Baroque stringed instrument

VIOL

It’s smaller than a viola da gamba but shares its rich, deep tones in early music ensembles.

The clue "Baroque stringed instrument" points to the viol, a fretted, bow-played instrument popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. It’s often confused with the violin but has a deeper tone, sloped shoulders, and six strings instead of four. Think of it as the early music cousin of the modern cello or viola da gamba family. The answer is simply "VIOL," with no hidden wordplay—just a direct reference to the instrument.