Music Overview: Viola

By Stacy DeBroff

The viola is simply a larger version of the violin, with a proportionally shorter neck and fatter body, which are not noticeable to the untrained eye. The strings are tuned like the violin’s, but are five notes lower and also a little thicker.

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Music Overview: Harp

By Stacy DeBroff 

• When learning the harp, your child simultaneously learns two clefs (bass and treble).

• The harp sounds beautiful even during the very first lesson, and you will never tire of listening to your child practice.

• There are few harpists around, which means many opportunities to perform with orchestras, performing groups, and religious services.

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Music Overview: Guitar

By Stacy DeBroff 

With six strings stretched along the fingerboard and across the curved body of the instrument, the guitar is a relatively simple instrument. You play by plucking or strumming with your right hand and stopping the strings against the fingerboard with your left hand.

Your child will need to choose among several types of guitars. When making this choice, expect to be influenced by the specialty of the guitar teacher you hire to give your child lessons.

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Music Overview: Double Bass

By Stacy DeBroff 

The double bass is a sort of giant violin, although it has sloping shoulders instead of the very round shoulders of the violin or cello. It has four thick steel strings and a short, heavy bow. Players stand behind the bass and the left hand stops the strings against the fingerboard. Double bass music is written in the bass clef.

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Music Overview: Cello

By Stacy DeBroff 

Many people consider the violoncello, or cello for short, to be the most beautiful of all instruments. Essentially it is a large violin, although the body is much thicker. Cellists read their music from the bass clef (like the left hand of the piano) although more advanced players have to be able to read the tenor or C clef as well. The cello is played resting on the floor, between a musician’s legs.

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Music Overview: String Instruments

By Stacy DeBroff 

The sounds of string instruments come from strings being plucked, as with a harp or guitar; with a bow drawn across the strings, as with a cello or a violin; or struck, as with a dulcimer. Stringed instruments include the violin, viola, cello, bass, harp, and dulcimer.

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