The String Family

1. Instrument Families – Music 7 The String Family

2. The Bow • Most string instruments are played using a bow • The bow is a piece of wood with horse hair stretch from one end to the other • The bow is then pulled across the string of the string instrument

3. Violin • The first and smallest of 4 classical string instruments • The main melodic instrument of the orchestra • Made in different sizes depending on how big YOU are.

4. Violin • Many classical composers loved this instrument and wrote for them all the time. • The best violin player in the orchestra is called the concertmaster – their job is to take over if the conductor is not there.

5. Viola • Looks and played exactly the same as a violin. • Plays in the ALTO CLEF!!! • Bigger than the violin and it plays lower.

6. Cello • String Instrument that is played sitting down. • Plays in the bass clef. • Much lower than violin or viola

7. String Bass • So big you must stand up to play it. • Plays in the bass clef. • Plays the bass part in the orchestra

8. String Bass • String Bass is also used in Jazz Band • This time the we don’t use a bow – the bass is plucked