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{{Short description|String instrument played by a bow rubbing the strings}}
{{Redirect|Bowed|the social gesture|Bowing|the playing technique|Bowing (music)}}
{{Musical instruments sidebar}}
'''Bowed string instruments''' are a subcategory of [[string instrument]]s that are played by a [[bow (music)|bow]] rubbing the [[string (music)|string]]s. The bow rubbing the string causes [[vibration]] which the instrument emits as sound.

Despite the numerous specialist studies devoted to the origin of bowing, the [[Bow (music)#Origin|origin of bowing]] remains unknown.<ref>Friedrich Behn, Musikleben im Altertum und frühen page 159</ref>

== List of bowed string instruments ==

===Violin family===
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* [[Cello]] (violoncello)
* [[Pochette (musical instrument)|Pochette]]
* [[Viola]] (altviol, bratsche)
* [[Violin]] (violino) 
* [[Double bass]] (contrabasso)
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;Variants on the standard members of the [[violin family]] include:
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* [[Baroque violin]]
* [[Cello da spalla]]
* [[Five string violin]]
* [[Hardanger fiddle]]
* [[Kit violin]]
* [[Kontra]]
* [[Låtfiol]]
* [[Lira da braccio]]
* [[Octobass]]
* [[Sardino]]
* [[Stroh violin]]
* [[Tenor violin]]
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{{Gallery
|title=Instruments of Violin family
|noborder=yes
|align=center
|File:Kersting - Der Geiger Nicolo Paganini.jpg
 |[[Niccolò Paganini]] playing the violin, by [[Georg Friedrich Kersting]] (1785–1847)
|File:Josephine van Lier plays violoncello piccolo.jpg|[[Josephine van Lier]] plays a violoncello piccolo, a five-string variant of the Baroque cello, during a recording session of [[Cello_Suites_(Bach)#Suite_No._6_in_D_major,_BWV_1012|Bach's 6th Cello Suite]].}}

===Viol family (Viola da Gamba family)===
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* [[Viol|Alto viol]] {{nobr|(alto viola da gamba)}}
* [[Viol|Bass viol]] {{nobr|(bass viola da gamba)}}
* [[Viol|Tenor viol]] {{nobr|(tenor viola da gamba)}}
* [[Viol|Treble viol]] {{nobr|(treble viola da gamba)}}
{{div col end}}

;Variants on the standard four members of the [[viol]] family include
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* [[Baryton]]
* [[Division viol]]
* [[Lirone]]
* [[Lyra viol]]
* [[Pardessus de viol]]
* [[Vihuela de arco]]
* [[Violone]]
* [[Viola d'amore]]
{{div col end}}
{{Gallery|title=Instruments of Viol family
|align=center
|noborder=yes
|File:Karl Friedrich Abel by Thomas Gainsborough.jpg
|[[Karl Friedrich Abel]] playing the bass Viola da Gamba, by [[Thomas Gainsborough]] (1727–1788)
|File:Hans Benning of Benning Violins creating a Baryton.jpg|Violinmaker Hans Benning of [[Benning Violins]] creating a Baryton in Los Angeles, 1963.}}

===Lyra and rebec type===
[[Image:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een rebabspeler TMnr 60052115.jpg|thumb|An Indonesian music performer playing with his [[Rebab]].]]
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* [[Byzantine lyra]]
* [[Calabrian lira]]
* [[Cretan lyra]]
* [[Gadulka]]
* [[Ghaychak]]
* [[Kamancheh]]
* [[Kemençe of the Black Sea|Kemençe {{nobr|of the Black Sea}}]]
* [[Kemenche]]
* [[Classical kemençe|Kemenche (classical)]]
* [[Lijerica]]
* [[Pochette (musical instrument)|Pochette]]
* [[Rabeca]]
* [[Rebab]]
* [[Rebec]]
* [[Shah Kaman]]
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===Chinese bowed instruments===
[[Image:Ehru played by blind man.jpg|thumb|Two performers playing the [[Erhu]], sometimes known as the Chinese fiddle.]]

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* [[Banhu]]
* [[Daguangxian]]
* [[Dahu (instrument)|Dahu]]
* [[Dihu]]
* [[Diyingehu]]
* [[Erhu]]
* [[Erxian]]
* [[Gaohu]]
* [[Gehu]]
* [[Huqin]]
* [[Jiaohu]]
* [[Jinghu (instrument)|Jinghu]]
* [[Jing erhu]]
* [[Laruan]]
* [[Leiqin]]
* [[Maguhu]]
* [[Matouqin]]
* [[Sanhu]]
* [[Sihu (instrument)|Sihu]]
* [[Tiqin]]
* [[Tihu]]
* [[Tuhu]]
* [[Wenzhenqin]]
* [[Xiqin (instrument)|Xiqin]]
* [[Yazheng]]
* [[Yehu]]
* [[Zhengni]]
* [[Zhonghu]]
* [[Zhuiqin]]
* [[Zhuihu]]
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===Rosined wheel instruments===
[[Image:Mongolian Musician.jpg|thumb|A performer playing the [[Morin Khuur]], the Mongolian Horse Fiddle]]

The following instruments are sounded by means of a turning wheel that acts as the bow:
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* [[Bowed clavier]]
* [[Donskoy ryley]]
* [[Dulcigurdy]] a.k.a. {{nobr|[[Vielle à roue et à manche]]}}
* [[Drejelire]]
* [[Harmonichord]]
* [[Hurdy-gurdy]]
* [[Kaisatsuko]]
* [[Lira (Ukrainian instrument)|Lira]]
* [[Ninera]]
* [[Organistrum]]
* [[Tekerő]]
* [[Viola organista]]
* [[Violano Virtuoso]]
* [[Wheelharp]]
{{div col end}}

===Other bowed instruments===
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* [[Agiarut]]
* [[Ajaeng]]
* [[Arpeggione]]
* [[Bowed dulcimer]]
* [[Bowed guitar]]
* [[Bowed psaltery]]
* [[Byzaanchy]]
* [[Chuurqin]]
* [[Crwth]]
* [[Đàn nhị]]
* [[Đàn hồ]]
* [[Đàn gáo]]
* [[Daxophone]]
* [[Esraj]]
* [[Fiðla]]
* [[Gadulka]]
* [[Ghaychak]]
* [[Giga (instrument)|Giga]]
* [[Gudok]]
* [[Gue]]
* [[Gusle]]
* [[Haegeum]]
* [[Huqin]]
* [[Igil]]
* [[Imzad]]
* [[Jouhikko]]
* [[Kingri string Instrument|Kingri]]
* [[Kokyū]]
* [[Kobyz]]
* [[Masenqo]]
* [[Morin khuur]]
* [[Musical saw]]
* [[Experimental musical instrument|Neola]]
* [[Nyckelharpa]] {{nobr|(Swedish keyed fiddle)}}
* [[Ravanahatha]]
* [[Salo (instrument)|Salo]]
* [[Sarangi]]
* [[Sarangi (Nepali)]]
* [[Sarinda (instrument)|Sarinda]]
* [[Saw duang]]
* [[Saw sam sai]]
* [[Saw u]]
* [[Shichepshin]]
* [[Sohaegeum]]
* [[Sorahi]]
* [[Sorud]]
* [[Talharpa]]
* [[Tautirut]]
* [[Tro sau thom]]
* [[Tro Khmer]]
* [[Tro sau toch]]
* [[Tro u]]
* [[Umbang]]
* [[Vielle]]
* [[Violoncello da spalla]]
* [[Yaylı tambur]]
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==See also==
*[[Bow stroke]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bowed string instruments| ]]