Violins are one of the most popular instruments ever. They are an hourglass-shaped string instrument that reaches the highest pitches in a string orchestra. The violin's history goes a long way back through many different types of medieval instruments such as the viol. The viol was a great instrument, but when Andrea Amati greatly improved its design and called it the violin, many forgot about it. Before violins was invented, the viol family developed in Spain (Parker 148). "There were three instruments in this family—a bass, a tenor, and a treble—and each had six strings" (Parker 148). The six strings made it "an instrument designed primarily to play chords. The tuning of the strings in intervals of fourths facilitated playing chord harmonies,
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By the end of the 17th century, the viol family had been replaced almost completely by the invention of the violin, since the violin was unique in its contrasts with the viol, and was more broad in sound (The Story of Music 41). The violin was invented when "Andrea Amati (ca. 1511–1580) of Cremona, Italy invented the violin and was among the first generation of makers to create the standard sizes of cello, viola, and violin in their classic modern shapes" (Powers). There were others that contributed to the invention as well, but Andrea Amati is credited with creating the violin. "One of the greatest composers for the violin was the Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi" (The Story of Music 41). Some other late 1600's composers included Bach, Scarlatti, and Handel. Violins were a unique invention, one that was better sounding than …show more content…
The violin and the viol both had major advantages over one another. One advantage of the violin is its convex back (which curves outward) and its F-shaped sound holes, which allowed the violin to produce a broader sound since it allowed the violin to vibrate more (Carlin 34). This design was better than the viol's flat back and C-shaped sound holes, which prevented the viol from producing as much sound as it should have been (Carlin 34). However, the viol was easier to play in tune, since it had frets, or strips of material, laid horizontally on the fingerboard to mark where to put your fingers (Carlin 34). On the other hand, the violin had no frets (Carlin 34). This required the player to know exactly where to place each finger in order to get an in tune sound. Other features of the violin include its arched bridge for playing single notes, its concave bow, which curved inward, and its four strings that were tuned in fifths (Carlin 34). The viol also has a nearly flat bridge for playing chords, a convex bow, which curved outward, and six strings that were tuned in fourths (Carlin 34). The violin and the viol are almost opposite to each
By the end of the 17th century, the viol family had been replaced almost completely by the invention of the violin, since the violin was unique in its contrasts with the viol, and was more broad in sound (The Story of Music 41). The violin was invented when "Andrea Amati (ca. 1511–1580) of Cremona, Italy invented the violin and was among the first generation of makers to create the standard sizes of cello, viola, and violin in their classic modern shapes" (Powers). There were others that contributed to the invention as well, but Andrea Amati is credited with creating the violin. "One of the greatest composers for the violin was the Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi" (The Story of Music 41). Some other late 1600's composers included Bach, Scarlatti, and Handel. Violins were a unique invention, one that was better sounding than …show more content…
The violin and the viol both had major advantages over one another. One advantage of the violin is its convex back (which curves outward) and its F-shaped sound holes, which allowed the violin to produce a broader sound since it allowed the violin to vibrate more (Carlin 34). This design was better than the viol's flat back and C-shaped sound holes, which prevented the viol from producing as much sound as it should have been (Carlin 34). However, the viol was easier to play in tune, since it had frets, or strips of material, laid horizontally on the fingerboard to mark where to put your fingers (Carlin 34). On the other hand, the violin had no frets (Carlin 34). This required the player to know exactly where to place each finger in order to get an in tune sound. Other features of the violin include its arched bridge for playing single notes, its concave bow, which curved inward, and its four strings that were tuned in fifths (Carlin 34). The viol also has a nearly flat bridge for playing chords, a convex bow, which curved outward, and six strings that were tuned in fourths (Carlin 34). The violin and the viol are almost opposite to each