Is there a classical counterpart to quantum string theory?

[jostpuur]

Standard quantum field theories start so that there is a classical field theory, and then the field is quantized. Is there also a classical string theory, that is quantized to give quantum mechanical theory of strings?

(I don't know anything about string theory yet. I'm just asking things, before I start studying it.)

 

[coalquay404]

Yes there is.

 

[AlphaNumeric]

To expand on Coal's answer, string theory starts classically by considering the Lagrangian of a vibrating string, as is common place in classical Newtonian dynamics. The wave oscillation solutions are found, the Fourier coefficents computed and then you apply quantum (anti)commutation relations to them.