Is That a Violin? No, It's the Viola!

Author: Pat Scasny- IMC Representative, Retired Green Bay Public School Instrumental Music Teacher

If you have attended orchestra concerts, you may have noticed that the violins are usually seated to the left of the conductor’s podium, the cello section is seated to the right of the conductor with the string bass section standing behind them.  Seated somewhere between the violin and the cello sections is an instrument that looks very much like a violin. This instrument is held and played just like a violin. It is the viola, the second highest sounding instrument in the string family.

The viola was developed in Italy and was used to describe any bowed stringed instrument. Today, the name is used for the alto member of the violin family. The viola is an almost exact replica of the violin, though slightly larger and with thicker strings, its pitch is a fifth lower (and one octave above the cello).  The viola has a rich, deep, beautiful sound. The strings are tuned to C G D A and the alto clef, also known as the C clef or viola clef, is used except in the upper register when the treble clef is used. This is done in order to avoid ledger lines.

There is no standard size for violas.  A viola should fit the player.  The size makes a difference in the distance a musician must reach to the fingerboard of the instrument as well as the distance between the fingerings on the fingerboard.  Violas range in size from 12”-14” for an intermediate size viola and 15”-16 ½” for a full-sized instrument. 

The viola is an integral part of the orchestra and the string quartet.  Originally, many composers didn’t know what to write for the viola, so the viola was given only the harmony part.  Into the 20^th century, the viola was given a more prominent role and is sometimes featured as a solo instrument.

Here are a few interesting viola facts.  Bach, Beethoven and Mozart were accomplished violists who actually preferred the viola to the violin.  The American rock band, Velvet Underground, used the viola in most of their songs and Jimi Hendrix played the viola when he was young!

Stop in at the Instrumental Music Company, 2908 Ontario Rd, Green Bay, WI 54311 and check out our selection of string instruments.