VIOLIN:

A CRASH COURSE ON
The first violin has been traced back to Italy VIOLIN AND VIOLA,
in the 1550’s, and although it went through
minor changes, it eventually developed into ANATOMY: STRINGED
the instrument we know today.

The modern violin has a range of a G3 (the

G below “middle C”) to an A7, rounding out
INSTRUMENTS
to about 3 octaves of range. Violins can
come in many different sizes, but a full-size
violin is typically 14 inches long.

VIOLA:
The first viola is often traced back to the
early to mid 1500’s, and it’s unclear whether
the viola came before or after the violin.
Violas have all the same parts as a violin,
except they tend to be a bit bigger, and a
standard viola is around 16.5 inches long.
Violas also have a lower range than violins
(typically C3-E6).
THE BOW:
The bow is, by far, the oldest part of the
stringed instrument family. The first use of the
bow was in 800 AD in China. Since then,
bows have gone from being made of horse
hair to being made of synthetic fibers, Either
way, you should never touch the hairs on your
bow, and should use a special lubricant called
rosin to keep your bow moisturized.
CELLO:
While the violin and viola came about in the
1500’s, it wasn’t until the 1700’s that the
cello or “violoncello” was perfected.
Cellos have a range from C2-C6, meaning
they play lower notes than the violin and
viola, and, like the double bass, they have
an endpin to stand upright when you play it.
DOUBLE BASS:
The double bass was thought to have been
invented with the violin and viola in the
1500’s, but the instrument didn’t become
popular until the late 1700’s and early
1800’s.
Double basses used to be much larger (15-
16 feet tall!) and required multiple people to
play them, but in the 1650’s the overwound
gut string was invented, and this allowed
instrument makers to make double basses
much smaller without changing their sound
and range (typically C2-C5).
CELLO AND DOUBLE PURCHASING YOUR
BASS ANATOMY: INSTRUMENT:
• Shop new, and shop local (instruments
increase in value over time)
• Compare the price of an instrument
package (ex. Bows, rosin, strings, etc)
with buying these items separately
• Bargain to get the best deal
CARE:
• Never hold your instrument by the
strings! Always hold the neck!
• NEVER touch your bow hair
• Loosen your bow hairs after you’re done
playing
• Wipe the rosin off of your strings after
you’re done playing
• Re-hair your bow every 6 months
• Keep your instrument in a room with a
humidifier to keep the wood in prime
condition