String instrument

A string instrument (also "stringed instrument") is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones.

Sound amplification through resonance

A vibrating string on its own makes only a very quiet sound, so string instruments are usually constructed in such a way that this sound is amplified either by a hollow resonating chamber, a soundboard, or both. On the violin, for example, the taut strings pass over a bridge resting on a hollow box.

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The strings' vibrations are distributed via the bridge to all surfaces of the instrument, and thus amplified.

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Achieving effective and beautiful resonance is something of an art, and the makers of string instruments often seek very high quality woods to this end, particularly spruce (chosen for its combination of lightness and strength) and maple (a very hard wood).

Related Topics:
Spruce - Maple

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