Violin Fundamentals

116 flashcards by MentisLibrary

The instrument and bow, holding and posture, tuning, the core bow strokes, left-hand positions and vibrato, tone production, reading, practice methods and the standard repertoire, for the first two years of violin study.

Name the four violin strings from lowest to highest.
G, D, A and E, tuned in perfect fifths: G3, D4, A4 and E5.
What is the scroll?
The carved spiral at the top of the pegbox. It is decorative, and its shape is one of the ways experts recognise a maker's hand.
Which wood is the top of a violin traditionally made from, and which is used for the back, ribs and neck?
Spruce for the top (also called the belly or table); maple for the back, ribs, neck and scroll.
Where does the sound post stand, and what is its nickname?
Inside the body, wedged between the top and the back just behind the treble (E-string) foot of the bridge. French makers call it the 'ame', the soul.
What is the bass bar?
A strip of spruce glued lengthwise inside the top under the bass (G-string) foot of the bridge.
What holds the bridge in place?
Nothing but string tension. The bridge is never glued; it stands on two feet fitted to the curve of the top.
What are the f-holes for?
The two sound holes on either side of the bridge let the air inside the body resonate and project, and they make the top more flexible around the bridge.
What is purfling?
The narrow inlaid strips (usually three, dark-light-dark) running around the edge of the top and back.
Name the parts of the bow from the player's hand outward.
Frog (with its screw, ferrule and slide), grip or winding, stick, hair, and the tip or head at the far end.
What is the frog of the bow?
The block at the lower end of the bow, usually ebony, that holds the hair and slides along the stick when the screw is turned.
What is bow hair made of, and what is applied to it?
Horsehair, traditionally from the tail. It is coated with rosin so it grips the string and sets it vibrating.
What is the traditional wood for a fine bow stick, and what are the alternatives?
Pernambuco, a dense Brazilian hardwood. Carbon fibre is the common modern alternative, and cheaper bows use brazilwood.
What is the chin rest, and who is credited with introducing it?
A shaped cup clamped to the lower edge of the violin that the jaw rests on. The violinist and composer Louis Spohr is credited with introducing it around 1820.
What is the tailpiece, and what attaches it to the violin?
The piece the strings anchor into below the bridge. A loop of gut or nylon, the tailgut, runs from it over the saddle to the end button.
What is the nut?
The small ebony ridge at the top of the fingerboard with four grooves that set the string spacing and height at the pegbox end.
How should the violin be held?
On the left collarbone, jaw resting on the chin rest, the instrument angled slightly to the left and roughly level, supported by the shoulder and head so the left hand is free.
What does a shoulder rest do, and is it required?
It fills the gap between the back of the violin and the shoulder so the instrument sits stable without hunching. It is optional; many players use a sponge or nothing at all.
Describe the Franco-Belgian bow hold.
Thumb bent, its tip against the stick where the frog meets it; the middle two fingers drape over the stick opposite the thumb; the index finger contacts the stick around its middle joint; the little finger sits curved on top of the stick.
What does the little finger do in the bow hold?
It rests curved on top of the stick and counterbalances the weight of the bow when playing near the frog.
What is the correct standing posture for violin?
Feet about shoulder width apart, weight balanced, knees soft, spine long, head turned slightly left toward the instrument, shoulders down.
How is the left thumb placed on the neck?
Resting lightly on the side of the neck, roughly opposite the first or second finger, with the neck not wedged into the crook of the thumb.
Where should the left elbow be?
Under the violin, swinging further to the right for the G string and back toward the left for the E string.
What is the 'square' of the bow arm?
At the middle of the bow, the upper arm, forearm, bow and string roughly form a square. From there the forearm opens toward the tip and closes toward the frog.
What size violin does an adult play, and what are fractional sizes?
A full-size violin, written 4/4, has a body about 35.5 cm (14 inches) long. Children use 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16 and smaller sizes, chosen by arm length.
How is the violin held in rest position?
Under the right arm with the body against the ribs, or in 'guitar' position across the body when turning pegs and plucking.
What frequency is the open A string tuned to?
A4 at 440 Hz is the international standard; some orchestras tune slightly higher, to 442 or 443 Hz.
In what order does an orchestra tune, and who gives the note?
The oboe sounds an A, the concertmaster checks it, and players tune the A first, then the other strings in fifths.
When do you use the pegs and when the fine tuners?
Pegs for large adjustments (a quarter tone or more), fine tuners on the tailpiece for small ones. A steel E string almost always needs a fine tuner.
Why does tuning by ear in fifths work, and what is the frequency ratio of a pure fifth?
A pure fifth has a frequency ratio of 3:2, so two strings a fifth apart sound smooth and beat-free exactly when they are in tune.
What causes a peg to slip, and what fixes it?
A peg that is dry, polished, or not pushed in while turning. Peg compound (peg dope) restores the right friction, and a luthier can refit pegs that no longer seat.