Instruments of the Orchestra by Sight and Sound

Annotation

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The four strings of the violin are G, D, A, E, tuned in fifths. The first, or E string, sometimes called chanterelle, is very often used on account of its beautiful singing tone. The D and A strings are not so penetrating, but are sweet and mellow. The fourth, or G string, is wire-wound, which accounts for its rich sonorous tone. The first three strings are usually of catgut obtained from sheep, although the E string is sometimes made of silk or steel. The compass of the violin is four 3m tones over three octaves, from G to C. Higher notes can be produced, but they grow weaker as they go higher, and are of no practical value.