小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)琴(qin)由30多個(ge)零件組成(cheng)。其主要(yao)構件有琴(qin)頭(tou)、琴(qin)身、琴(qin)頸(jing)、弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)軸、琴(qin)弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)、琴(qin)馬、腮托、琴(qin)弓、面板(ban)(ban)、側板(ban)(ban)、音柱等。小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)琴(qin)共有四根弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian),分為:1弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(E弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian))、2弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(A弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian))、3弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(D弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian))和(he)(he)4弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(G弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian))。小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)琴(qin)琴(qin)身(共鳴箱)長約35.5厘米,由具有弧度的(de)(de)(de)面板(ban)(ban)、背(bei)板(ban)(ban)和(he)(he)側板(ban)(ban)粘合而成(cheng)。面板(ban)(ban)常(chang)用(yong)云杉制作,質(zhi)(zhi)地(di)較(jiao)軟;背(bei)板(ban)(ban)和(he)(he)側板(ban)(ban)用(yong)楓木(mu),質(zhi)(zhi)地(di)較(jiao)硬。琴(qin)頭(tou)、琴(qin)頸(jing)用(yong)整條(tiao)楓木(mu),指板(ban)(ban)用(yong)烏(wu)木(mu)。小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)琴(qin)的(de)(de)(de)音質(zhi)(zhi)基本上取(qu)決于它的(de)(de)(de)木(mu)質(zhi)(zhi)和(he)(he)相應的(de)(de)(de)結構,取(qu)決于木(mu)材的(de)(de)(de)振(zhen)(zhen)動頻(pin)率(lv)和(he)(he)它對弦(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)振(zhen)(zhen)動的(de)(de)(de)反應。優質(zhi)(zhi)琴(qin)能把(ba)發(fa)出(chu)的(de)(de)(de)每(mei)個(ge)聲音的(de)(de)(de)基音和(he)(he)泛音都同(tong)樣靈(ling)敏地(di)傳播出(chu)去(qu)。
小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)(ti)(ti)琴(qin)(qin)有(you)琴(qin)(qin)弦(xian)(xian)(xian)4根,原均為羊腸制的(de)(de)(de)裸(luo)弦(xian)(xian)(xian),約從18世(shi)紀(ji)起(qi),低音(yin)(yin)(yin)G弦(xian)(xian)(xian)常(chang)包(bao)以銀絲,使其(qi)(qi)反應靈敏(min)。現(xian)代則將G、D、A3根弦(xian)(xian)(xian)用(yong)(yong)纏(chan)金(jin)屬絲的(de)(de)(de)羊腸弦(xian)(xian)(xian)或(huo)鋼絲纏(chan)弦(xian)(xian)(xian),晚近也用(yong)(yong)尼龍(long)弦(xian)(xian)(xian)。E弦(xian)(xian)(xian)改(gai)用(yong)(yong)鋼絲弦(xian)(xian)(xian),使其(qi)(qi)在高(gao)音(yin)(yin)(yin)區的(de)(de)(de)音(yin)(yin)(yin)色(se)更佳。小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)(ti)(ti)琴(qin)(qin)制作(zuo)(zuo)成現(xian)代這種樣(yang)式,并(bing)非(fei)完(wan)全從形態美觀(guan)出發,而(er)(er)是有(you)其(qi)(qi)音(yin)(yin)(yin)響(xiang)上(shang)和(he)演(yan)奏(zou)(zou)上(shang)的(de)(de)(de)需(xu)要(yao)。小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)(ti)(ti)琴(qin)(qin)面板和(he)背板有(you)弧度,使其(qi)(qi)共(gong)鳴良好,發音(yin)(yin)(yin)洪亮;琴(qin)(qin)的(de)(de)(de)腰(yao)身狹窄(zhai),便于演(yan)奏(zou)(zou)高(gao)把位和(he)低音(yin)(yin)(yin)弦(xian)(xian)(xian);面板和(he)背板加(jia)嵌條,除防止木板開裂外,對琴(qin)(qin)的(de)(de)(de)音(yin)(yin)(yin)質(zhi)(zhi)也起(qi)一定(ding)作(zuo)(zuo)用(yong)(yong)。面板與背板中間有(you)音(yin)(yin)(yin)柱支撐(cheng),其(qi)(qi)位置變化對小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)(ti)(ti)琴(qin)(qin)音(yin)(yin)(yin)色(se)影響(xiang)明顯。面板左下方粘低音(yin)(yin)(yin)梁,既起(qi)加(jia)固(gu)作(zuo)(zuo)用(yong)(yong),又具(ju)音(yin)(yin)(yin)響(xiang)作(zuo)(zuo)用(yong)(yong)。小(xiao)(xiao)提(ti)(ti)(ti)琴(qin)(qin)表(biao)面的(de)(de)(de)油漆如太(tai)硬(ying)、太(tai)軟,或(huo)漆得不勻,都會有(you)損于音(yin)(yin)(yin)質(zhi)(zhi)。當琴(qin)(qin)弓與琴(qin)(qin)弦(xian)(xian)(xian)摩(mo)擦使琴(qin)(qin)弦(xian)(xian)(xian)振(zhen)動(dong)(dong)時,通過琴(qin)(qin)馬(ma)引起(qi)面板振(zhen)動(dong)(dong),又通過音(yin)(yin)(yin)柱使背板振(zhen)動(dong)(dong),E弦(xian)(xian)(xian)振(zhen)動(dong)(dong)較(jiao)少,而(er)(er)G弦(xian)(xian)(xian)振(zhen)動(dong)(dong)較(jiao)大,從而(er)(er)使低音(yin)(yin)(yin)梁有(you)更大的(de)(de)(de)振(zhen)動(dong)(dong),并(bing)造(zao)成共(gong)鳴箱(xiang)振(zhen)動(dong)(dong)。能(neng)否使琴(qin)(qin)聲得以充分發揮,取決(jue)于琴(qin)(qin)弦(xian)(xian)(xian)及其(qi)(qi)張力(li)、琴(qin)(qin)馬(ma)質(zhi)(zhi)量、運弓的(de)(de)(de)壓力(li)和(he)速度。要(yao)想(xiang)把琴(qin)(qin)的(de)(de)(de)各種音(yin)(yin)(yin)質(zhi)(zhi)都表(biao)達出來(lai),還(huan)要(yao)加(jia)上(shang)演(yan)奏(zou)(zou)者的(de)(de)(de)弓法、指法和(he)揉弦(xian)(xian)(xian)、彈弦(xian)(xian)(xian)等演(yan)奏(zou)(zou)技巧。
琴弓作為樂(le)器(qi)的(de)附加物,最早出現在拜占庭(ting)帝國(guo)時代,但其(qi)價值就如平民老百姓一(yi)般身份(fen)低下,究其(qi)原因是與彈撥(bo)方法(fa)所產(chan)生的(de)聲音相比,運弓生成的(de)音質(zhi)實在是太(tai)弱。
小(xiao)提琴分電子小(xiao)提琴和(he)木琴兩(liang)(liang)種(zhong),兩(liang)(liang)者(zhe)發聲(sheng)原理迥乎不(bu)同。
電(dian)(dian)子(zi)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)提琴(qin)與普(pu)通小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)提琴(qin)最(zui)主要的(de)(de)(de)區(qu)別(bie)是(shi)電(dian)(dian)子(zi)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)提琴(qin)不(bu)(bu)用共鳴箱(xiang)(xiang),不(bu)(bu)像(xiang)普(pu)通小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)提琴(qin)一(yi)(yi)樣通過(guo)音(yin)(yin)柱帶(dai)動(dong)共鳴箱(xiang)(xiang)內的(de)(de)(de)空氣振(zhen)動(dong)發聲,所以弦(xian)的(de)(de)(de)震動(dong)要靠琴(qin)弦(xian)根(gen)部下方的(de)(de)(de)幾(ji)個磁拾音(yin)(yin)器(qi)(就像(xiang)電(dian)(dian)吉他的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)(yi)樣)拾取,然后通過(guo)音(yin)(yin)響放大。也可以使(shi)用耳機(ji),在(zai)練習(xi)時可以不(bu)(bu)影(ying)響他人(ren)。所以電(dian)(dian)子(zi)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)提琴(qin)的(de)(de)(de)共鳴箱(xiang)(xiang)只是(shi)個擺設。電(dian)(dian)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)提琴(qin)不(bu)(bu)插電(dian)(dian)也能(neng)拉響,但(dan)那個聲音(yin)(yin)根(gen)本(ben)不(bu)(bu)像(xiang)是(shi)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)提琴(qin),而且(qie)聲音(yin)(yin)極小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao),就像(xiang)蚊子(zi)叫。不(bu)(bu)少大一(yi)(yi)些的(de)(de)(de)琴(qin)行(xing)(xing)都有(you)賣電(dian)(dian)子(zi)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)提琴(qin),一(yi)(yi)種(zhong)是(shi)有(you)自己的(de)(de)(de)共鳴體的(de)(de)(de),和普(pu)通提琴(qin)外形相同,只不(bu)(bu)過(guo)多了一(yi)(yi)個拾音(yin)(yin)器(qi),類似于吉他家族(zu)中(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)箱(xiang)(xiang)琴(qin);還有(you)一(yi)(yi)種(zhong)是(shi)電(dian)(dian)子(zi)調音(yin)(yin)共鳴的(de)(de)(de),沒有(you)共鳴體,看上去是(shi)“鏤(lou)空”的(de)(de)(de)那種(zhong),通過(guo)電(dian)(dian)子(zi)電(dian)(dian)路對微弱的(de)(de)(de)振(zhen)動(dong)進行(xing)(xing)拾取放大及調音(yin)(yin)。