Instrument Families – Music 7 The String Family

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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