ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

String instrument repertoire

Have you ever played with a rubber band? Do you know how when you stretch it and twang it, it makes a sound? That's because it's a string vibrating and creating a noise. String instruments are like big rubber bands but instead of plucking them with our fingers, we use a bow to make a beautiful sound.

Now think of a song you like to sing or that you've heard on the radio. Some of those songs can be played by musicians on string instruments like violins, cellos, violas or basses. These instruments have been used for centuries to create beautiful music, and the collection of all the songs that can be played on them is called the "repertoire."

The repertoire for string instruments is like a big list of all the songs that can be played with these instruments. It includes music from all over the world, from classical music like Bach and Beethoven to more modern tunes like pop songs or movie soundtracks. Every musician who plays a string instrument has their own list of songs they can play that make up their individual repertoire.

String instruments are very versatile, meaning they can play many types of music. They can be used to play sad or happy music, to create a lullaby or a dance tune, and they can even imitate the sounds of birds or animals. So, there is no limit to what can be added to the repertoire and every musician is always learning new songs to add to their list.