What Is a Vielle Instrument?

The vielle is a European bowed stringed instrument used in the medieval period, similar to a modern violin but with a somewhat longer and deeper body, three to five gut strings, and a leaf-shaped pegbox with frontal tuning pegs, sometimes with a figure-8 shaped body.

What was the vielle used for?

From the 12^th century on, the vielle was associated in literature with both amateur and professional players (along with the citole and harp), as an instrument to play dance music; to accompany others' secular songs; to self-accompany secular singing; and, perhaps surprisingly, as an accompaniment to religious song.

What does a vielle look like?

Vielle. ... Basically, the vielle appears in pictures to have been about the size of a modern viola, with a slightly rounded rectangular body and four or five strings. From its appearance around the l0th century until about l400, it was probably constructed so that the lower strings could function as drones.