| Violins are among the most versatile musical | | | | of wood that are merely painted to look like |
| instruments, evidenced by their use in many | | | | ebony. Traditionally, violin strings were |
| different musical genres. Some types of | | | | made of gut, but they are usually made of |
| music that commonly feature violins are | | | | metal now. The violin is played by pressing |
| classical music, pop, bluegrass, country, and | | | | the strings against the fingerboard with the |
| jazz. | | | | left hand while rubbing a bow across the |
| | | | strings with the right hand. The bow is a |
| A violin is the smallest of the stringed | | | | long wooden rod with stands of horsehair tied |
| instruments. Other stringed instruments | | | | to each end. A violin bow looks similar to a |
| include the viola and the cello. It has four | | | | bow used to shoot arrows, but is much |
| strings, tuned, from low to high, G D A E, | | | | smaller. Violinists usually play one note on |
| each note being a perfect fifth of the one | | | | one string at a time, but they can play |
| below it. A violin looks like a hollow wooden | | | | chords by holding down and bowing more than |
| box with a long neck protruding from one end. | | | | one string at once. Some pieces of music |
| The body of the violin is usually made of a | | | | require the violinist to pluck the strings |
| couple of different types of wood. The top of | | | | with the fingers of the right hand rather |
| the violin, also called the belly, is | | | | than bow them, producing a short, staccato |
| customarily made of spruce, which is a strong | | | | sound.Violins have been in use for many |
| type of softwood. The sides and back are made | | | | centuries and are still common is |
| of maple, which is harder and more durable | | | | contemporary music. The sounds produced by a |
| than spruce. Ebony is most commonly used for | | | | violin can compliment many other musical |
| the fingerboard, but sometimes ivory is used. | | | | instruments and enrich a piece of music. |
| Some less expensive models have other types | | | | |