The violin is one of the most recognizable and most played instruments in the world.
It gets its name from the Latin word ‘vitula’ or ‘stringed instrument’.
So how much does a violin weigh?
Violins generally weigh about 350 to 700 grams (12.34 to 24.69 ounces).
A violin consists of more than 70 different parts that combine to produce a unique sound.
In a typical violin, you will find:
- Scroll
- Pegbox
- Neck
- Fingerboard
- Strings
- Upper bout
- Waist
- F-holes
- Bridge
- Fine tuners
- Tailpiece
- Lower bout
- Chin rest
Putting all these pieces of a violin together requires a lot of skill. This is the job of a luthier.
A typical violin can take as much as 200 hours to put together.
This skilled work often comes with a high price tag. Models produced by Stradivarius and other leading violin makers can cost millions of dollars!
Different sizes are available that are suitable for young children, all the way up to full grown adults.
1/16 is the smallest size, which is approximately 9 inches, while the largest, full size violins measure around 14 inches. Sizes in between include 7⁄8, 3⁄4, 1⁄2, 1⁄4, 1⁄8, 1⁄10, 1⁄16, 1⁄32, and 1⁄64.
Informally known as the fiddle, the violin is a versatile member of the soprano family of stringed instruments. It is associated with classical music and orchestras, as well as a key instrument used by blues, jazz, and pop artists.
~ Fun Fact ~
The shape and size of a violin means expert violin players can play this instrument at extremely high speeds. Ben Lee is one of the fastest violin players of them all. In 2010, he completed the ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ in 64.21 seconds. That’s 810 notes, which is nearly 13 notes every second!
Resources:
http://www.violinresearch.com/violin_010.htm
http://waddleviolins.com/index.php?contentID=121
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violin