Instruments that produce sounds through the vibration of strings have been in existence for so many years, and mankind has never slowed down on the possibility of designing new string instruments ever since they discovered what they could do.
As we mentioned earlier, string instruments are instruments that produce sounds through the vibration of strings.
There are several instruments that make up the string family, but the common ones you must have come in contact with are the viola, violin, electric bass, guitar, harp, ukulele, banjo, double bass, cello, and mandolin.
If you play a string instrument today, you must have come across one or more of these instruments just mentioned.
Taking a close observation at the instruments just mentioned that make up the string family, you will notice that they all share something in common. What they share in common is the wood used in making most of them.
Since these instruments all have wood as the primary material used in their construction, why are they referred to as string instruments and not wooden instruments?
This is one question that is likely to run across your mind if you pay close attention to the material used in designing a string instrument. This question isn’t totally out of place.
The bodies of string instruments are designed to have a hollow design which makes it possible for sounds to vibrate right inside of them.
You can tell through close observation that all of these instruments are designed using various wooden materials. However, the string is the part of a string instrument responsible for making sounds.
The strings you will find on a string instrument can be made of either gut, steel, or nylon string material.
Drawing a bow across the string is one of the easiest ways you can play a string instrument, while the handle of the bow is also designed using wooden material. There are times when a musician will prefer using his fingers to drawstrings.
Read This – History Of Percussion Instruments
Types Of String Instruments
In some cases, they might end up turning the bow upside down. This makes it easier for them to play the string instrument using the wooden handle.
When it comes to the instrument family with the largest number of instruments, the string family is one that holds this title. They come in four sizes when talking about orchestra music.
We are referring to instruments like the double bass, cello, viola, and violin. These are the instruments you will find in orchestra music, and viola and violin make high-pitched sounds even though they are considered the smallest in size. Producing low rich sounds is what the cello and double bass are known for.
You should also be aware of the fact that these instruments boast of having a similar shape, and they tend to have the same curvy wooden necks and wooden bodies.
Now that you have read a good introduction to the string instrument family, continue reading this post as we will be discussing some of the best string instruments.
Trendy Post – How To Balance Treble And Bass
Instruments Found In The String Family
Violin
This instrument is considered the baby of the string family, but it is still the instrument that produces the highest sound. You will find more amount of violins in orchestra music than any other instrument from the string family, and these violins are divided into two groups when talking about orchestra music.
The first group is tasked with delivering melody, while the second group is tasked with delivering either harmony or melody. You rest the violin on your shoulder and chin when playing, while the other hand is used in playing the instrument using its bow on the strings.
Viola
This is the older instrument the Violin instrument, and this instrument comes with thick strings that will provide players with warm and rich tones.
You will find about ten to fourteen viola in orchestra music, and the viola is played the same way as the violin. Rest the instrument on one shoulder and use the bow to play with the other hand.
Cello
This instrument shares the same look with the viola and violin, but it has a large size compared to bother instruments.
It also features thicker strings you won’t find in the viola and violin, and what makes this instrument unique is the fact that it sounds like a human voice. It offers various tones when played.
This instrument will offer bright and warm notes when it is being played, and you are going to find about eight to twelve cello instruments in orchestra music.
The cello is played in a similar manner to when playing the violin and viola instrument, and this implies resting it on one shoulder, and playing with the other hand using the bow.
Double Bass
Regarded as the grandfather of all the instruments in the string family, you are staring at an instrument that is about six feet long.
It is considered the biggest instrument in the string family, and every orchestra music should have about six to eight double basses. You will need to sit on a stool or stand up straight to play this instrument.
This instrument is going to produce sounds that are similar like the cello, and the hands serve different functions when playing this instrument.
The right hand is for playing the bow on the strings, while the left hand is for switching between pitches.
Harp
The Harp instrument is the last and final instrument you will read about in this detailed and exciting post, but this instrument is one that is designed to be different from all other instruments we have talked about.
It has a height of six feet, and it also comes in the shape of a seven. Its forty-seven strings do not have the same length.
You will find either one or two harps in orchestra music today, and these harps are responsible for the harmony and melody you will hear in orchestra music. Every string found on a harp will play a separate note.
You can play the harp by plucking the strings using either your thumbs or fingers. There are seven-foot pedals attached to a harp. Each pedal is tasked with changing the pitch of each string.
