Y4. Lesson 27. Exploring the string family
Prior learning: None
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials: Woodblocks or claves
Keywords: Beat, rhythm, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games.
Difficulty: 
Prepare
Present
The string family
Practise
Overview
The string family is the largest section of the orchestra and includes four main instruments: violin, viola, cello, and double bass. These instruments produce sound through strings' vibration, either by bowing or plucking.
The smallest and highest-pitched violin often carries the melody, while the viola, slightly larger, adds depth with its richer tones. The cello, known for its warm, expressive sound, plays melodic and harmonic roles. The double bass, the largest and lowest-pitched instrument, provides foundational bass lines. These instruments create diverse sounds, contributing significantly to the orchestra’s overall texture and emotion.
Melodic development
Students discover why melodies played on strings sound so good.
- Play the beginning of The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams.
- Ask students to listen to the melody that appears shortly after the introduction.
- When the track ends, ask students the name of the instrument playing the melody [violin].
- Ask how the melody makes them feel. Answers might include dreamy, peaceful, or relaxed.
- Ask students if they know what a lark is [a bird]
- Ask if the melody makes them think of a bird flying high.
- Ask if the melody would sound better or worse if played on another instrument.
- Explain that melody sounds particularly good on string instruments because of their unique characteristics, which allow them to express music with great emotion.
- String instruments, like the violin, viola, cello, and double bass, have a warm, rich tone that can closely mimic the human voice. This vocal-like quality makes melodies on strings feel natural, adding emotional depth to the music.
- String instruments can play very softly or very loudly, allowing musicians to shape the melody with dynamic contrasts. This creates a sense of drama and keeps the listener engaged, making the melody sound more interesting and expressive.
- Strings can play legato, which means connecting notes smoothly without breaks. This creates a flowing, seamless melody that sounds pleasing to the ear, unlike the more abrupt sounds of some other instruments.
- Players can use vibrato, a slight variation in pitch, to add warmth and emotion to each note. This technique enhances the beauty of the melody, making it feel alive and resonant.
- Unlike fixed-pitch instruments (like piano), string players can subtly bend notes, adding expressiveness to the melody. This allows for a better interpretation of the music and reveals the melody’s character.
- Strings can play long, sustained notes, giving melodies a lyrical, singing quality. This makes them particularly effective for slow, expressive melodies that require notes to last and resonate.
- String instruments blend well when grouped together, creating rich harmonies and textures that support the melody. This interplay enhances the melodic line, making it sound fuller and more captivating.
Listening 1
Students listen and watch strings used in classical music.
- After experiencing the strings in these different styles, students will reflect on the following questions:
- Which piece did they enjoy the most? Was it the lively, energetic strings of Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” or the slow, emotional strings in the Adagio?
- How did the sound of the strings make them feel in each piece? Did they prefer the quick, joyful sound of fast strings, or did they connect more with the adagio's slow, smooth, and thoughtful sound?
- What story did the strings seem to tell in each piece, and which one resonated with them the most?
- Students will watch a short video of the orchestra performing “Moldau” by Bedřich Smetana. They should focus on the string players—violins, violas, cellos, and double basses.
- Ask them to observe how the musicians move their bows swiftly across the strings, creating a rich, flowing sound that resembles a river. Students should pay attention to how the musicians’ hands work together in perfect harmony, plucking and bowing to bring out the delicate and powerful moments in the music. The strings produce a beautiful, rippling effect that brings the music to life and paints a picture of nature and movement.
- Next, students will listen to two audio tracks, each highlighting the unique sounds of string instruments:
- Track 1: Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”
This lively piece by Mozart showcases the playful and energetic side of the string instruments. Students will hear the violins, violas, and cellos playing bright, quick notes that bounce and dance. The strings give the music a joyful, upbeat feel, almost like they tell a cheerful story. They can listen to how the strings interact, creating a light, bouncy sound that brings the piece to life. - Track 2: Adagio for Strings
In contrast, the second track shows the strings in a more reflective and emotional light. Instead of quick, playful notes, the strings play long, slow tones that stretch out and create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere. The violins and cellos produce a soft, deep sound that might evoke feelings of calmness, sadness, or thoughtfulness. This piece demonstrates how the strings can touch emotions with their smooth and flowing melodies.
Listening II
Students listen to strings used in modern pop music.
- Ask which articulations are heard in "Bitter Sweet Symphony". [staccato and legato]
- The music gets louder in the beginning. What is this called? [crescendo]
- Does the music start loudly or softly? [softly] What is the term for soft [piano]
- One section of the strings is playing a repeating short pattern. What is this called? [ostinato]
- What articulation is used on this repeating pattern? [staccato]
- On top of this pattern, other strings are playing a slow, joined-up series of notes. What is this called? [legato]
- Play "Bitter Sweet Symphony".
- The string part is very catchy and repeats throughout the whole song. It gives the music a steady, flowing feel. The strings sound a bit sad but also hopeful. This mix of feelings makes the song special.
- Ask students what they feel about this music. Do they like the strings playing in the song?
- The strings in the next track, "Unfinished Sympathy", sound like something you might hear in a movie. They play loud, sweeping notes that fill the whole song, making it feel dramatic and full of emotion, almost like it’s telling a story. The strings sometimes get louder and softer, or they play high and low notes, which keeps the song exciting and makes you feel like you’re on a rollercoaster of emotions.
- The strings in "Yesterday" are played softly, making the song feel calm and sad, like a lullaby. They play long, smooth notes that match the slow, gentle feel of the song, adding a warm, comforting background to the singing.
- The string instruments help make the song feel more emotional, almost like the music is talking about missing something or feeling sorry. This makes us feel connected to the song.
Visual learning
Students discover details of the string family.
- The first image shows the four instruments of the string family being played. Ask about the differences in playing style [violin and viola held under the chin, cello and double-bass are played sitting down]
- The second image shows the relative sizes of the four instruments. Does the size of the instrument affect the timbre? Why are they different sizes?
- The third image shows the components of a violin. Ask what the tuning pegs do [tighten or loosen the string so it makes the right note]. Teach that the f-holes allow the sound produced by the strings and the instrument's body to escape and be heard. When the strings vibrate, the instrument's wooden body vibrates, too, creating sound waves inside. The f-holes let those sound waves out, making the instrument louder and richer.
- The diagram above shows a typical arrangement of the string section within the orchestra.
- The violins are split into two sections, the first and the second. The first violins play the most difficult parts and are helped by the second violins, which add supporting parts to the music.
- The second violins and violas sit on either side of the midpoint.
- The cellos and double basses sit together on the right-hand side.
- The diagram above shows a typical seating plan for the entire orchestra. [The instrument numbers are not accurate]
- Notice the string section sits in the front.
- Ask students if they can recognise any other instrument of the orchestra and which family they belong to.
Assess
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV