The Violin - Little Guide

The violin - composers of all genres exploit its potential

If a young person decides to learn how to play an instrument, he or she can be just as successful in classical music as in pop music and the film industry. André Rieu, for example, is proof of just how popular the sounds of this instrument are. The Maastricht-born musician made it to the top of the Dutch charts with his album "Strauss & Co." and continues to delight audiences with his enchanting waltz melodies in the album "Wiener Melange". The fact that the violin is a good choice for an ambitious musician is also shown by the compositions of Hans Zimmer. He created, for example, the soundtracks to the pirate saga "Pirates of the Caribbean", in which the sounds of the violin were used to create the mood either sad or full of tension, depending on the film's plot. These sounds are now known to the far corners of the world.

What are the violin product groups?

If a musician wants to buy a violin, he can choose between three price ranges and between the classical and the electric violin. The electric version uses an active piezo bridge pickup whose recorded sounds can be modulated and amplified with an equalizer. The handling at the violin bow is identical to the playing of the classical violin. The electric violin is visually recognizable by its not fully formed sound body. Today, traditional beginner violins and concert violins are mostly based on the Renaissance and Baroque violins of famous instrument makers. These include Antonio Stradivari, Andrea and Nicola Amati as well as Gasparo da Salò and Guarnerius des Gesu. In Germany, the names of Fichtl, Klotz and Stainer also played an important role in the violin's past. They also exerted their influence on the violin bow used.

The violin needs reliable protection

The sound of stringed instruments depends decisively on the perfection of their components, which is still achieved today through painstaking manual work. This is one reason why instruments for professional use sometimes command very respectable prices. Therefore, musicians should treat themselves to good violin cases, viola cases or cello cases as a supplement. The violin case, in which the musical instrument can be stored floating, is especially recommended. When choosing a transport case for stringed instruments, it is important to pay attention in parallel to good protection against mechanical stresses, protection against extreme temperature fluctuations and the efficient keeping away of moisture.