The violin is a bowed-string musical instrument. In normal use, a bow is used to set the strings in vibration. Its creation dates back to the 16th century, and it soon occupied a dominant place in European classical music, so much so that it's often referred to as the king of instruments!
The string quartet
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The double bass, although closely related, is not considered a quartet instrument. What's more, not all quartet luthiers want to deal with double basses, so you'll have to call in a specialist.
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The violin is the smallest and highest-pitched instrument in its family. This family is often referred to as "quartet instruments". This name refers to the classical quartet ensemble, which many famous composers have tried their hand at, and whose most popular form is :
- First violin
- Second violin
- Alto
- Cello
Each instrument represents one of the four voices of classical harmony: soprano, alto, tenor and bass.
That's why, in French, a luthier du quatuor is a craftsman specializing in the manufacture, repair and maintenance of instruments in the violin family.
The history of the violin
The violin as we know it today has much in common with that of the 16th century. But it has also evolved considerably over the course of its history. Its first forms probably appeared in the Milan region in the early 16th century. However, no one can really say today whether it was in Cremona or Brescia that the adventure began. In any case, Andrea Amati(1505-1577) was one of the earliest luthiers to make a name for himself, producing masterpieces of great beauty. He was at the origin of a dynasty of luthiers who would form and influence the work of the most illustrious luthiers: among them members of the Guarneri and Stradivari families. So many names that ultimately contributed to the fame of Cremona the world capital of quartet making.
In its infancy, the violin, often described as garish, was hardly suited to the music in vogue at the time. It was mainly used for traditional music and dance accompaniment. It wasn't until its first virtuosos that composers and audiences alike realized the full potential of this instrument, which was to leave an indelible mark on the world of music.
The earliest surviving violin is probably one of the 24 ordered by King Charles XI of France from Andrea Amati in 1560.
The anatomy of the violin
The violin's components form a jigsaw puzzle of some 80 pieces. Many of these different parts are held together by a special glue used in violin making: animal glue. Others, however, are not glued together, but held in place by string tension or friction. Together, however, they form a coherent, play-free whole. Here are the two main components of a violin:
- Resonance box(top, back and ribs)
- Neck(scroll, pegbox, nut and fingerboard)
The resonance box is formed by a back and a soundboard connected by the ring of ribs. The ribs are entirely hand-sculpted to increase their strength. The thicknesses of these arches are precisely worked to guarantee maximum vibration and solidity.
The neck is overhung by the scroll and covered by the fingerboard. This is the interface between the musician and the instrument, where all the musician's virtuosity can be expressed, giving birth to the sound of the violin.
Diagram of violin components
Violin woods
The woods used to make our violins are virtually always the same. What's more, they are subjected to rigorous selection criteria according to the precepts of tradition.
- spruce, found in the Alps, for the top, bar, core, counter-rails, cleats and corners.
- maple, cut to size, for the back, sides and neck.
- ebony for fingerboard, tailpiece and nut, pegs and knob(rosewood or boxwood are sometimes used for these parts).
- In some cases, willow replaces spruce for blocks and counter-slats.
- All kinds of wood species are used to make the nets, which are sometimes stained.
- Fruit trees are also used for scrolls, as they are easier to carve.
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Playing the violin
The violinist's posture
In the Western tradition, the violin is played either standing or seated. Soloists(who may play alone, or accompanied by piano or orchestra) usually stand. Although there are exceptions, such as the famous violinist Itzhak Perlman. He contracted polio as a child. In the case of orchestras, musicians are generally seated. In recent years, however, some baroque orchestras have decided to let all violins and violas play standing up, such as the Freiburger Barockorchester.
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In Indian music, the violin is held between the chin and the foot.
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The most accepted position for playing the violin is with the left side of the jaw resting on the chin rest. The left shoulder also supports the instrument with the help of a cushion that can take different shapes. These two elements should hold the violin firmly enough to allow free access to all the notes on the fingerboard.
Maintaining good posture is vital not only to achieve the best possible tone, but also to avoid injury. That's why teachers take great care to teach a comfortable posture, free from tension and rigidity. The answer, however, is not universal due to the great diversity of morphologies. If you are naturally sensitive to tendon and muscle problems, don't hesitate to speak directly to your teacher or to a doctor specializing in violin-related pathologies.
The left hand and note pitch
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The violins are tuned in perfect fifths, as are the other instruments in the quartet, the viola and cello.
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The left hand changes the vibrating length of the string, producing a different pitch from the open string. To achieve this, a finger presses the string against the violin fingerboard. Unlike the guitar, there are no frets to help the musician find the right intonation. Once the violinist has mastered the instrument, he or she is free to express himself or herself. Good ear training and practice of scales and arpeggios will enable the student to be perfectly at ease with finger placement.
On sheet music, the fingers can be numbered:
- 1: the index
- 2: the middle finger
- 3: the ring finger
- 4: little finger
The 0 does not indicate the thumb, but an open string. In other words, a string played without the left hand interacting with it.
Beginners sometimes use pieces of sticky paper or marks to determine the placement of their fingers. This may help at first, but it's absolutely no substitute for practicing by ear and in tune.
The positions
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The lowest position on the violin is in fact the half-position in which the index finger will be on A flat.
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There are different positions for placing the left hand on the fingerboard. The first position is the one with which beginners start, but is also widely used in many styles of music. It's(almost) the lowest position you can reach, and the one from which you start counting. After that, you move up the neck to different positions. For example, the second position is where the index finger takes the place of the middle finger on the fingerboard. The index finger will then play a B instead of the A of the first position.
A change of position must be carried out with perfect accuracy and continuity of sound. This is a key element of instrumental technique and requires a great deal of hard work.
In theory, the highest position attainable on the violin is the 13th position.
Very high positions are particularly difficult to reach for two reasons:
- The distance between each note is minuscule, making them complex to locate or even distinguish.
- A short vibrating string length means that not all instruments can reproduce high notes.
Vacuum cords
If the string is played with no fingers touching it, it isan open string. It produces a completely different sound than a pressed string, because the vibration is freer. On the other hand, it's impossible to execute the slightest vibrato. Although there are techniques for simulating it. In the classical tradition, open strings are often avoided by changing position to maintain a constant timbre. This is often the case with the open chanterelle(the E string), which can produce a very strident sound, comparable to a whistle.
Vacuum strings are widely used in traditional music. They are even sometimes used in addition to pressed strings to produce a basso continuo(drone) found, for example, on bagpipes or hurdy-gurdies.
Double strings and chords
The double-string technique consists in playing two strings simultaneously to produce harmony. Nevertheless, the largest interval available to a violinist on two adjacent strings is the octave.
Sometimes, the musician has to play a three- or four-note chord with his violin. As it is impossible to play them simultaneously, he will have to play them separately. In orchestras, however, it is possible to play complete chords by having different violin sections play part of the complete chord.
Vibrato
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Contrary to popular belief. It's absolutely impossible to disguise a false note with a vibrato, even a large one.
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Vibrato is a left-hand technique for subtly varying the pitch of a note. A wide variety of vibratos are possible, using the wrist or elbow to generate the movement. However, although the movements involve different parts of the arm and hand. It's only the fingertip that slightly alters the vibrating length of the string.
Vibrato is not specified in the scores and can be placed almost anywhere. As a result, the when, how and why of vibrato are left to the performer's choice and artistic taste. It's a highly personal and reflexive element that's part of today's classical music fashion. That's why it's sometimes an obstacle in baroque or traditional music, where it's not supposed to be used.
