Bowed string instrument

Despite the numerous specialist studies devoted to the origin of bowing, the origin of bowing remains unknown.

List of bowed string instruments

Violin family

• Cello (violoncello)
• Pochette
• Viola (altviol, bratsche)
• Violin (violino)
• Double bass (contrabasso)

Variants on the standard members of the violin family include

• Baroque violin
• Cello da spalla
• Five string violin
• Hardanger fiddle
• Kit violin
• Kontra
• Låtfiol
• Lira da braccio
• Octobass
• Sardino
• Stroh violin
• Tenor violin

Viol family (Viola da Gamba family)

• Alto viol (alto viola da gamba)
• Bass viol (bass viola da gamba)
• Tenor viol (tenor viola da gamba)
• Treble viol (treble viola da gamba)

Variants on the standard four members of the viol family include

• Baryton
• Division viol
• Lirone
• Lyra viol
• Pardessus de viol
• Vihuela de arco
• Violone
• Viola d'amore

Lyra and rebec type

• Byzantine lyra
• Calabrian lira
• Cretan lyra
• Gadulka
• Ghaychak
• Kamancheh
• Kemençe of the Black Sea
• Kemenche
• Kemenche (classical)
• Lijerica
• Pochette
• Rabeca
• Rebab
• Rebec
• Shah Kaman

Chinese bowed instruments

• Banhu
• Daguangxian
• Dahu
• Dihu
• Diyingehu
• Erhu
• Erxian
• Gaohu
• Gehu
• Huqin
• Jiaohu
• Jinghu
• Jing erhu
• Laruan
• Leiqin
• Maguhu
• Matouqin
• Sanhu
• Sihu
• Tiqin
• Tihu
• Tuhu
• Wenzhenqin
• Xiqin
• Yazheng
• Yehu
• Zhengni
• Zhonghu
• Zhuiqin
• Zhuihu

Rosined wheel instruments

The following instruments are sounded by means of a turning wheel that acts as the bow:

• Bowed clavier
• Donskoy ryley
• Dulcigurdy a.k.a. Vielle à roue et à manche
• Drejelire
• Harmonichord
• Hurdy-gurdy
• Kaisatsuko
• Lira
• Ninera
• Organistrum
• Tekerő
• Viola organista
• Violano Virtuoso
• Wheelharp

Other bowed instruments

• Agiarut
• Ajaeng
• Arpeggione
• Bowed dulcimer
• Bowed guitar
• Bowed psaltery
• Byzaanchy
• Chuurqin
• Crwth
• Đàn nhị
• Đàn hồ
• Đàn gáo
• Daxophone
• Esraj
• Fiðla
• Gadulka
• Ghaychak
• Giga
• Gudok
• Gue
• Gusle
• Haegeum
• Huqin
• Igil
• Imzad
• Jouhikko
• Kingri
• Kokyū
• Kobyz
• Masenqo
• Morin khuur
• Musical saw
• Neola
• Nyckelharpa (Swedish keyed fiddle)
• Ravanahatha
• Salo
• Sarangi
• Sarangi (Nepali)
• 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