String Instruments: Introduction

String instruments have existed in one form or another for hundreds of years. String instruments produce sound waves when the strings vibrate. The strings can be plucked, bowed, or hammered/struck in order to make them vibrate.

Stringed instruments usually have multiple strings, therefore they can play single-note melodies, multiple note chords, or some combination of both. This makes these instruments flexible enough to play in a variety of musical styles.