Violins

Buying a violin is a serious affair for both beginners as well as expert violinists. All the types may look similar to some. However, in reality, they differ in size, making, quality, and many more factors. Here is the detailed guide that will help you understand them better and choose the best.

A violin is a string instrument that typically has a hollow wooden body and four strings. It is the smallest yet highest-pitched instrument in the family. Players generally play it by drawing a bow on its strings. However, the other ways of playing include plucking the strings with the fingers or striking the strings by using the wooden side of the bow. It is an essential instrument in many musical genres. However, these are popular in the Western classical tradition. It is also important in folk music like jazz, bluegrass music, and country music. It has also been a part of non-western cultures like Iranian and Indian music. On this page, we will put forth many more important things you need to know so that you can find the best violin to buy online.

Things you need to know about Violins

In some respect, all the violins may seem similar. They have four strings stretched over the body. In addition to that, they have a neck and pegbox at one end and a tailpiece and chinrest on the other. The violins do not have as many types as modern musical instruments, but the difference is certainly there. They may vary because of size, genre, and type. The modern violins are present in acoustic, electric, acoustic-electric versions. The wood of the acoustic type projects sounds naturally through F-holes while using the bow on the strings. Speaking of the electric variety, it converts the sound of the bow to an electronic signal. Then, it is projected on headphones or an amplifier. Read on to know more.

Acoustic & electric violin

Acoustic violins come in traditional looking and hollow-bodied construction. These are sounding varieties that are of wood usually. They produce sound through f-holes that are there on both sides of the instrument. In addition, there is no need for amplification. This variety comes up with the real sound of the violin. Electric variety, on the other hand, is a solid-bodied type. They come with more artificial effects than their acoustic variety. This variety is good for performances in modern genres where the classical tone is not crucial, like jazz or rock. Recording and amplification are generally easier with these kinds of instruments.

Violins parts like violin strings, pegs, & fingerboard

A great violinist should understand the violin’s various parts and their functions. The decorative top of the instrument is a scroll. It has the shape of a scroll, but sometimes, it is carved in the shape of a person’s head. Four wooden pegs are there that the player uses to tune the instrument. If you tighten the string, it will raise the pitch, and if you loosen it, it lowers the pitch. The fingerboard is another part where the fingers press down on the strings. The pegbox is basically the enclosure inside which the strings are wound. Speaking of the strings themselves, they are four in number tuned in intervals of fifths. Corner blocks are the wooden blocks the stabilize the construction of the violin. Similarly, there are many more parts, each having a different function to perform.

Baroque violin, classical violins & more types

Violins are classified into many types depending upon the time period. Some of them are pre-Baroque stringed instruments, Baroque, classical, electric variety and more. Before violins came into existence, there was a wide range of string instruments popular. Some consider Baroque violins as the forefather of the modern violins that came in the 16^th century. It has a shallower neck angle that is usually thicker to support the string tension. Classical or acoustic violins then came into existence in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. They had more comfortable fittings for the players and were made up of different kinds of woods. Then, the electric and semi-electric varieties started becoming popular.