Construction Viol

early italian tenor viola da gamba, detail painting st. cecilia, raphael, c. 1510.

viols first constructed vihuela de mano, surfaces, top, back, , sides made flat slabs or pieces of joined wood, bent or curved required. however, viols, both , later, had carved tops, similar more commonly associated instruments of violin family. ribs or sides of viols quite shallow, reflecting more construction of plucked vihuela counterparts. rib depth increased during course of 16th century, coming resemble greater depth of classic 17th-century pattern.

the flat backs of viols have sharply angled break or canted bend in surface close neck meets body. serves taper (and overall body depth) @ upper end meet of neck joint flush heel. traditional construction uses animal glue, , internal joints reinforced strips of either linen or vellum soaked in hot animal glue—a practice employed in plucked vihuela construction. peg boxes of viols (which hold tuning pegs) typically decorated either elaborate carved heads of animals or people or familiar spiral scroll finial.

the earliest vihuelas , viols, both plucked , bowed, had sharp cuts waists, similar profile of modern violin. key , new feature—first appearing in mid-15th century—and on, employed on many different types of string instruments. feature key in seeing , understanding connection between plucked , bowed versions of vihuelas. if 1 go searching viols smooth-curved figure-eight bodies, found on later plucked vihuelas , modern guitar, out of luck. mid-16th century, however, guitar-shaped viols common, , few of them survive.

the earliest viols had flat, glued-down bridges plucked counterpart vihuelas. after, however, viols adopted wider , high-arched bridge facilitated bowing of single strings. earliest of viols have had ends of fretboards flat on deck, level or resting upon top or sound board. once end of fretboards elevated above top of instrument s face, entire top vibrate freely. viols did not have sound posts, either (again reflecting plucked vihuela siblings). reduced damping again meant tops vibrate more freely, contributing characteristic humming sound of viols; yet absence of sound post resulted in quieter , softer voice overall.

it commonly believed c-holes (a type , shape of pierced sound port visible on top face or belly of string instruments) definitive feature of viols, feature used distinguish viols instruments in violin family, typically had f-shaped holes. generality, however, renders incomplete picture. earliest viols had either large, open, round, sound holes (or round pierced rosettes found on lutes , vihuelas), or had kind of c-holes. viols had many 4 small c-holes—one placed in each corner of bouts—but more commonly, had two. 2 c-holes might placed in upper bouts, centrally, or in lower bouts. in formative years, c-holes placed facing each other or turned inwards.

in addition round or c-holes, however, , first quarter of 16th century, viols adopted s-shaped holes, again facing inward. mid-16th century, s-holes morphed classic f-shaped holes, used viols , members of violin family alike. mid- late 16th century, viol s c-holes facing direction reversed, becoming outward facing. configuration became standard feature of today call “classic” 17th-century pattern. yet style of sound holes found on viols pair of flame-shaped arabesques placed left , right. lute , vihuelalike round or oval ports or rosettes became standard feature of german , austrian viols , retained end. feature or “genetic marker” exclusively unique viols , reminded 1 of viol s more ancient plucked vihuela roots, luteness of viols.

historians, makers, , players distinguish between renaissance , baroque viols. latter more heavily constructed , fitted bass bar , sound post, modern stringed instruments.

viol bows

the bow held underhand (palm up), similar german double bass bow grip, away frog towards balance point. stick s curvature convex violin bows of period, rather concave modern violin bow. frog (which holds bowhair , adjusts tension) different of modern bows: whereas violin bow frog has slide (often made of mother of pearl), pinches hair , holds flat , stationary across frog, viol bows have open frog allows more movement of hair. facilitates traditional playing technique performer uses 1 or 2 fingers of bow hand press hair away bow stick. dynamically increases bow hair tension control articulation , inflection.