![]() Other string instruments have found a permanent place in the contemporary music scene of their homeland. ![]() Some of these may only be used to play historic or culturally important music, using period-accurate instruments. The Wikipedia website lists more than 300 different instrument names, all of which fit the definition of "string instrument." That's because humans all over the world have created their own versions of string instruments using the materials they had at hand – and to fit the soundscape that was considered the most compelling or attractive to their ears. However, it's important to remember that even a hollowed gourd with resonant fibers strung across a soundhole (the original incarnation of modern-day banjos) has as much of a right to be called a string instrument as the most sought-after antique Stradivarius violin. We'll discuss those in more detail in a bit. If you were born in Europe or the United States, the string instruments you are most familiar with are probably the guitar and mandolin, the piano, and those found in an orchestra. In each case the effect is to displace the string from its normal position of rest and to cause it to vibrate in complex patterns." The string may be struck, plucked, rubbed, bowed, or, occasionally blown. In nearly all stringed instruments, the sound of the vibrating string is amplified by the use of a resonating chamber or soundboard. "…any musical instrument that produces sound by the vibration of stretched strings, which may be made of vegetable fiber, metal, animal gut, silk, or artificial materials such a plastic or nylon. The Encyclopedia Britannica defines a string instrument as: What Makes a String Instrument a String Instrument You can view those HERE), let's define the characteristics of string instruments. ![]() These range from the single-stringed diddly bow, which originated here in the United States and contributed to blues music, to the 88-stringed piano, which is considered both a string and a percussion instrument.īefore we get too far into describing various string instruments (don't worry, we won't list all 300. Worldwide, there are more than 300 different instruments that are considered part of the string family. As we saw above, the initial shape of the string when it is plucked or struck determines which harmonics are more present.The string instrument family has the most significant number of "children" than any other group of instruments. The clavichord, harpsichord and piano sound different in large part because the strings are set into vibration by different mechanisms. As long as the key is held down another set of levers keeps the damper off the string. ![]() The back check keeps the hammer from bouncing back and striking the string twice. When the key is pressed a series of levers acts to throw the hammer upward so that it hits the string. Below is a very simplified diagram of the mechanism of the strike action of the piano (more details can be found in this animation of a piano mechanism). Because it was significantly louder it was originally called the 'piano forte' (forte is Latin for loud). The piano was developed in the early 1700s This instrument overcame several limitations of the earlier harpsichords and clavichords. A spring mechanism moves the plectrum out of the way while the mechanism returns to its starting point (see Wikipeda for details). The harpsichord was developed in about a century later and uses a quill (originally from the feather of a bird) called the plectrumto pluck one or two strings when the key is pressed. In the clavichord, developed in the 15th century, a small metal piece called the tangenthits the string (sometimes two strings) when a lever is pressed by the performer. Strictly speaking keyboard instruments such as the piano, harpsichord and clavichord are classified as percussion instruments because there is a mechanism that strikes or plucks the string. The process of how they were made was a secret that was lost hundreds of years ago and has not been replicated. It has been claimed that the famous Stradivarius violins have a special sound in part because the wood was treated with special chemicals. The more uniform the wood grain the less likely there will be an unwanted resonance. More expensive guitars and violins are made from wood that is picked to be very dense and have very uniform and fine grain. \( \newcommand\) for a violin.Īnother factor that affects the sound of a string instrument is the material of which it is constructed and the finish.
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