Orchestra 101

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By: Mariam & Ovia

Learn about the four amazing instruments in the orchestra

When were the 4 main instruments created?

The violin, viola, and cello were first made in the early 16th century, in Italy. The earliest evidence for their existence is in paintings by Gaudenzio Ferrari from the 1530s, though Ferrari's instruments had only three strings.

What are the 4 instruments?

Violin

Violin strings were first made of sheep gut which was stretched, dried, and twisted. Also, Violin bows typically contain 150 to 200 hairs. They can be made up of a variety of materials including nylon and horse hair.


Viola

Violas are an octive lower than violins.Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Paganini and Dvorak are among the many famous composers whoplayed the viola



Cello

Cello comes from the Italian term violoncello, which actually means “little violone.” In most modern orchestra settings, the cellists sit on the second-to-right hand side of the conductor, though this may vary for each orchestra.



Bass

The fingerboard of the bass is made of ebony, while the top part is from spruce. The back is usually made of maple. Also, The double bass is usually considered a member of the violin family, because it is constructed using many of the same techniques as violins