What is the difference between a violin and viola?

Answer 1

A viola is bigger than a violin and has a lower pitch. A viola's sound also tends to carry more because it has a fuller sound if played right.

Like the violin, they come in 4 standard sizes: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full size.

A violin has a high E string but a viola doesn't. Instead, a viola has a low C string as its lowest string, instead of the G string which is lowest on a violin.

It is not just the size (most violas are between 15 and 17 inches long): a viola player is going to read music mainly in the Alto Clef whilst a violinist reads music in the Treble Clef. (But both occasionally read the other clef.)

More details

A violin and a viola have differently tuned strings. They both have A, D, and G strings but the viola has a low C string and the violin has a high E string. The sound of the strings will also sound deeper since the viola is bigger and has a overall lower register of possible notes than the violin.

The viola bow is slightly larger than a full-sized violin bow and a bit sturdier. Playing the instruments is quite different as it takes a good deal more bow pressure and a more dramatic (or aggressive) technique for the viola, in order to get a good strong sound.

Many viola-ists begin as violinists. It is difficult for children to handle a viola and most students cannot manage a full-sized viola until their teen years. And finally, the bigger the viola, the more resonance; this is an eternal struggle. (How large can the instrument get and still be playable?)

The main tuning of the strings of a viola can be described as one octave higher than the 'cello and one octave lower than the violin.
1) A viola is slightly larger.

2) A viola doesn't have the highest violin string (the E string) but instead has a string 5 notes lower than the violin can reach (the C string).

3) Viola music is generally written in the tenor clef, whereas violin music is written in treble clef.

Answer 2

Many people believe that the difference is just the size: the viola is just a larger version of the violin. However, many people fail to realize that as a result, the viola focuses on a deeper and middle voice sound, while the violin focuses on a high, melodic sound. In orchestras, the violin usually takes on the melody while the viola takes on the middle voice. Moreover, another technical difference is that a violin has the strings: GDAE... while a viola has the strings: CGDA.

Answer 3

As answered by Charlotte Rose:
A viola is bigger than a violin and has a lower pitch. A viola's sound also tends to carry more because it has a fuller sound if played right.

Like the violin, they come in 4 standard sizes: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full size.

A violin has a high E string but a viola doesn't. Instead, a viola has a low C string as its lowest string, instead of the G string which is lowest on a violin.

It is not just the size (most violas are between 15 and 17 inches long): a viola player is going to read music mainly in the Alto Clef whilst a violinist reads music in the Treble Clef. (But both occasionally read the other clef.)

More details
A violin and a viola have differently tuned strings. They both have A, D, and G strings but the viola has a low C string and the violin has a high E string. The sound of the strings will also sound deeper since the viola is bigger and has a overall lower register of possible notes than the violin.

The viola bow is slightly larger than a full-sized violin bow and a bit sturdier. Playing the instruments is quite different as it takes a good deal more bow pressure and a more dramatic (or aggressive) technique for the viola, in order to get a good strong sound.

Many violists begin as violinists. It is difficult for children to handle a viola and most students cannot manage a full-sized viola until their teen years. And finally, the bigger the viola, the more resonance; this is an eternal struggle. (How large can the instrument get and still be playable?)

The main tuning of the strings of a viola can be described as one octave higher than the 'cello and one octave lower than the violin.

Answer 4

An excellent answer from Charlotte Rose:

A viola is bigger than a violin and has a lower pitch. A viola's sound also tends to carry more because it has a fuller sound if played right.

Like the violin, they come in 4 standard sizes: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full size.

A violin has a high E string but a viola doesn't. Instead, a viola has a low C string as its lowest string, instead of the G string which is lowest on a violin.

It is not just the size (most violas are between 15 and 17 inches long): a viola player is going to read music mainly in the Alto Clef whilst a violinist reads music in the Treble Clef. (But both occasionally read the other clef.)

More details
A violin and a viola have differently tuned strings. They both have A, D, and G strings but the viola has a low C string and the violin has a high E string. The sound of the strings will also sound deeper since the viola is bigger and has a overall lower register of possible notes than the violin.

The viola bow is slightly larger than a full-sized violin bow and a bit sturdier. Playing the instruments is quite different as it takes a good deal more bow pressure and a more dramatic (or aggressive) technique for the viola, in order to get a good strong sound.

Many violists begin as violinists. It is difficult for children to handle a viola and most students cannot manage a full-sized viola until their teen years. And finally, the bigger the viola, the more resonance; this is an eternal struggle. (How large can the instrument get and still be playable?)

The main tuning of the strings of a viola can be described as one octave higher than the 'cello and one octave lower than the violin.

Answer 5

a violin can reach higher in the scale and a viola can reach lower and the viola is a little bigger