String Instruments

String Instruments in our offer

The name of stringed instruments comes from the method of producing sound, because by touching the bristles of the string we put the string to vibrate, the sound is amplified in the resonance cavity and resonates through the holes in the top plate boxes. String bristle is extracted from crafted horsehair. The hair has a stiff, rough structure that gives it a good grip. There are also used synthetic alternatives, but the natural strings are more durable and they give a nobler sound effects.

There are various techniques of producing sound with a bow, including detache - smooth pulling the bow across the strings, legato - play more notes in one bristle stroke, spiccato - extraction of short sounds with elastic movement "from the air", sautillier - very fast variation of detache, during which we put the bow in stroke movement, and many other diverse terms of the sound effect techniques, offering tremendous scope for interpretation in different tracks. Often used way of sound production is also pizzicato, which means jerking the strings with your finger, without the use of the bow, the most commonly used by bassists in jazz.
There are four basic, contemporary used string instruments - violin, viola, cello and double bass. These instruments form the core orchestra quintet (divided into first and second violin).

Violin
It is the smallest and highest-sounding stringed instrument. The soundboard is made mostly from spruce wood or sycamore and has two f-shaped resonance openings. In the middle of the box, the upper and lower panels are bursting with a wooden peg, the so-called soul. Strings stretched on the violin are attached to pegs in the head of the violin, and the bridge. The strings are arranged sequentially g d1 a1 e2, at distance of fifth. At the store there are available violins in a variety of sizes, from 1/16 to full-size instruments for adults. We can purchased a violin student - factory, manufacture and violin-making, depending on the individual needs of each musician. After the purchase of the instrument we should choose a bow and other accessories - stand, chin rest, micro tuners, strings, but we can also choose to buy ready-made sets, fully equipped instrument with a bow and a carrying case. This is a very convenient option for people starting their learning and will save us time in the detailed selection of all accessories.

Viola
It is a stringed instrument slightly larger than a violin. Its construction, in addition to the dimensions, does not differ much from that of the violin. Apart from the outfit and darker sound difference is also in the size of school instruments, there are not produced little violas for children, because in their case, the first stage of learning is usually playing the violin. The size of viola is given in inches or centimetres. The list of accessories for violas is almost identical to the violin. The first thing you need to check when buying a viola is its size, because playing too large instrument will limit your technical efficiency and prevent extraction of nice, full sound.

Cello
Is a stringed instrument that has a different way of sound production than the previous one - game performer is sitting and resonation is placed between his knees. Fingerboard is at the left shoulder. The basic differing element of cello accessory is the leg, which we proclaim from the resonance box, to base it on the floor. It definitely makes the technique of playing easier, although till the nineteenth century it was practiced to play only without leg, holding the instrument only with knees. In addition to various types of full-size instruments in our offer there are available cellos in small sizes for children - from 1/16.

Double bass
Is the largest among the quartet of stringed instruments. The shape of the resonance box differs little from the classic design, based on which are built the other three instruments. Double bass strings are tuned in fourths, and there are also available ¾ models on the market, which are regarded as a full-size instrument. The sound of the double bass is a bass foundation in orchestras, chamber and jazz bands.

Bows- corresponding to the size of the instrument bows can be purchased in a set with the instrument, or individually to suit your needs. Professional bows are usually made of brazilwood, or Brazilian snake wood, and students’ bows are made of fiber or carbon fiber.

Cases and covers - because of the delicacy of string instruments and their low resistance to weather conditions, an absolutely essential element of their maintenance is to be stored in an appropriate case. Their selection is very large - from wood cases by foam, made of a carbon fiber or other synthetic materials. Leading brand of very high quality carrying cases are bam, Gewa, Winter.

Accessories - there is a wide range of accessories for stringed instruments at the store. Among them we can find essential items, without which we will not be able to start learning - Violin sets (consisting of pegs, tailpiece and button), bridges, colophones; and further, enhancing the comfort of playing and extending the possibilities of instruments, e.g. different types of silencers, humidifiers, stands or micro tuners. There are also accessories for the maintenance of instruments, which are worth to equip – pegs pastes, lotions for cleaning resonance box and strings. At the store we can find products of the best manufacturers, such as Pirastro, Dampit or Joha.

Chins rests and ribs (supports) - because of the device of performers, they are only accessories for violin and viola. Among the musicians we meet supporters of playing without ribs, but this is definitely the object of facilitating learning for beginners. Both the support and the chin rest should be adjusted according to our attitude and physical conditions. The choice is very wide, supports are adjustable, and the shapes of chin rests are very diverse. It is worth to pay attension to brands such as Kun, Wolf, Augustin and Gewa.

Transmitters and microphones, electric violin - when playing acoustic is not sufficient any more or outdoor conditions make the natural sound of the instrument disappear in space, we can equip ourselves in the electronic sound enhancement - transmitters and microphones for double bass, cello, or violin - also suitable for viola. At the store, there are also electric instruments of well known manufacturers, including Yamaha and Gewa.

Strings – many things depend on this element. They must be properly fitted to your instrument and changed regularly. The choice of strings is huge, and finding your favourite will definitely take some time. At our store you can choose between leading manufacturers - Pirastro, Larsen, Thomastik, and many others. We encourage you to familiarize with the offer of the store.