Trivia
The f-hole used to be a C-hole or S-hole
The openings on both sides of the body of the violin that are shaped like a lowercase "f" are appropriately called f-holes, and these serve to transmit to the outside air the vibrations within the body caused by the body's resonance, ringing out with a rich tone. The Viola da Gamba, which is older than the violin, has primarily C-shaped holes, and even after the violin appeared in the sixteenth century, half-moon, flame, S-shapes and other designs were also prevalent.
Standardizing on the current f-shape started about the beginning of the eighteenth century when the development of the violin was mostly complete. The f-hole is said to have been created when violin makers carved a section out of the middle of the S-hole to indicate the position of the bridge on the body.
(Source: Takatomo Kurosawa, World Instrument Dictionary, published by Yozankaku)

Musical Instrument Guide : Violin Contents
Origins
Structure
How to Play
How the Instrument is Made
Choosing an Instrument
Care and Maintenance
Trivia
- The f-hole used to be a C-hole or S-hole
- Why the f-hole?
- Violinists must bow to the horse
- Steel strings or gut strings? That is the question
- Is the chinrest the unsung hero of the violin?
- Most violin varnishes are also medicines
- Violin masterpieces: Solos I
- Violin masterpieces: Solos II
- Violin masterpieces: Solos III
- Violin masterpieces: Concertos I
- Violin masterpieces: Concertos II
- Viola masterpieces: Chamber music
- Viola masterpieces: Concertos
- Cello masterpieces: Concertos I
- Cello masterpieces: Concertos II
- Cello masterpieces: Solos
- Contrabass masterpieces: Concertos
- Contrabass masterpieces: Chamber music
- Orchestral masterpieces featuring the contrabass
- What do you call the part on the bow that you hold?