Summary
Sure, you've heard of the violin. Maybe you've played the double bass, or even the harp. But have you ever seen the erhu, or the hurdy-gurdy? They're all part of the string family of instruments. From the ancient lyre to the modern guitar, all string instruments have one thing in common: Their distinctive sounds come from the wave-like vibrations of their strings. The pitch of a string—how high or low it sounds—depends on how quickly it vibrates when it's plucked, struck, or rubbed with a bow. Hollow parts of the instrument's body, called resonators, amplify the sound. If you've ever listened to an orchestra, jazz combo, or rock band, you know how loud and full this sound can be! Click "Play" to learn more about string instruments played around the world. Bonus: You’ll find out whether the piano is a string or percussion instrument—or both!
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching String Instruments:
- What is one new thing you learned about string instruments?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining string instruments.
- Draw or give one example of your own.