violin

Chin-held string instrument

A violin is a four-stringed musical instrument played with a bow, the smallest and highest-pitched member of the string family.

The player holds it under the chin and draws the bow across the strings or plucks them.

Violins anchor orchestral string sections and dominate classical solo repertoire, but appear across genres from folk to jazz.

She's been playing violin since age five.

Fiddle is an informal synonym, especially in folk and country music.

construction

luthier

Stringed instrument craftsperson

spruceNeat; also a conifer
mapleSap-yielding hardwood tree
ebonyDense dark tropical wood

varnish · soundpost · purfling · scroll · bridge · chinrest · tailpiece · pegbox · fingerboard · f-hole

strings

bow

Respectful forward inclination

rosinSolidified conifer sap
catgutDried intestinal cord
gutDigestive tract, or instinct

steel · synthetic · G-string · tuning · pitch · tension · winding · peg · mute · overtone

classical

sonata

Multi-movement instrumental composition

concertoSolo-and-orchestra composition
symphonyExtended composition for orchestra
chamberEnclosed room or cavity

quartet · recital · philharmonic · baroque · opera · fugue · adagio · allegro · vivace · cantabile

technique

bowing

Bending forward in deference

vibratoOscillating pitch effect
pizzicatoString-plucking technique
spiccatoDetached bowing technique

legato · staccato · tremolo · glissando · harmonics · double-stop · fingering · intonation · shifting · portamento

fiddle

bluegrass

Acoustic Appalachian folk music

folkRegular common people
hoedownLively rural dance gathering
jigSpirited folk dance

reel · old-time · Appalachian · Cajun · Celtic · country · square-dance · session · breakdown · hornpipe

virtuoso

prodigy

Gifted youth with rare talent

maestroDistinguished musical leader
soloistUnaccompanied performer
PaganiniFamed nineteenth-century violinist

Bell · Midori · Stern · concertmaster · master

Categories

musicmusic, song, songs, singing, singer
objectsbasket, bowl, bucket, jar, jug
sound sourcesdrum, guitar, piano, trumpet, bell
V-wordsvacuum, valley, value, vampire, van
classical musicBach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms
orchestraorchestra, symphony orchestra, philharmonic, strings, string orchestra

Opposites

playing technique

violinguitar

Fretted stringed instrument

harp · banjo · mandolin · lute · harpsichord

register/size in string family

violindouble bass

Largest bowed string instrument

contrabass · bass · cello

instrument family

violinbass drum

Large mallet-struck cylinder

tuba · timpani · trumpet · trombone · drums

Phrases

violin caseStorage for stringed instrument
world's smallest violinGesture dismissing self-pity
electric violinsBowed strings with pickups
world's tiniest violinSarcastic response to whining
violin bowStick strung with horsehair
played someone like a violinSkillfully exploited another's emotions

Family

violins, violinist, viola, violist, violinists, viol, violoncello, violinmaker, violin maker

Familiarity: Top 20,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G