viol
viol — noun
- violsingular
- violsplural
1. An early string instrument made of wood. Musicians produce its sound by drawing
An early string instrument made of wood. Musicians produce its sound by drawing a bow across the strings. The player holds it upright between the legs, similar to a modern cello. Viols were widely used in European music from the 1500s to the 1600s, and they typically have six strings, a flat back, and small metal bars (frets) on the neck that guide the fingers to the correct notes.
At the Renaissance fair, João played a slow, gentle melody on his viol.
collocation: play + viol
The museum owns a viol from the year 1580 with carvings on its neck and body.
A viol has a flat back and frets on its neck, unlike a modern violin.
Shanti learned to play the viol at a summer workshop on early European music.
- viola da gamba
the full Italian name; used in formal or historical writing about early music
用法筆記
Frequently used with the definite article: play the viol. The instrument is also called viola da gamba in historical music contexts.