Hi Everyone,

Let me introduce myself. I am Shandy and am recently deeply humbled by the talent of musicians after watching an amateur concert performed here in SG on VCD. Until then, I didn`t realise how much we have taken for granted the talented music performed by musicians around the world be it on CDs or live. Now, I deeply appreciate the richness of the music, the skills of the musicians. I promise myself never to take for granted the music I hear and to be grateful to be able to hear it at all.

I have for the longest time wanted to learn to play the music. I am 28 and I have read on the internet that some adults in US begin learning playing an instrument at the age of 40 and went on to do pretty well. I am inspired to make some music myself. I love listening to violin and cello music. Everyone loves the violin and it took me some time to fall in love with the cello music, though not fully appreciating it yet; love the upper register/ octave (I hope I am using the right expression here ;-P) but the lower register/ octave is some getting used to. And then I heard someone play the viola and oh!!! What beautiful rich, warm sound... That`s music to my ears and soul. I was stunned...

You must be wondering what I am trying to say or ask. For the longest time I have been deciding between learning to play the violin or the cello. But after I heard the viola, I thought I would learn viola. So I came home and did a little research on the viola on the internet. Found out that violists are regarded somewhat as a second-class citizen in the orchestra and solo literature and scores are not prolifically-written for violas. However, the situation is slowly reversing. The veil is lifting.

I am not exactly sure what kind of question to formulate. To ask my question, it would be, which of them should I learn to play (I happen to like the highs and the lows)? But it`s a silly question. perhaps I am looking for some education, opinion, any valuable input before I embark on learning any of the string instruments. Would it be difficult to find music scores, literature, CDs for the viola? How different is playing the viola from the violin? Are viola and violin skills/ techniques applicable to each other? Should I decide down the road, I want to switch from the violin to the viola, would I have to start all over again? These are just some questions burning inside me.

If anyone can but enlighten me I will be grateful.

For the love of the strings.

Warmest Regards,
Shandy

I don`t have any advice for you. I just wanted to let you know that I am also in your situation and I really hope somebody answers your message soon. I`ll let you know if I find anything in my research if you will do the same for me.

Dear music lover,

I`m not sure how to answer you that question. I`m a young violist myself. I just took up viola for two years now(i`m 22). I played in my university`s orchestra and others. I would say that`s not much different in playing a violin or a viola. The techniques are almost the same. My previous teacher is a violinist. The only differences that distinguish the both strings instruments are the fingering range and the tone.For viola, you need to do some fingering stretching because the range from one finger to another is a little wider than a violin. The tone colour is rich and warm. I personally would not go for high-pitch sound. Anyway, it all depens on individual preferences. My advice is "Love the sound and put all your heart,your mind and you soul in playing"

joan

Mel, thank u for replying at all ;-))

Thank you for the advice Joan! I`ve decided to take up the violin first. Found a really great violin teacher who plays viola very well. She will teach me how to play the violin and sometime down the road, she will inform me when I can switch to the viola! I am excited!! What viola do u use? What do u think about Prima Violas? Are they as good as they claim to be? How`s that compared to Andreas Eastman Violas?

Cheers
Shandy

There`s no difference in starting with which first. The technique in playing for both is the same. Their difference lies only in the range and the tone colour. Just go with yr heart, that`s the most imp. thing. So go on, what do u like more? U will automatically be abled to play the other, when y master one of them first. And dun be worried to be a 2nd class citizen as violist...Do u know how much we treasure violist in the orchestra. Caz the normal ratio of violists to violinists is 1:5 or even 1:10...Do u know how hard it is to find a professional violists? And dun be worried abt. the violist resources, There are enough ...if not, u can always transpose. Follow yr heart. Caz the instrument will follow u for the rest of yr life!

Thank you for being so encouraging DW. I really love the warm tone of the viola and I am already looking forward to switching when my teacher thinks I am ready. I am excited! Thank you again!

Do you play the viola?

I switch around between violin and viola in my orchestra. I say, the only differences there are from the violin to the viola is that the viola is one fifth lower, and you have to be able to read alto clef.

Actually, all three---violin, viola, and cello---are very similar. The fingering of the cello is different.

The bass is much different from the three above. The strings tuned in fourths, and the huge fingering. When I first saw a fingering chart for bass I thought it was ridiculous.

I play the piano and professionally, the handbells, violin, viola, cello okie...and the guitar real clumsily...Ha Ha!What a funny word to use... BTW...Do U know how to read the alto clef?...And Just a small thing to bring to everybody`s attn ( those thinking of switching between instruments )...U can switch between violin and viola effortlessly...but not always the case for cello...For the technique used is slightly different IE: their way of holding the bow is different( directly opp.), their center weight of balance is different, the direction is different...Only the finger technique is the same...but for cello, u constantly find yrself having to re-adjust yr finger positions(gap between the fingers) as they are sometimes slightly bigger as compared to the violin.So these are the tedious ad-justments u need to get used to it( from violin/viola to cello). Thank U.

Wow!! You have my admiration for being able to play so many instruments! I can`t read the alto clef. Yet. Heh! I am encouraged by your positive spirit to one day read it. I am really enjoying learning violin at the moment.

I play viola and i love it! when i started in 5th grade, i could only read treble clef because i used to play piano (actually, i still play it sometimes!) and when i started to play viola (because almost everyone plays violin and i love the sound) it took me almost a year to learn how to read good! :O
oh, there is only one reason why i dont like the viola, but even then, its not the violas fault, and that is because we dont get any really good parts. Im in 7th grade, and my teacher totally ignores the violas! "ceollos and basses, upper strings!" and us 4 violists are like " umm.... what about us?" oh, well, thats the price for playing the viola, and now im staring to play violin, so wish me luck!!!!
*Nikki*

hey, i like the viola best, but thats just me

http://www.artsconservatory.com/StudentPages/DanielleValdez.html

Hi, I am an adult and I play all brass and some woodwind instruments. Have for over 20 years. Major instrument is tuba.

I really like the sound of the viola so I decided to buy a student model. Since I am learning just for myself I decided to see how much of it I could pick up without a teacher.

Can anyone give me some hints? On bow tension? How much to rosin the bow? Why do I not always get a note when I draw the bow over the string?? How do I stop playing two string at the same time (G&D mostly)?

Thanks for the tips. I`m really looking forward to learning it.

Rosining the bow: Do apply a whole lot more rosin the first time. Make a scratch on the new rosin and apply it using the scratched surface. This will take some time. Or simply use rosin dust if u wanna speed up the process. After that, pls proceed by feel...rosin it every now and then if u feel that yr bow is not getting enough biting power. Shake the bow gently if u`ve got excess rosin on it. Keep yr eye away from the rosin powder when shaking, some pp get pretty bad eye infection from the dust/residue.
bow hold : firm and strong, yet highly flexible.
right wrist : relax
left wrist : relax and keep it away from the neck. Do not clamp it onto the neck.
Shoulders : down and relax.
right arm : down and relax. Set in the bow with yr natural arm weight. Make sure u get a good bite and cling onto the bow. It should feel deep but reasonably relaxed. Do not push or squeeze the bow. Remember, just set in with yr arm weight and cling onto the strings for support.
arm movement : Don`t move in and out. U can tilt it slightly up and down as u change across strings.
body : legs slightly apart and stand firmly on the ground. How u stand will affect yr sound, unless u`ve got superb technic. Don`t sway yr body backwards if u need to adjust yr bow length, esp. down bow. Just work yr arm ...pull straight all way down. Remember, always adjust yr arm, not yr instrument.
Elbow : less movement as possible,oinned it to the wall for some open strings, basic full bow ex. if u have to.
Fingers : curved, and slightly on tip.
Thank You. But in any case, do get a teacher if u can . Learning such a sophiscated instrument requires much more than these words of mine can offer u. Have a nice day

Interesting thread, many thank for your tips!

I have twin 13 year old daughters - one has just bought a violin and one a viola. I`m looking forward to duets!