What are the strings?

The string group is perhaps the most numerous and varied of all kinds of musical instruments. It includes tools very far from each other, but they all have one essence, enclosed in the title itself: all strings have strings. Such oil here is buttered.

Stringed musical instruments can be divided into several groups according to the principle of sound extraction. Strings can sound with the help of a bow, pinch and blow. Let us consider each group in more detail.

String instruments are the basis of a symphony orchestra. This is evident even in the number of orchestra members - almost two-thirds of the musicians in the orchestra play the strings. The range of instruments covers any possible height of sounds - from the deep bottom of double basses to the violin tips on the verge of "ultrasound". The sound of strings more than other instruments is close to the human voice, especially violins and violas. They can express a variety of emotions, causing the listener to have equally diverse feelings - from tenderness and light to gloom and aggression. Therefore, in symphonic music , the main topics most often rely on the string group.

The first of the modern stringed bow instruments was a violin. And to this day it is considered a "queen" among them. Born in the 15th century, the violin quickly gained popularity throughout Europe. In Italy, there were whole clans of masters of violin -making - Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati. Their instruments are still considered an unsurpassed benchmark. After the violin, other bowed instruments were born, including viola, cello, and double bass. All of them are similar in shape, but differ in size, and, correspondingly, in the height of the range. There is also a different way of arranging them in the performance of music - compact violins and violas are placed on the shoulder by the violinist, a massive cello and double bass are placed vertically on the floor, and the contrabassist has to stand all the time while playing, so great is the instrument. Common to all this family is the principle of sound extraction - with the help of a bow. The sound arises from the vibration of the string, achieved by rubbing against it with a resin-rubbed bow. With all the fullness and beauty of the sound, bow stringed instruments are, first of all, orchestral. Even solo performances by violinists and violists require "support" (piano or other accompaniment).

The next group is stringed stringed instruments. With these instruments, the source of sound is the vibrations of the string, when it is plugged with a finger or a plectrum. The progenitor of the plucked was the "singing" bow of the hunting bow. The most common plucked instrument is a guitar. Sophie of the violin, the guitar has gained immense popularity all over the world. This is a favorite tool not only and not so much for professionals, but also for music lovers. Even the notorious "three chords" were attempted to master, perhaps, most people. To the same group of instruments are Russian folk (domra, balalaika, gusli). Pinched stringed instruments are rarely used in symphony orchestras, they are much more popular in folklore groups.

The third method of sound extraction for stringed instruments is to strike the string with a hammer. The most common representative of this group is the pianoforte. It is a unique instrument, which is both a keyboard and a string. The pianist presses his fingers on the key, triggering a mechanism that causes the hammer to strike the string. The forerunners of the modern pianoforte were keyboard stringed instruments, whose names are still heard by everyone: harpsichord and clavichord. Another example of a stringed percussion instrument is cymbals (when playing them, the performer himself holds the mallets and strikes the strings).