Making It: Programmes 27–39
Programme 33: Thibaud and the Red Violin

Aims

After viewing the programme, pupils should be able to:

measure and mark out materials;
communicate design ideas in different ways, bearing in mind aesthetic qualities, and the use and purpose for which the product is intended;
explore the sensory qualities of materials and how to use materials and processes;
assemble, join and combine components and materials accurately;
design and make assignments using stiff and flexible sheet materials and textiles;
investigate and evaluate a product to appreciate how it works and how it is used.

Thibaud works hard at learning the violin. On his way home after class, he stops off at the music shop and gazes at the red violin in the window. It's not like a traditional violin. Where the old-fashioned instrument has a sound box, the red violin has an electric pick-up that plugs into an amplifier. An ordinary violin has a body of polished wood, but the red violin has a streamlined, cut-away body made from shiny red plastic. It's modern and funky. There's only one problem with the red violin – its price.

Thibaud uses his special talent to raise some cash. He goes busking at the harbourside and in the tourist places around town. With the help of his brother on the trumpet, he eventually raises the money he needs.

Soon, he's in the spotlight, performing on the red violin.

Curriculum Relevance

Art: investigating and making art, craft and design.
Science: sound.
Music: play tuned / untuned instruments; improvise, developing rhythmic and melodic material; analyse and compare sounds.

Background

Violins developed from earlier stringed instruments like mandolins and lutes. The earliest mention of an instrument called a violin comes in 1523 in the town of Vercelli in Italy. The violin is played by moving a bow backwards and forwards across its strings. The player can control the pitch of a note (how high or low it is) by holding down a string against the long neck or 'fretboard' of the instrument. A traditional violin has a hollow wooden body. This hollow space acts as a soundbox, catching the vibrations from the strings. The air inside the soundbox vibrates and this makes the sound of the strings louder. If you look carefully, you will see two long curved slots on the front the violin. These openings allow the sound to come out of the soundbox.

The violin is the lead instrument in the string section of an orchestra. Violins usually play the tune or melody in a piece of music. Other stringed instruments that play melodies include the guitar and the harp. Some stringed instruments, such as the cello and the double bass, play deeper notes and emphasise the rhythm of a piece of music.

Activities

Make a Harp

You will need: 4 sheets of thick card (about 30 cm by 30 cm); reel of thin elastic; large darning needle; pva glue; paints and brushes; ruler; pencil; scissors; bradawl; craft knife and cutting mat.

Before you start: Think about how to use the equipment safely and whether you need an adult to supervise. Check with your teacher if you are not sure.

On the card, draw out a large D-shape.
Draw a second D-shape inside the first one. Leave at least 2 cm of space between the inside and the outside shape.
Cut the middle out of the smallest D-shape using the craft knife.
Trim around the outline of the larger D. You should be left with a hollow semicircle of card, at least 2 cm thick all the way round.
Draw around your D-shape on 3 more sheets of thick card. Cut out these shapes and glue them one on top of another, to make a strong frame for your harp. Leave the glue to dry completely.
Use a bradawl to make 6 small holes in the straight side of the D, spacing them out evenly. Make 6 more holes on the curved side of the D, exactly opposite the first set of holes.
Thread the needle with a length of elastic and tie it firmly with a large knot.
Push the needle through the first hole on the straight side of the D and pull the elastic through until the knot stops it.
Stretch the elastic across the open space in the middle of the D and push the needle through the first hole on the curved side. Tie a knot to hold the elastic in place and then cut off any free elastic left over. This will be the first string of your harp.
Add 5 more strings in the same way.
Pluck the different strings and listen to the note made by each one.
Paint the frame of your harp.
Can you play a simple tune when your harp is finished?

Make Instrument Stencils and Wrapping Paper

You will need: information book about instruments; tracing paper; carbon paper; large sheet of thin card; scissors; craft knife and cutting mat; pencil; paints; paintbrush; roll of paper in a single plain colour.

Before you start: Think about how to use the equipment safely and whether you need an adult to supervise. Check with your teacher if you are not sure.

Trace a picture of a musical instrument from an information book.
Put the tracing on top of the sheet of card, with a piece of carbon paper (ink side down) in between.
Draw over the main lines of the tracing, transferring them to the card.
Continue with more instrument tracings until you have built up a design on the card that you are happy with. You could use the same image several times at regular intervals to make a repeating pattern.
Cut out some of the main lines of the design, leaving instrument-shaped gaps. The sheet of card will be the stencil for a sheet of wrapping paper.
Unroll a section of coloured paper and lay your stencil over it.
Dab paint over all the gaps in your stencil, then lift the stencil away. Your design will be transferred to the coloured paper.
Let the paint dry, then unroll another section of paper and repeat the stencilling.
Continue until you have an entire roll of wrapping paper.

Links

A list of different stringed instruments, with plenty of photos:
www.gryphonstrings.com/indexinv.html

Virtual museum of historical stringed instruments:
www.mdw.ac.at/I105/orpheon/Seiten/Abra/vazquezcoll.htm

Making It: Programmes 27–39 Programme 33: Thibaud and the Red Violin