double bass

Despite the fact that the double bass evolved as long ago as the sixteenth century, it has never become standardized in regard to size or even pattern, and only in comparatively recent times has a uniform stringing been adopted. As played today it has four strings tuned in fourths (E′A′D°G°), unlike the other members of the violin family; this smaller interval is necessitated by the larger dimensions of the fingerboard and resultant greater spread of the fingers when stopping. Orchestral instruments...