Parts of a Violin: Labeled Diagram and What Each Part Does

Knowing the names of the parts makes every lesson easier. A teacher will say "play closer to the bridge," "turn the fine tuner," or "keep your thumb under the frog," and a repair person will ask whether the problem is at the pegs or the bridge. This guide walks down the violin from top to bottom, the same way the diagram above does, and explains what each part does in plain words. The parts are the same on every size of violin, from the smallest child's size to a full-size 4/4.

The scroll and pegbox

• Scroll. The carved spiral at the very top of the violin. It does not change the sound. It is the maker's signature piece of carving, and it is a handy place to rest the violin on a hook or stand.
• Pegbox. The open box just below the scroll. The strings wind around the pegs inside it. When you change a string, this is where the new string goes in.
• Pegs. Also called tuning pegs. There are four, one for each string, two on each side of the pegbox. Each peg is slightly tapered and held in place by friction, so a gentle push inward while you turn it keeps it from slipping. Turning a peg tightens or loosens its string: tighter makes the note higher, looser makes it lower. Pegs are for bigger tuning changes.
• Nut. The small raised strip where the pegbox meets the fingerboard. It has a groove for each string and holds the strings at the right height and spacing. It is one end of the part of the string that vibrates; the bridge is the other end.

The neck and fingerboard

• Neck. The wooden arm between the scroll and the body. Your left hand moves along it to play different notes. The curved block where the neck joins the back of the body is called the heel.
• Fingerboard. The long smooth strip, usually black, glued on top of the neck. You press the strings down against it to change the note. Unlike a guitar, a violin has no frets, so your ear and practice decide exactly where each finger goes. That is why many beginners start with small tape strips on the fingerboard as guides. The fingerboard is often ebony, or a hardwood stained black.
• Strings. Four strings, tuned G, D, A and E. The thick G string plays the lowest notes and the thin E string plays the highest. Strings are made with cores of steel, synthetic fiber or gut, wound with fine metal.

The body

• Body. The hollow wooden box. When you bow a string, the string shakes the bridge, the bridge shakes the thin wooden top, and the body turns that small movement into the sound you hear. The top is usually spruce; the back, sides and neck are usually maple.
• Top, back and ribs. The top is the front face with the f-holes. The back is the other face, often with a pretty flame pattern in the maple. The ribs are the thin curved sides that join them.
• Upper bout. The rounded top part of the body, near the neck.
• C-bouts (the waist). The two inward curves in the middle of the body, shaped like the letter C. They make room for the bow, so you can play the outside strings without hitting the edge of the violin.
• Lower bout. The wider, rounded bottom part of the body, where the chinrest and tailpiece sit.
• Corners. The four pointed tips where the C-bouts meet the upper and lower bouts.
• F-holes. The two openings in the top shaped like a fancy letter f. They let the sound out of the body and let the top move more freely. The small notches in the middle of each f-hole show where the bridge feet should stand.
• Purfling. The thin inlaid line that runs just inside the edge of the top and the back. It looks like a painted border, but it is made of thin strips of wood set into a channel. It is decorative, and it also helps stop small cracks at the edge from spreading.

The bridge, tailpiece and chinrest

• Bridge. The thin carved piece of maple standing on the top between the f-holes. It holds the strings up off the body and passes their vibration into the top. The bridge is not glued; the pressure of the strings holds it in place. Its top edge is curved, so you can bow one string at a time. Check now and then that it stands straight and is not leaning toward the fingerboard.
• Fine tuners. The small metal screws on the tailpiece. Turning one makes a tiny change in its string's pitch, much easier than turning a peg. Student violins often have a fine tuner on all four strings; many advanced players keep only one, on the E string.
• Tailpiece. The dark piece at the bottom of the strings that anchors them. It does not touch the top. A loop of cord or wire, called the tailgut, holds it to the end button at the bottom of the violin.
• Chinrest. The shaped cup at the bottom of the violin, usually to the left of the tailpiece. Your jaw rests on it to hold the violin steady. It clamps on with small metal brackets, so it can be swapped for one that fits your face better.
• End button. The small knob at the very bottom of the violin. The tailgut loops around it. (On a cello this spot holds the long endpin instead.)

The hidden parts inside the violin

Two important parts sit inside the body, where you can only glimpse them through the f-holes:

• Sound post. A small wooden dowel standing between the top and the back, near the foot of the bridge on the E-string side. It is not glued; it is held in place by pressure. It carries vibration from the top to the back and supports the top. If it falls over, loosen the strings and take the violin to a repair shop. Do not try to set it yourself.
• Bass bar. A long strip of wood glued under the top, beneath the bridge foot on the G-string side. It strengthens the top and helps the low notes sound full.

Many violins also carry a shoulder rest, a padded bar that clips onto the back. It is an accessory rather than a part of the violin, and it helps the instrument sit comfortably on your shoulder.

Violin string names

A violin's four strings, from the lowest to the highest, are:

G · D · A · E

Each string is tuned five notes (a "fifth") above the one before it. The G string is the thickest and plays the lowest notes. The E string is the thinnest and plays the highest. When you hold the violin, the G string is on your left and the E string is on your right.

A popular way to remember the order is Good Dogs Always Eat. Most players tune by playing the A string first, matching it to a tuner or a piano, then tuning the other strings to it.

The viola looks like a slightly larger violin, and its strings are C, G, D, A: it drops the violin's E string and adds a low C. The cello uses the same four names as the viola, one octave lower. See the parts of a cello for how the bigger instrument compares.

The parts of the bow

The bow is not attached to the violin, but it is half of how you play. Its parts:

• Stick. The long, gently curved rod. It is traditionally made of pernambuco or brazilwood, and many student and professional bows are carbon fiber. The stick curves slightly toward the hair, which gives the bow its spring.
• Hair. The flat ribbon of horsehair, or synthetic hair on some bows, that you draw across the strings. Bare hair barely makes a sound. You rub rosin, a hard block of tree resin, along it so it grips the string and makes it vibrate.
• Frog. The block at the end you hold. It anchors one end of the hair, and your thumb and middle fingers rest near it. The frog slides a little when you turn the screw.
• Screw. Also called the adjuster or button. The knob at the very end of the bow. Turning it moves the frog to tighten or loosen the hair. Tighten before you play, and loosen the hair after you play, every time, so the stick keeps its curve.
• Grip and thumb leather. The wrapping and small leather pad just above the frog. They give your fingers a comfortable place to hold and protect the stick.
• Tip. Also called the head. The far end of the bow, where the other end of the hair is fixed. It is often protected by a small white plate.

Violin sizes

Violins come in fractional sizes so young players can reach comfortably. A full-size violin is called 4/4, and smaller sizes include 3/4, 1/2, 1/4 and smaller. Every size has exactly the same parts; only the measurements change. Most teens and adults play a 4/4. To find the right size by arm length or age, see our size chart for violin, viola and cello.

Violins to learn the parts on

Every violin below has the parts described in this guide, including fine tuners on all four strings, and each comes with a case, bow and rosin. Prices and stock update automatically.

See every violin we carry on our violins page, or browse all orchestral strings. Not sure which size? Start with the violin size chart.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main parts of a violin?

The scroll, pegbox and pegs at the top; the neck and fingerboard in the middle; and the body, with its f-holes, bridge, tailpiece, fine tuners and chinrest. Inside the body are the sound post and the bass bar.

What are the 4 strings on a violin?

From the lowest to the highest: G, D, A, E. Each is tuned a fifth above the one before. A common way to remember them is "Good Dogs Always Eat."

What is the difference between the pegs and the fine tuners?

The pegs, in the pegbox near the scroll, make big tuning changes. The fine tuners, small screws on the tailpiece, make tiny changes. Most beginners tune with the fine tuners and leave the pegs to a teacher until they are comfortable.

Is the bridge on a violin glued?

No. The pressure of the strings holds it in place. That is why it can lean over time as strings are tuned; check that it stands straight, and ask a teacher or repair person to straighten it if it leans.

What are the f-holes on a violin for?

They let the sound out of the body and let the top vibrate more freely. The small notches in the middle of each f-hole also show where the bridge should stand.

What is the sound post?

A small wooden dowel inside the violin, standing between the top and the back near the bridge. It carries vibration through the body and supports the top. It is held in by pressure, so if it falls, loosen the strings and take the violin to a repair shop.