Parts of a Violin

The violin is the smallest member of the string family. It can also be described as the "soprano" voice of a string ensemble, whether that be a small chamber group or a full symphony orchestra. The violin is a beautiful, well-crafted instrument that is comprised of the instrument itself and the accompanying bow that is necessary for playing it.

Body

The largest part of the violin is its body. It is carved from many types of wood of varying quality. The widest part is the bottom, with both sides curving inward toward the middle and flaring back in and finally together halfway up the fingerboard. Two holes are carved out of the body of the violin to facilitate sound resonance

Strings

The violin has four strings that vary in pitch from high to low: the E string (highest), A string (high), D string (lower) and G string (lowest). The strings of a student violin are usually made from thin, tightly wound metallic threads, while professional ones are manufactured from catgut. Violin strings must be replaced when they become worn and/or break.

Bow

The violin bow is comprised of several parts. The heaviest part (the frog) is located on the lower left-hand side of the bow and is weighted for balance. The bow itself is a long, narrow strip of wood (the stick) that attaches to the top of the frog and extends horizontally to meet with the hair of the bow. Depending on the quality of the bow, its hair is made from either plastic or horsehair.

Fingerboard

The fingerboard is a darker, heavier piece of wood that runs parallel to the violin body and extends several inches from its top. It is firmly affixed to the top of the violin body, with approximately 1 inch of space between it and the body. The violin's strings are pressed against the fingerboard to produce increasingly higher pitches, depending on how high or low on the fingerboard the string(s) are pressed.

Scroll and Pegs

The scroll comprises the uppermost part of a violin. Its purpose is mostly decorative. The utilitarian parts of the scroll are the pegs, which are used to tune the violin itself. Two pegs lie on either side of the scroll (one for each string), and can be wound or unwound to achieve the string's proper pitch. The scroll is attached to the main body of the violin by its wooden neck.

Bridge

The bridge of the violin is located between and in the middle of the two sound holes. It is carved from sturdy yet lightweight pieces of wood; the top of the bridge is curved, with four tiny notches in which to rest each string. The bottom of the bridge is molded tightly against the body, increasing the tension of each string. The strings are plucked or bowed to produce sound.

Fine Tuners

The fine tuners are located at the bottom of strings, below the bridge. Made of metal, they are screwed clockwise or counterclockwise to increase the tension of the string, subtly changing its pitch.

Resources

• Learn more about violin parts and their function
• Purchase spare violin parts