The violin is the highest voice in the string family.
The instrument is commonly associated with classical music, but there are other genres such as blue grass, folk and various styles of “fiddle music.” It’s also occasionally heard in blues, jazz and rock.
Contrary to some popular beliefs, the violin is not a particularly difficult instrument to play, and with consistent practice beginners usually make rapid progress, playing simple melodies relatively quickly.
The violin is particularly child-friendly in that it comes in a variety of sizes. As a student grows, the instrument can be traded for larger sizes. It’s critical that a student has the proper size instrument.
A violin that is too large for a student can create a very uncomfortable situation. In extreme situations, this can lead to tendonitis, leaving students discouraged.
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Strunal Model 220 Violin Outfit
Student Violins: These violins are produced for beginning students and are often produced by machine. Maple is sometimes used for high friction parts (pegs, fingerboard) and dyed to resemble the more expensive Ebony, which is found on most violins. These instruments are excellent for the early stages of development and are priced to easily fit into most budgets. Teacher-Recommended Student Violins
Intermediate Violins: These instruments represent better quality wood and workmanship, most (if not all) of which is done by hand. The result is an instrument that sounds better and will accommodate a player of more advanced levels of play. Pegs and fingerboard are usually made of Ebony. Extensive hand graduation of the top and back of the violin produce a more refined sound. Recommended Intermediate Violins
Professional Violins: Professional violins are made from only the finest woods and built with near fanatical attention to every detail of the instrument's construction and appearance. Because of the relatively low number of craftsman skilled at this level, and the number of hours required to produce an instrument of this caliber with a select piece of natural wood, the price of these instruments is considerably higher than intermediate violins. Recommended Professional Violins
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Strings, rosin, and a good shoulder rest are accessories that will make playing a violin much easier. A practice mute and a sturdy case are also great accessories for violin players.
Hand Crafting: Hand-crafting a stringed instrument is an art and a science. Manufacturers employ crafters at different levels of experience. The least experienced crafters typically work on the less-expensive instruments. The opposite is true for high-priced instruments.
Set-Up: Manufacturer’s employ “set-up” technicians to prepare the instrument to play at its highest potential. Detailed shaping and shaving of components, fitting the bridge, precise fit and finish of pegs, adjusting proper depth and shape of the notches at the bridge and the nut, and fine tuning are all responsibilities of the “set-up” technician.
Flaming: Flaming is a popular technique to enhance the visual appeal of a stringed instrument. However, this technique does not necessarily enhance the quality of sound produced.
Book-Matched: Most instrument backs are “book-matched,” or constructed from two pieces of wood glued together. This process gives the instrument a uniform appearance, but does not necessarily improve the sound quality.
The single most influential factor (after players’ skill) of sound quality produced by a stringed instrument is the choice of strings. There is no absolutely correct type of string for all players under all circumstances. Each type of string has qualities that make it more appropriate for different situations (i.e. solo vs. orchestral performance; country vs. classical performance). Other factors such as cost, the players’ individual preferences, and the way a particular string sounds on an individual instrument also come into play.
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