- The violin is based on the ancient musical instrument known as the lyre. During the 1400s, a similar instrument, known as the viol, developed, and it was from the viol that a lute maker named Gasparo da Salo created what is regarded as the first violin in the 1500s. In 1555, Andrea Amati, the patriarch of a dynasty of legendary violin makers, created the first violin with four strings and earned the title of "father of the modern violin."
- More than a century after Salo and Amati, Antonio Stradivarius perfected the design of the violin and created a varnish formula that improved the timbre of the instrument. Stradivarius violins are considered to the be greatest violins ever made. It is estimated that only around 600 authentic Stradivarius violins exist today, and each one is worth millions of dollars (see Resources).
- The violin is part of the family of musical instruments known as the bowed stringed instrument, along with its cousin the viola and the larger cello. The violin has the highest pitch of any of the bowed string instruments. The sound of the violin is most often produced by drawing a bow across the strings, but it can also be played by plucking the strings.
- The violin is essentially a hollow box with a slightly hourglass shape. The instrument rests on the left shoulder. The musician rests his chin on a chinrest located at the end of the body. The bow is held in the right hand and brought across the four strings while the left hand either plucks the strings or holds them down to produce different sounds.
- The bow of a violin is simply two pieces of wood with material stretched between them. Most bows are made of horsehair, but synthetic material like very fine fiberglass may also be used. An increase in pressure on the bow against the strings will produce louder notes. Although it may seem as though a violinist is merely pushing and pulling the bow across the violin, there are actually many different techniques that are designed to produce different effects.
- Controversy continues over the difference between a violin and a fiddle. Although no consensus has yet been reached, the convention states that a violin becomes a fiddle when it is used to play certain types of folk music. When a violin is played in American country music, for instance, it is typically referred to a fiddle (see Resources).
