THE VIOLIN

THE VIOLIN
The Violin is a hollow,
wooden instrument
with 4 strings.
It can be played with
a bow (left) or it can
be plucked.
The four stings are
spaced out in perfect
fifths. G,D,A,E.
The strings are tuned
using the pegs at the
top or fine tuners at
the bottom.

GENERAL INFO
The bow used to play
the violin is made out
of wood as well,
however the part of
the bow that moves
across the string is
made of horse hair.
This causes vibration
which is amplified in
the hollow box. To
change the note on a
violin, you place your
four fingers on the
finger board. (below)

To change the
pitch of the
note, you press
your fingers on
different places
on the
fingerboard
Your thumb is
used to hold
the violin.
The further
down the finger
board your
fingers are, the
higher pitch the
note will be.
PLAYING IT
The Violin is held in the left hand
and rested against the shoulder.
Vibrato [1]is an effect that makes the
note vary in pitch. By wobbling the
finger on the fingerboard.
Tremelando/Tremolo [2] The bow
is pulsed quickly at the top of the bow to create a trembling
effect. It is played very quietly.
Pizzicato [3] Violinist plays by only plucking the strings. It
can be played with the left or right
hand.
Staccato [4] In Italian it means
detached and is a form of violin
where 2 notes are seperate or detached from each other.






























































































[1]
[4]
[2] [3]
THE HISTORY

The Greek Lyre is one one of the
earliest stringed instruments.
In the 9
th
century, the Lyre spread into the
Byzantine Empire of Eastern Europe and
North Africa and evolved into the Lira.
The Lira spread through Europe westward in the 11
th

and 12
th
century where it evolved further.
In the following centuries there were 2 main
stringed instruments in Europe. The
Lira da Braccio (Violin for the Arm) and Lira
da Gamba (Violin for the leg). Eventually, the
quieter, Lira da Gamba lost ground to the
Braccio.




Lira Da Braccio
Byzantine Empire
THE HISTORY
Meanwhile, at around the 12
th
to 13
th
century, the
Greek Lyre spread east into the Middle East and
there it evolved into the Rebek (right)
In the following centuries the Lira da Braccio
merged with the Arabic Rebekand eventually
became the modern European Violin we know
today.
Rebek
Greek Lyre
Lira
Rebek
Lira da Braccio
Lira da Gamba
Modern Violin
Time Line
FAMOUS COMPOSERS FOR THE VIOLIN
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 1741) Italian Baroque
composer. Composed over 500 different
concertos but is most famous for his series of
violin concertos The Four Seasons.
Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770 1827) is
considered the most influential composer of the
Romantic Era. His Violin Concerto in D major is
one among the "4 great violin concertos". Written
in 1806, the concerto performed very little until
well after his death.
Nicolo Paganini (1782 1840) who is considered
by many as the greatest violinist ever lived was
born in Genova, Italy. His compositions include 24
caprices for unaccompaied violin. These pieces
are among the most difficult works written for
violin.
Antonio Vivaldi
Ludwig Van
Beethoven
Nicolo Paganini
20
TH
CENTURY INFLUENCE
Like most things, the 20
th
Century has had a huge
impact on the modern day violin.
Through out the twentieth century with the invention
and improvement of electrical amplification, came the
birth of the electric violin.
They are made with built in pick up which converts
the sound into an electrical signal which can then be
amplified .
They are often used when soloists are playing to
large crowds because they are louder than the normal
violin.
Since the invention of the electric stringed instrument
it is a common sight to see purely electrical stringed
quartets or bands. These bands mix popular electric
music with the classical sound of the violin.