Pulling Some Strings: Meet the String Family

STRINGS PUCCING SOME Meet the String Pamily The string family is one of the oldest instrument families, producing sound via strings stretched taut. Today, strings are popular instruments that are not only fundamental to music education, but also a ton of fun for beginners and professionals alike. What is a String Fnstrument? String instruments comprise any instrument that produces sound through the vibration of stretched strings, often made from: Metal Vegetable fiber Plastic JAnimal gut V Silk - Nylon A Brief String Fistory The earliest string instruments, bowt harps and tanburs, come from Ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, and Sumerian civilizations. > Stone carvings and tomb paintings show that harps and tanburs were used in ensembles up to 4,000 years ago. A descendant of the viol, the four-string violin came into existence by 1550. In Western Europe, archaeologists uncovered the remains of a lyre bridge that dates over 2,300 years. The Italian sixr-course guitar came to prominence in the 7th century. The first banjo-type instruments in the Americas were documented in the Caribbean as early as 1689. Adapted from the Portuguese ete, the ukulele was introduced to Hawaii in 1879 Strung Jogether Common string instruments: Guitar. Banjo Ukulele Viola Violin Нarp Zither Mandolin Double bass Cello FUN FACT: Pianos are technically string instruments! However, they are so unique and have become so prominent in their own right that many people consider them to be in their own category. Fow Strings Make Sound A stringed instrument produces sound through the vibrations of its strings. To produce these vibrations, strings can be: The pitch of the string changes based on: Struck with mallets Bowed Plucked Length - Strummed Slapped The longer the string, the lower the ftone. Struck with mallets O Thickness - o Tension - The thicker the string, the lower the tone. The tighter the string, the higher the tone. On the guitar, violin, and other fretted instruments, you shorten the length of strings with your fingers to create different notes. On the harp and zither, each string plays a distinct note. You can combine notes to play chords. Playing the Parts While each instrument offers its own sound and style, most strings have some shared components. The strings The head houses the tuning pegs, which tighten or loosen the strings to change the pitch, making the strings sound sharper or flatter. The neck features a frefboard or fingerboard. Pressing a string against the neck changes the string's pitch. The bridge sends the string's vibrations into the body. The body amplifies the resonating strings, making them significanty more audible. String Ft All ogether: Tips for Playing String Fnstruments Freffing (pressing down the strings) differs from instrument to instrument. Pressing down too hard on ukulele strings will bend the pitch out of tune. Not fretting hard enough on guitar will mute the strings. Find a position that is comfortable for you while still keeping the sound clear, full, and in tune. Think gentle but firm. Trim your fingernails on your fretting hand to make fretting easier. Finger soreness is a given. Just keep at it. Your calluses will develop. Strum with the wrist, not the elbow, which only expends energy. However, if it is truly becoming an issue, consider changing your instrument's strings to a lighter gauge. Practice good posture, which reduces strain, ensures comfortable and confident playing, and helps the sound ring out. Choose the instrument right for your size. There's no shame in getting a smaller guitar if it means being able to fret chords and reach strings comfortably and easily. You shouldn't have to strain to reach the first fret or the top string. Holding the guitar properly, your arm shouldn't be as high as your shoulder when reaching over the guitar. Invest in a decent instrument. Cheap instruments may be tempting, but they offer low quality sound and fail to stay in tune, both of which can discourage playing. If you plan to teach yourself, learn at least some basic theory, including scales, chords, tempos, and rhythms. Practice slowly. Listen widely to different musicians, genres, and musical styles. Have fun! Learn to play the strings with California Music Studios | californiamusicstudios.com Resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String instrument http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/569200/stringed-instrument http://www.guyguitars.com/eng/handbook/BriefHistory.html http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-string-instruments/ http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-17537147 http://www.lancastersymphony.org/Portals/0/Docs/EdResc/InstFeat/String Inst_violinhistory.pdf http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/a-brief-history-of-the-banjo.html http://www.museumofmakingmusic.org/ukulele-history http://method-behind-the-music.com/mechanics/strings/