What Is the Difference Between Violins and Violas?
The violin and the viola are close musical cousins that look quite similar and are often seen together in the same instrument groupings, leading to questions about which is which, and why. There are several subtle but key differences between the two instruments.
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Size
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The violin, the more commonly seen of the two instruments, is generally smaller than the viola. A standard-size adult violin has a noticeably smaller body size, as well as a shorter neck and fingerboard. The body of the violin is also not as deep as the body of the average viola. Consequently, most of the accessories such as the bridge, tailpiece, tuning pegs and bow are smaller on a violin as well.
Measurements
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The methods used to measure violins and violas have been somewhat different over the years. The standard measurement for a viola is the length of the body in the English unit of inches. When researching violas, or looking into buying one, you will see them being sold in sizes by half-inch increments, such as 15 inch, or 16.5 inch. Violas are sold in lengths anywhere from 12 inches to 17 inches. Violins, on the other hand, are measured in fractions in relation to the standard "full-size" or "4/4" violin, which has a body of about 14 inches in length. Common violin sizes are 4/4, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10 and 1/16.
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Tuning
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Violins and violas, regardless of size, have four strings each. However, they are tuned slightly different from each other. Violin strings are tuned, starting from the top (the right of the instrument when looking straight at the front ), to the pitches E, A, D and G. The strings on a viola, on the other hand, are tuned, from the top, to A, D, G and C. The two instruments are tuned within the same octave range, and share the middle three pitches, but a violin has an E string on the top rather than the C string that a viola has.
Tone
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In general, violins make a sharper and more bight sound than violas. This is primarily owing to the fact that violins have a smaller body size and a higher pitch. Because of the viola's lower register and larger size, violas produce a deeper, mellow tone.
Uses
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Because the sound of the violin is higher and brighter than that of the viola, the violins tend to stand out more when played in orchestras or other instrument groups. Consequently, violins are usually given the high, moving melody line in much of classical and folk music. Violas are often used to play the lower, more steady middle harmonies.
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References
- Photo Credit full violin image by Sergey Goruppa from Fotolia.com
