by arquera www.flickr.com
A violin is a beautiful instrument to look at. That beauty, which comes from the instrument's curved and often shiny body, is what helps make the sound you hear. The body of a violin is hollow. The strings are above the body, suspended by a bridge. The bridge is a small, maple piece of wood. This bridge is secured on the instrument because of the tension of the strings. When the violin is played, the vibration of the strings is transferred from the bridge to the body. The vibration is amplifed in the body of the violin, and this is the sound you hear.
by Martin Pettitt www.flickr.com
There are two ways to vibrate the strings. The first way is to pluck them. This is also called pizzicato. The second way is to use a bow, which is the most common way people play the violin during most musical pieces. The bow is usually made from wood, but it can also be made from fiberglass or carbon fiber. The bow is strung with finely combed horsehair.
by Greg PC www.flickr.com
Rosin, which is made from tree sap, helps create friction between the bow and the strings on the violin. Rosin is put on the horsehair on the bow. The bow will then grip the strings as it is being pulled across and create vibrations, which are amplified by the body of the violin. Then, you hear the sound produced by the violin. Without the rosin, the horsehair just slides over the strings, and most likely, you wouldn't hear anything when the violin is played.
