
Violin | Definition, Structure, History, & Facts | Britannica
Dec 12, 2025 · The violin is probably the best known and most widely distributed musical instrument in the world. Like its predecessors but unlike its cousin the viol, the violin has a fretless fingerboard.
Stringed instrument - The violin family | Britannica
The violin family comprises the violin, the viola, the cello (violoncello), and the double bass; it forms the backbone of the modern symphony orchestra. In addition, the violin and the viola are widely used in …
violin - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
It is an important solo instrument and one of the primary instruments used in chamber music. The violin is a stringed instrument played with a bow. It is the highest pitched member of the violin family, which …
Viola | Stringed, Orchestra, Chamber Music | Britannica
Viola, stringed musical instrument, the tenor of the violin family. It is built in proportions similar to those of the violin but has a body length of 37 to 43 cm (14.5 to 17 inches), about 5 cm (2 inches) longer …
Antonio Stradivari | Biography, Stradivarius Violins, Price, Death ...
Dec 14, 2025 · Antonio Stradivari (1644?-1737) was an Italian violin maker. He perfected violin-making, achieving its highest level of craft.
Musical instrument - Classification, Types, Families | Britannica
Nov 20, 2025 · Musical instrument - Classification, Types, Families: Instruments have been classified in various ways, some of which overlap. The Chinese divide them according to the material of which …
Cello | Definition, Music, & Facts | Britannica
Dec 5, 2025 · Cello, bass musical instrument of the violin group, with four strings, pitched C–G–D–A upward from two octaves below middle C.
Stringed instrument | Definition, Types, History, Features, & Facts ...
Stringed instrument is any musical instrument that produces sound by the vibration of stretched strings, which may be made of vegetable fiber, metal, animal gut, silk, or artificial materials such as plastic or …
What’s So Special About Stradivarius Violins? | Britannica
In a series of experiments, the researchers blindfolded expert violin players and allowed them to test old violins—including several by Stradivari—against top-quality new instruments and rate their preferences.
Rebec | Medieval, Stringed, Fiddle | Britannica
The medieval rebec was apparently a treble instrument, but by the late 15th century rebecs were made in sizes from treble to bass. The family of rebecs was superseded by the viols during the 16th …