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What is a string instrument? |
Music
Violin. Guitar. Cello. Viola. Double bass. These are the names of string instruments (also known as stringed instruments), which are instruments that create sound when their strings are plucked, struck, strummed, or played with a stick-like tool called a bow.
Most string instruments are made from wood and have curved bodies and necks. The strings stretch across the instrument and create different notes when vibrated with a bow or the player’s fingers. The inside of a string instrument is hollow, which helps to amplify the sound. The smaller string instruments, such as the viola and violin, produce higher notes, while the larger string instruments like the cello and double bass create lower notes.
String instruments make up the largest instrument family in an orchestra, which is the name for a large group of musicians who play their instruments together. If you’ve ever heard orchestra musicians play, you know what a beautiful sound the string instruments can make, especially in a group, or what a surprise it can be when a violinist uses fingers to pluck the strings instead of a drawing a bow across them!
Did you know that the strings of a string
instrument can be made from materials such as metal, nylon, and even
animal gut? Or that the strings of a bow are made from horse tail
hair?! Now that’s some clever craftsmanship!
