The viola is an integral part of the symphony orchestra. It has four strings producing tones a fifth lower than the corresponding strings on the violin and is slightly larger. The viola is commonly associated with classical music, and is found in orchestras and string quartets.
The viola is particularly child-friendly because it comes in a variety of sizes. As a student grows, the instrument can be traded for larger sizes. It’s critical that a student has the proper size instrument. A viola that is too large for the student can create a very uncomfortable situation. In extreme situations, this can lead to tendonitis, leaving students discouraged.
A viola with a body length of 15 inches or greater is considered to be “full size.”
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Florea Salonta Viola Outfit
Student Violas: Student violas are designed for beginning students and are often produced by machine. These instruments are excellent for the early stages of development and are priced to easily fit into most budgets. Teacher-Recommended Student Violas
Intermediate Violas: Intermediate violas feature better quality wood and workmanship, most (if not all) of which is done by hand. The result is an instrument that sounds better and will accommodate a player of more advanced levels of play. Pegs and fingerboard are usually made of Ebony. Extensive hand graduation of the top and back of the viola results in a more refined sound. If the wood is good and the craftsman has paid attention to the necessary details, some intermediate violas may even approach the professional level of performance. Recommended Intermediate Violas
Professional Violas: Professional violas are made from only the finest woods and built with a near fanatical attention to every detail of construction and appearance. Because of the relatively low number of craftsman skilled at this level, the number of hours required to produce an instrument of this caliber, and the cost of select, premium wood, the price of these instruments is considerably higher than intermediate violas. Recommended Professional Violas
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Strings, rosin, and a good shoulder rest are accessories that will make playing a viola much easier. A practice mute and a sturdy case are also great accessories for viola players.
Hand Crafting: Hand-crafting a stringed instrument is an art and a science. Manufacturers employ crafters at different levels of experience. The least experienced crafters typically work on the less-expensive instruments. The opposite is true for high-priced instruments.
Set-Up: Manufacturer’s employ “set-up” technicians to prepare the instrument to play at its highest potential. Detailed shaping and shaving of components, fitting the bridge, precise fit and finish of pegs, adjusting proper depth and shape of the notches at the bridge and the nut, and fine tuning are all responsibilities of the “set-up” technician.
Flaming: Flaming is a popular technique to enhance the visual appeal of a stringed instrument. However, this technique does not necessarily enhance the quality of sound produced.
Book-Matched: Most instrument backs are “book-matched,” or constructed from two pieces of wood glued together. This process gives the instrument a uniform appearance, but does not necessarily improve the sound quality.
The single most influential factor (after players’ skill) of sound quality produced by a stringed instrument is the choice of strings. There is no absolutely correct type of string for all players under all circumstances. Each type of string has qualities that make it more appropriate for different situations (i.e. solo vs. orchestral performance; country vs. classical performance). Other factors such as cost, the players’ individual preferences, and the way a particular string sounds on an individual instrument also come into play.
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