This document discusses the string instrument family, including violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. It describes the physical characteristics and musical roles of each instrument from highest to lowest register. Violin is the smallest and highest-pitched instrument, played with a bow. Cello is larger and lower-pitched, producing a lush tone. Double bass is the largest string instrument, rarely playing melodies and instead providing harmonic foundation.

1. Elements: Instruments
Strings
Music Appreciation
Unit 2

2. Instruments
• When one thinks of timbre one thinks of an
instrument or voice producing sound.
• Once an instrument produces sound and the
sound waves are carried through the air, the
listener hears the sound and turns it into
something meaningful.
• The types and kinds of musical instruments of
the world are many and varied.
• In Western Classical music there are six
categories and at least four instruments from
each.

3. Instruments
• Most of the instruments from the following
categories cover the range from high to low
SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass):
– Strings
– Woodwinds
– Brass
– Percussion
– Plucked Strings
– Keyboard

4. Strings
• Instruments on which tones are produced by
the vibrations of tightly stretched strings.
• The strings are long-drawn-out across a
wooden resonator to increase the volume.
• When playing string instruments they can be
either bowed, plucked or strummed.
• In western music the term “strings” refers to
the bowed instruments of the symphony
orchestra.

5. Strings
• From high to low they are:
– Violin
– Viola
– Cello (violoncello)
– Double Bass

6. Violin
• The highest pitched member of the bowed string
family. It consists of a wooden body in an outline of a
figure eight.
• With f shape sound holes, the length of the violin was
determined by the average length of the human arm
from the shoulder to the palm of the hand.
• More solo and orchestra works in the classical
literature have been written for the violin then any
other instrument.
• The 4 strings were originally made of pig gut or sheep
intestine, today the are metal or less common nylon.

7. Violin
• The bow which helps grab the strings while they
are being played is made of a wooden stick strung
end to end with horse hair.
• Resin is applied to help grip the hair of the bow
onto the violin string.
• The notes are produced by drawing the bow
across the strings.
• The right hand holds the bow while the left hand
holds the strings down by placing it on the
fingerboard to effectively shorten the string
length and make the notes higher.

8. Violin
• http://www.musicappreciation.com/violin.mp
3
• http://www.musicappreciation.com/violinexc
erpt.mp3

9. Viola
• The alto or midrange member of the string family
of instruments.
• It is longer and larger than the violin and it is
tuned a fifth lower than the violin (5 scale steps).
• Because it is longer it is often said that an ideal
violist should have long arms.
• The viola produces a thicker and perhaps warmer
tone than it’s brighter sibling the violin.
• Violists play most often in middle parts as
accompaniment.

10. Viola
• http://www.musicappreciation.com/viola.mp
3
• http://www.musicappreciation.com/violaexce
rpt.mp3

11. Cello
• The tenor of the string family. Much larger than
the violin or viola.
• So large that it’s performer sits with the cello
resting on his or her knees.
• A spike at the end of the cello supports the
instrument from the floor up.
• Having the same proportions as the violin and
viola the larger cello requires a greater stretch of
the left hand fingers but it can still play arpeggios,
chords, scales, etc.

12. Cello
• The cello is noted for its lush, vocal like
qualities and consequently has some of
classical music’s most expressive pieces are
written for it.
• It’s nick name “violoncello” means “little bass
viol or small double bass.”
• http://www.musicappreciation.com/cello.mp3
• http://www.musicappreciation.com/celloexce
rpt.mp3

13. Double Bass
• The lowest of the string instrument family.
• Known also as the “bass” (pronounced “base”) or the “bull
fiddle.”
• Because of it’s low register the double bass almost never
plays the main theme in a symphony orchestra setting but
instead provides the foundation for an orchestras tone.
• An average height of a double bass is six feet tall and the
bass player has to stand or sit on a high stool while playing.
• The strings of a double bass are very thick and the hands of
a player must be large and strong to play it comfortably.

14. Double Bass
• http://www.musicappreciation.com/doubleba
ss.mp3
• http://www.musicappreciation.com/doubleba
ssexcerpt.mp3