The viola organista is a musical instrument designed by Leonardo da Vinci, was an Italian Renaissance polymath whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography, he died in which year?
Viola organista The viola organista is a musical instrument designed by Leonardo da Vinci. It uses a friction belt to vibrate individual strings (similar to how a violin produces sounds), with the strings selected by pressing keys on a keyboard (similar to an organ). Leonardo's design has intrigued instrument makers for more than 400 years. But though similar instruments have been built, no extant instrument constructed directly from Leonardo's incomplete designs is known.
Violin family The violin family of musical instruments was developed in Italy in the 16th century. At the time the name of this family of instruments was violas da braccio which was used to distinguish them from the viol family (violas "da gamba"). The standard modern violin family consists of the violin, viola, cello, and double bass.