The violin is among the most soothing instruments, but how the strings that produce the melody of music are made has disgusted many.
A video detailing the process of making the violin strings has gone viral on TikTok, and even the most experienced musicians weren’t aware of the same until recently.
TikTok shows how the violin strings are made
The sheep’s intestine is the primary product used in making the instrument’s strings. No wonder people don’t want to touch it ever again.
The viral video with over 7.5 million views shows the step-by-step procedure of creating the strings and it starts with the processing of the animal product.
The intestines collected from the slaughterhouse undergo multiple layers of cleaning, including being socked in salt water for days and continuous scraping to get rid of the fat and mucus membrane, for at least a week.
The process also involves cutting the intestine into thin slices to make strings of different sizes. After days of processing, the dry intestine is rubbed with horsehair and licorice soaked in olive oil to make it shiny and smooth.
The last stage in the process includes wrapping the polished intestine with pure silver wire from the outside.
Although the raw product used to make strings may gross you out, it undergoes hundreds of procedures to rid itself of the odor and raw texture. But the mere fact that it comes from an animal still doesn’t sit well with others.
The end product is called catgut strings, although only sheep and sometimes, a cow’s intestine are used to make it.
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Users are grossed out by the fact
The video about the violin strings is purely educational, but TikTok users think they could have lived without knowing how they are made.
One user commented: “As a vegan who plays violin, I am at a loss of words.”
“I don’t want to play violin anymore,” said another.
A third person commented: “I just want to know what was going through the head of the person that figured this out.”
“Bye. I don’t want to learn violin I’m switching to piano,” wrote another.
