Viola

:For other uses of the word, see Viola (disambiguation).

Playing the viola

In general, the technique for playing the viola is nearly identical to that of the violin. However, there are some unique considerations that apply to the viola:

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• Unlike the violin, there is no standard "full size" viola. The reason for this is that the ideal viola size for the "best" tone quality (disregarding the craftsmanship of the instrument) would not fit on the player's shoulder. Therefore, violists compensate by playing the largest instrument possible for the musician. When a player switches from violin to viola (or vice versa), the viola will generally have a larger body as well as a longer string length. The most immediately noticeable accommodations a player must make are to use wider spaced fingerings as well as a wider & more "violent" vibrato in the left hand, and to place the bow farther away from the player's body (right arm). Though the same techniques still apply, the different placement of the left hand fingers and right arm can take some getting used to. The player must also bring their left elbow farther forward so as to reach the lowest strings. This allows the fingers to be firm and creates a better tone.
• In addition, the viola bow is slightly longer than that of the violin, with a wider band of horse-hair, particularly near the frog (or 'heel' in the UK. This is the heavy end of the bow held by the right hand). Viola bows are often heavier than violin bows. Bowing technique differs from violin bowing in that more weight must be applied to pull sound from the strings. One reason for the extra weight requirement is that the viola's heavier strings and larger construction in general necessitates more energy to create the vibrations, which make the sound.
• The viola is usually strung with thicker strings. This, combined with its larger size & lower pitch range, results in tones which are much more mellow and deep. However, a thicker string gauge means that the viola "speaks" slower than its soprano cousin. Practically speaking, if a violist and violinist are playing together, the violist has to begin moving their bow a fraction of a second sooner than the violinist does to produce a sound that starts at the same moment as the violinist's sound.

See also: Playing the violin. With the exception of specific string tunings, all the techniques outlined in that section apply equally to the viola.

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