Viol
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The viol, or viola da gamba, or informally gamba, is a bowed and fretted string instrument that is played da gamba. It is distinct from the later violin, or viola da braccio; and it is any one of the
Spanish instruments from before the name viol or vihuela were coined, played with a bow. From Commentary on the Apocalypse, Codice VITR 14.1, "second third of 10th century".
Detail from a painting by Jan Verkolje, Dutch, c. 1674, Elegant Couple (A Musical Interlude). The theme is similar to the classic Music Lesson genre, and features a bass viol, virginal, and cittern (in the woman's hand, out of frame in this detail; see full image). This image highlights the domestic amateur class of viol players.
Late 16th or early 17th-century viol from a Japanese painting. Has four courses of strings.
Painting by Reza Abbasi c. 1634, showing a musician dressed in European clothing, playing what may be a viol. The instrument has Persian-style soundholes and a thinner neck than the instrument in the Japanese painting.
Double bass
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The double bass, also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, the bass fiddle, the string bass, the contrabass, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched chordophone
Viol
…are fitted with a bass bar and sound post, like modern stringed instruments. The bow is held underhand with the palm facing upward, similar to a German double bass bow grip, but away from the frog towards the balance point. The stick's curvature is generally convex as were violin bows of the period, rather than…
Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French-style bow
Jazz bassist Ron Carter at Altes Pfandhaus in Cologne
Ellen Andrea Wang performing at the Oslo Jazz Festival
Double bass is a standard instrument in bluegrass groups.