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History of the Violin

The violin first became known in 16th-century Italy. Although the basic construction has remained the same, some modifications to the instruments were made in the 18th and 19th century in order to increase sound volume for larger concert venues. Today, the historical instruments of the Stradivari, Amati, and Guarneri families are highly prized, some valued in the many millions of dollars!

Sound Production, Physical Characteristics, and Violin Types

The violin has 4 strings tuned in perfect fifths. Sound is produced mostly by drawing the bow across the strings, though players can also pluck strings with their fingers to achieve a special sound effect (pizzicato).

The body of a violin is typically made of wood. The instrument is hollow inside to allow for acoustic amplification of the sound.

As a counterpart to the traditional acoustic violin, the electric violin has an electric pickup that converts the sound of the strings to electric signals. These are then amplified by a PA system.

Violin Sizes

Similar to the guitar, the violin comes in 8 different sizes to accommodate players of all ages. The smallest version is a 1/16 violin (13.25 inches long from neck to wrist), followed by ⅛, ¼, ½, ¾, and 4/4 violins.

Please talk to your violin instructor to determine which size is right for you or your child.

Violin Academy of Texas Violin Lessons

Violin Types

Depending on instrument materials, shapes, and tone production, there is an exciting variety of guitar types to suit your musical tastes and preferences! They each produce a different, characteristic guitar sound. Your choices range from nylon string guitar (a great choice for beginners), acoustic guitar (with steel strings), electric guitar (with amplification and endless electronic “distortions”) to jazz guitar (archtop), among other types and variations. 

Is the Violin the Right Instrument for My Child?

Yes, it absolutely can be! However, the violin is not the easiest instrument to learn. In fact, especially at the beginning, it takes practice, patience, and persistence to master the basic tone production. For those who stick with it, learning the violin is a very rewarding experience!

Are you ready to start learning the violin? You will find professional courses in our Music Academy and we also offer a certificate program RCM for the violin.

Music Academy of Texas Violin Lessons

Our Locations

With so much in favor of the Violin, please check out our Violin Lesson Programs in Katy/Cinco Ranch and Houston (Cy-Fair Music and Arts).

Katy

Music Academy of Texas
25031 Westheimer Pkwy, Ste 300
Katy, TX 77494

Houston

Cy-Fair Music and Arts
7103 Glen Chase Ct.
Houston, TX 77095

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