The Stringed Instrument Database
V
Vihuela
Alternative names: Viheula Mexicana (to differentiate from the Renaissance Vihuela).
Origin: Mexico, 19th century.
Tuning: A3, D4, G4, B3, E4
Strings/Courses: 5/5
Further notes: Not to be confused with the Renaissance Vihuela. Nylon strings.
Scale Length: 500-510mm
Veena, Hansa
Alternative names: Hansaveena, Hansa Vina
Origin: India. A relatively recent invention.
Tuning:
Strings/Courses:
Further notes:
Scale Length:
Veena, Rudra
Alternative names: Rudra Vina, Rudravina
Origin: Northern India.
Tuning:
Strings/Courses:
Further notes:
Scale Length: 950-1200mm is common, but luthiers make a wide variation.
Veena, Saraswati
Alternative names: Vina, Saraswati Veena, Saraswati Vina, Sarasvati Veena, Been, Bin, Bina, Raghunatha Vina, Raghunatha Veena, Tanjore Veena, Tanjore Vina
Origin: Tamil Nadu, Southern India, around 1600.
Tuning: Usually a combination of fourths and fifths.
Strings/Courses: 4/4 plus sympathetic strings.
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length:700-900mm
Venezuelan Cuatro
- See Cuatro Venezolano.
Veena, Vichitra
Alternative names:
Origin: India.
Tuning:
Strings/Courses: 9/9 with 13 sympathetic strings.
Further notes:
Scale Length:
Viol
Alternative names: Viola da gamba
Origin: Evolved from the plucked Renaissance Vihuela in Spain and Italy.
Tuning: D3, G3, C4, E4, A4, D5 for treble viols. G2, C3, F3, A3, D4, G4 for tenor viols. D2, G2, C3, E3, A3, D4 for bass viols.
Strings/Courses: Usually 6/6, but sometimes 7/7 or 5/5.
Further notes:Fell almost completely out of use in favour of the violin by the 19th century, however is now becoming popular again. Gut strings.
Scale Length:
Viola
Alternative names:
Origin: Italy, 16th century.
Tuning: C3, G3, D4, A4
Strings/Courses: 4/4
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 360-430mm
Viola Amarantina
Alternative names: Viola Aramante, Viola de dois coracois
Origin: Amarante, Nothern Portugal
Tuning: D3 D2, A3 A2, B3 B2, E3 E3, A3 A3
Strings/Courses: 10/5
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: Around 500mm
Viola Beiroa
Alternative names:
Origin: Castelo Branco, Eastern Portugal
Tuning: A3 A2, D3 D2, G3 G2, B3 B3, D3 D3. It sometimes also has two short unfretted strings which go to tuning pegs at the side of the body by the neck join. These are both tuned to D4.
Strings/Courses: 10/5 without short extra strings, or 12/7 with them.
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 520mm
Viola Braguesa
Alternative names: Viola Da Braga,
Origin: Braga, North-western Portugal
Tuning: C4 C3, G4 G3, A4 A3, D4 D4, G4 G4
Strings/Courses: 10/5
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 500-510mm
Viola Caipira
Alternative names:
Origin: Brazil, 16th or 17th century.
Tuning: A3 A2, D4 D2, F#4 F#3, A3 A3, D4 D4
Strings/Courses: 10/5
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 580mm
Viola Caicara
Alternative names: Viola Caiçara
Origin: Brazil
Tuning:
Strings/Courses: 6/5 or 7/6
Further notes:
Scale Length:
Viola Campanica
Alternative names: Viola de Beja
Origin: Vila Verde de Ficalho, South-eastern Portugal.
Tuning: C3 C2, F3 F2, C3 C3, E3 E3, G3 G3
Strings/Courses: 10/5
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 520-550mm
Viola Da Terra
Alternative names:
Origin: Azores, Portugal.
Tuning: A4 A4 A3, D4 D4 D3, G3 G3, B3 B3, D4 D4.
Strings/Courses: 12/5
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 550mm
Viola De Arame
Alternative names: Viola de Madeira
Origin: Madeira, Portugal.
Tuning: G3 G2, D3 D2, G3 G3, B3, D3 D3
Strings/Courses: 9/5
Further notes: Steel strings. Arame is Portuguese for wire, in reference to the strings.
Scale Length: 560mm
Viola De Buriti
Alternative names:
Origin: Minas Gerais, South-western Brazil.
Tuning:
Strings/Courses: 4/4
Further notes: Usually Nylon but sometimes steel strings.
Scale Length:
Viola De Cocho
Alternative names: Viola De Coxo
Origin: Mato Grosso, South-western Brazil.
Tuning: G3, D3, E3, A3, D4
Strings/Courses: 5/5
Further notes: Nylon strings.
Scale Length: 455mm
Viola De Queluz
Alternative names:
Origin: Minas Gerais, South-eastern Brazil, late 19th century.
Tuning:
Strings/Courses: 12/5
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: Around 550mm.
Violotta
Alternative names: Viola Profonda, Tenor violin, Tenor viola.
Origin: Invented in Hamburg, nothern Germany, by Afred Stelzner in 1891.
Tuning: G2, D3, A3, E4 or F2, C3, G3, D4
Strings/Courses: 4/4
Further notes: Designed to be a tenor member of the violin family. Steel strings.
Scale Length: 360-430mm
Viola Sertaneja
Alternative names: Viola Nordestina
Origin: North-eastern Brazil.
Tuning: A3 A2, D4 D2, F#4 F#3, A3 A3, D4 D4 or A3, D4, G4 G4, B3 B3 B3, E4 E4 E4.
Strings/Courses: 10/5
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 580mm
Viola Terceira
Alternative names: Viola Da Terceira, Viola Terceirense.
Origin: Azores, Portugal.
Tuning: E3 E3 E2, A3 A3 A2, D3 D3 D2, G3 G2, B3 B3, E3 E3.
Strings/Courses: 15/6
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 540mm
Viola Toeira
Alternative names:
Origin: Western Portugal, 19th century.
Tuning: A3 A3 A2, D3 D3 D2, G3 G2, B3 B3, E3 E3
Strings/Courses: 12/5
Further notes: Steel strings.
Scale Length: 550mm
Violao De Sete Cordas
Alternative names:
Origin: Brazil, early 20th century.
Tuning: C2, E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4 or B2, E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4
Strings/Courses: 7/7
Further notes: Usually nylon, but sometimes steel strings.
Scale Length: 650mm
Violin
Alternative names: Fiddle
Origin: Italy, 16th century.
Tuning: G3, D4, A4, E5
Strings/Courses: 4/4
Further notes: Traditonally gut, but nowadays usually steel strings. Sometimes gut or nylon with aluminium or silver spun round.
Scale Length: 325-330mm
Violoncello / Violincello
- See Cello.