The violin is the highest-pitched instrument in the violin family of wooden string instruments. It is also known as a fiddle. Its direct ancestor is the Arabic "rebab" which evolved into the Byzantine "lyra" in the centuries leading up to the 9th century. The modern violin first appeared in the 1500s in northern Italy, from where it quickly migrated to other parts of Europe. It was popular in all stratifications of society from street musicians to nobility. In France, Charles IX ordered the construction of 24 violins - one of these still survives and indeed is the oldest surviving violin, the "Charles IX".

The violin usually has four strings tuned in perfect fifths, and is played by:

• Arco -
  Drawing a bow across the strings.


• Pizzicato -
  Plucking the strings with the fingers.


• Col legno -
  Striking the strings with the wooden side of the bow.

Violins can be found in a wide variety of musical genres today. It is a prominent instrument in the Western classical orchestra, in chamber music ensembles and as a solo instrument. Other idioms that are fond of the violin include jazz, bluegrass and country music.