Bowed string instrument

Bowed string instruments are a special group of string instruments. They make music by using a bow. When you rub a bow against the strings of these instruments, they vibrate and make sound. This vibration creates the music we hear.

We do not know exactly where using a bow to play instruments began. But these instruments are very important in music all over the world. Popular examples include the violin and cello. They are used in many types of music, from classical concerts to folk dances.

List of bowed string instruments

Violin family

The violin family has several instruments played with a bow. The main ones are the cello, viola, violin, and double bass. There are also special types like the baroque violin, cello da spalla, five-string violin, and hardanger fiddle.

An Indonesian music performer playing with his Rebab.

Viol family (Viola da Gamba family)

The viol family is another group of bowed string instruments. The main instruments are the alto viol, bass viol, tenor viol, and treble viol. There are special versions like the baryton, division viol, lirone, and viola d'amore.

Lyra and rebec type

Two performers playing the Erhu, sometimes known as the Chinese fiddle.

There are many older bowed instruments from different places. Some of these are the Byzantine lyra, Calabrian lira, Cretan lyra, gadulka, ghaychak, kamancheh, kemenche, lijerica, pochette, rabeca, rebec, and shah kaman.

Chinese bowed instruments

China has many traditional bowed instruments. Some of these are the banhu, daguangxian, dahu, dihu, diyingehu, erhu, erxian, gaohu, gehu, huqin, jiaohu, jinghu, jing erhu, laruan, leiqin, maguhu, matouqin, sanhu, sihu, tiqin, tihu, tuhu, wenzhenqin, xiqin, yazheng, yehu, zhengni, zhonghu, zhuiqin, and zhuihu.

A performer playing the Morin Khuur, the Mongolian Horse Fiddle

Rosined wheel instruments

Some bowed instruments use a turning wheel to make sound instead of a bow. Examples are the bowed clavier, dulcigurdy, harmonichord, hurdy-gurdy, ninera, organistrum, tekerő, viola organista, violano virtuoso, and wheelharp.

Other bowed instruments

There are many other bowed instruments from around the world. Some of these are the agiarut, ajaeng, arpeggione, bowed dulcimer, bowed guitar, bowed psaltery, byzaanchy, chuurqin, crwth, đàn nhị, đàn hồ, đàn gáo, daxophone, esraj, fiðla, giga, gudok, gue, gusle, haegeum, igil, imzad, jouhikko, kingri, kokyū, kobyz, masenqo, morin khuur, musical saw, neola, nyckelharpa, ravanahatha, salo, sarangi, sarinda, saw duang, saw sam sai, saw u, sohaegeum, sorahi, sorud, talharpa, tautirut, tro sau thom, tro khmer, tro sau toch, tro u, umbang, vielle, violoncello da spalla, and yaylı tambur.