Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 250
•
Trim: 7¼ x 10¼
978-0-8108-8897-5 • Hardback • July 2015 • $129.00 • (£99.00)
978-1-4422-7402-0 • Paperback • November 2016 • $50.00 • (£38.00)
978-0-8108-8898-2 • eBook • July 2015 • $47.50 • (£37.00)
Michael Pagliaro has served as professor of instrumental music and musical instrument technology, is founder and CEO emeritus-in-counsel of Ardsley Musical Instrument Service, Ltd., and director of research and development for Contemporary Music Laboratories. He is an authority in musical instrument technology and the inventor of several musical instrument products. He is author of Everything You Should Know about Musical Instruments (1992), The Violin: How It Works (2002), The Flute: How It Works (2003), The Violin Workbook (2004), The Musical Instrument Desk Reference (Scarecrow Press, 2012), Basic Elements of Music: A Primer for Musicians, Music Teachers, and Students (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), and The Brass Instrument Owner's Handbook (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016).
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1: Where These Instruments Came From
Chapter 2: How These Instruments Work
Chapter 3: Different Kinds of Violins, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses
Chapter 4: Who Makes Them and How They Are Made
Chapter 5: How to Choose and Buy a String Instrument
Chapter 6: How to Rent an Instrument
Chapter 7: How to Take Care of Your Instrument
Chapter 8: Accessories
Chapter 9: How String Instruments Compare to Each Other
Chapter 10: Learning to Play
Chapter 11: The Science of Sound
Appendix: Instrument Diary
Glossary of Terms
This volume offers a great deal of information for new and seasoned string-instrument owners. There is a very brief history of string instruments, discussing their predecessors and development. Half the book focuses on descriptive aspects of string instruments: how they work, different kinds of string instruments (based on time period or body style), and information on the makers. The second half is instructional for current or potential string-instrument players: how to buy or rent the instruments; their basic care; the science of their sound; accessories one might need; and a 'diary' for players to keep track of repairs, maintenance, and so forth. The information is useful and well researched.
— Booklist
Michael Pagliaro has valiantly attempted to encapsulate the whole history of the stringed-instrument family into a 200-page volume.
— Stringendo