Violin viola which is bigger

The physical distance between the strings is also different. It will be greater on a viola. This is why when violists switch over to a violin and vice versa, they will have a hard time locating the position of their fingers. The viola strings are also thicker and require more strength on the part of the viola player. The four strings of the violin are separated by a perfect fifth interval.

The viola has a lower scale than the violin and is exactly one octave higher than the cello. The length of the string requires larger gaps to be made. The size of the instrument also limits the flexibility of hand and body movements. In conclusion, the violist must make a greater effort when playing. However, these constraints are not prohibitive, they are to be considered as the result of a comparison between the two instruments. Instrumentalists intuitively adapt their playing style according to the instrument they use….

Discover our article about how to fight recurrent pains of the violinist or violist? The way of playing and handling the bow are also different in order to master the desired sounds. Since the length of the viola is greater, the bow will also be longer, and therefore heavier. The size of the viola entails a wider positioning of the fingers on the neck of the instrument. The effort and strength required from the hands, fingers and arms must also be greater, as the strings are thicker.

The viola is read using the key of C and the key of G, while the violin is read using the key of G. Reading a score based on these two keys requires an adaptation since you have to learn to decode each of them. Due to its larger size and the use of a lower string, the viola will produce a lower and darker sound. This sound is also often referred to as softer, rounder, mellow, velvety and richer for the upper and mid-ranges. The musical repertoire for the violin is broader.

This means the sound it makes is more mellow, and takes a little longer to be heard. Recommended listening for viola: Benjamin Britten , Elegy for solo viola. She has also written for titles including the Guardian, Circus Journal, Frankie and Suitcase Magazine, and runs The Noiseletter, a fortnightly arts and culture publication. Freya's main areas of interest and research lie in 20th-century and contemporary music.

Home Features Articles What is the difference between a violin and a viola? A Viola can sound notes that are 4 steps lower than the lowest note on the Violin. This range of sound puts the Viola right in between the Violins and the Cellos.

This is why the Viola is used as more of a harmonic type of instrument in most symphonic literature, rather than a solo type, like the Violin. Harold in Italy accepted!! Violins most often play the melody line in orchestral and ensemble music, at least in the string family.

Violins can go up higher than Violas, since they have the E string, and this ability to play notes in the higher ranges qualifies it for a more solo type of instrument because it has the closest resemblance to the soprano voice. Do they sound the same? The Viola has a deeper and mellower sound than the violin, due to the lower C string and the notes that can be played on it.

There are many notes that are shared by both instruments, such as the notes on the G, D, and A strings, but when they are played on a Viola, they still sound different and carry a more somber tone, because the viola is larger and the strings are thicker. Violas often are used in symphonies and chamber ensembles to provide more rhythmic and harmonic elements rather than melodic and lyrical lines.

There are not as many Violas as there are Violins in ensembles. If you notice in a symphony orchestra, there are two sections of Violins; the first and second Violins, yet there is only one Viola section.

In fact, the Violins are the only string instrument to have two sections in a symphony. You can compare the Violins to the lead guitar in a band, or the soprano voices in a chorus. Previous article Next article. Join Us Your email. Follow us.