Baptiste Viotti, Nicolo Paganini, Arnold Schoenberg, Felix Mendelssohn, Antonio Vivaldi, Franz Schubert and Gioacchino Rossini.