Trivial Trivia – Violin

In the 16th century in Italy, the name of this family of string instruments was violas da braccio. The modern-day violin family consists of the double bass, the cello, the viola, and the violin–each instrument is distinguished by their physical size, and their playing range (from low to high pitch).

The violin is the smallest, and the highest-pitched instrument in the violin family. It is commonly played by drawing a bow across its strings. It can also be played by plucking the strings (a playing technique known as pizzicato). It is a versatile instrument, and its sounds can be heard in a wide genre of music.

The violin typically has a wooden body, with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. The voice of the violin depends on its shape, the wood it is made from, the thickness of the wood of both the top and the back, and the varnish that coats its outside surface. The varnish and the wood improves with age, making the fixed supply of old violins much sought-after.

An electric violin is a violin intentionally equipped with an electronic output of its sound for the purpose of amplifying its sound; the audio output is transferred through an audio cable into an amp. Electric violin signals pass through electronic processing (in the same way as an electric guitar) to achieve a desired sound. This could include delay, reverb, chorus, distortion, or other effects. Electric violins are seen as experimental instruments; they are made in minimalistic designs, with non-traditional materials such as kevlar, glass and carbon fibres, to keep the instrument light.

Although the violin is traditionally and extensively used in classical music, electric violins are generally used by classical performers only in the performance of contemporary classical music. The electric violin is more frequently used by non-classical musicians in popular genres such as metal, rock, hip-hop, pop, jazz, country, new-age, and experimental music.

Is it too late to learn the violin?

Absolutely not. While you’re an adult, you’re actually more prone to learning the violin a lot quicker than if you were a child. Everyone has their reasons for wanting to play the violin, and I think at any age, that can really serve a great purpose for a lot of different goals that people have.

— Michael Sanchez, CEO and creator of Violin Tutor Pro

 

The violin is one of the hardest instruments to play (reason being the violin is a fretless instrument, and its playing technique is extremely demanding). But if you think you’re up for a challenge, then come on down to our studio for a free assessment, and join a class!

 

 

Hope to see you soon! Meanwhile, enjoy this piece of music played on an electric violin by a street performer:

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