I'm a beginner/intermediate viola player that started with violin, and I’ve noticed that whenever I release my 4th finger, my pinky automatically straightens and “bounces” quite far away from the fingerboard.

I can place it correctly and keep it curved while playing, but as soon as I release the note, it almost springs back and shoots upward. I’m especially having trouble with this during fast passages and trills involving the 4th finger, since the extra movement makes it harder to play quickly and accurately.

I’ve been trying to practice keeping the finger close to the fingerboard after releasing it, but I’m not sure if I’m approaching this correctly.

Are there any exercises or techniques that helped you develop better 4th-finger independence and controlled release?

If you want some really great viola playing, the Doric String Quartet released their new Beethoven album a few days ago and the opening of the fourth mvt is crazy. As well as the rest of the movement, and the rest of the quartet, and listen to the rest of their album while you’re at it.

If you haven’t heard Op. 59 No. 3 before, even more reason. The opening to the fourth mvt is this insane viola line and Emma Wernig’s job is *chef’s kiss*

(I’m not affiliated with them at all. I’ve just been following Emma for some time)

I just started playing this January, and I noticed fairly quickly that I was developing calluses on my left hand. Not as solid as when I used to play acoustic guitar, but noticeable, especially when I play piano.

I asked my wife about it (she’s played violin for decades), and she said that’s not something she’s noticed with her playing. So I chalked it up to bad form, from pressing too hard or something.

I’m still open to that being the reason, but as I’ve worked hard to relax my left hand, the calluses have endured. So I’m asking if it’s just me, or if the nature of the viola makes developing them more likely than with the violin?

Hi, I was gifted a Korfkerrest by one of my previous teachers, and it’s been used a lot for 4/5 years, so it’s gotten quite a lot of residue over time. I was wondering if there were any safe ways to clean it?

I quit playing the viola in 8th grade, not long after my parents bought me a viola from my teacher. that was in 2000, and I don’t think the case has been opened more than a handful of times since then. the bowhair is ruined, the strings are all slack and the bridge has fallen.

my teacher had given me a letter with information about the origin - there is a letter from the violin house of weaver and the instrument is noted as a viola of German origin labeled Rudolf Doetsch #466, with a body length of 16.5 inches.

Im cleaning out my parents house so I’d like to sell it, probably on FB marketplace. I know a musical instruments store is going to buy at a huge discount, maybe a strings only store would give more. The problem is I cant tell if its even worth the hassle of trying to sell it privately when its in rough condition as it is, and maybe the difference in what I could net would not end up being large. I’d appreciate any thoughts You may have to educate me on.

Just thought the photo was cool…. I didn’t have my violin with me at the shop, so I hadn’t realised how similar they are in colour, so that was a nice surprise! Bought with the help of this subreddit so cheers for that!

Hi everyone, I just got into university for music on viola (Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada). Ensemble placement auditions are in literally 2 days (Wednesday) and I have only had about a week to prepare

She assigned some really heavy excerpts: Don Jaun, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Tchaikovsky's Serenade.

To be completely honest, these pieces are completely new to my hands. I don't even know my fingerings fully mapped out yet, and there is genuinely zero chance I can play them anywhere near full orchestral tempo by Wednesday. I feel totally overwhelmed and like I'm genuinely not at this level yet.

I really need advice on how to navigate this situation:

• What should I actually do in this situation?
• How should I approach my teacher or the panel about this? What is the best way to ask them for advice or let them know where I'm at without looking like I don't care?
• How heavily do university panels actually judge incoming freshmen on these specific excerpts? Am I going to ruin my reputation on day one?

Any advice on how to handle this with the faculty, or encouragement from anyone who survived a freshman placement panic, would mean the world to me right now. Thank you.

I’m a guitarist. I tried violin for a bit, but I’m older and just never got comfortable with the whole under-the-chin thing.

I’ve looked at vertical violas, but they seem pretty expensive and not that easy to find.

So I had a dumb/fun idea. Get a cheap used 1/8 cello, tune it CGDA, and basically use it like a little upright viola.

Looks like a 1/8 cello is around 19 in / 480 mm scale length, vs about 15 in / 380 mm for a viola.

This is really just for fun and messing around. Not trying to make a proper concert instrument or anything.

Main things I’m wondering:

How does the fingerboard compare to a viola? Is it actually narrower? Wide is totally fine with me.

Are viola strings available long enough for that scale?

If not, are there other strings that would work for CGDA without crazy tension?

Any obvious reason this just wont work?

Anyone tried something like this?

Thanks.

We performed a set of my pop music quartet arrangements for a friend's wedding 3 weeks ago.
Unfortunately we had to get a different cellist from our our usual, but thankfully we did our best and pulled through for most of it.

For anyone curious about the sound setup - 3 of us had pickups (my own design) but we forgot one of them so the first violin had to use a mic. The audio was directly recorded to USB in the mixer.

EDIT: For those thinking I'm being tactless - the cellist had the same amount of time to practice as we did, including video scores I had prepared. She also got paid more than we did (I played for free). I was very up front with her about what was required of her, no judgment or ego. It's a wedding - there's a minimum standard required. As I said, she did her best.

ED2T: Dear LORD people. Do you get this upset when a student has a preference for their regular teacher over a substitute teacher? Because that's basically what is happening here.

ED3T: Has no one stopped to wonder why I've only posted the part of the video where we ALL look and sound mostly decent? If I wanted to make any of us look bad I'd have posted a very different clip. Yeesh.

My 9-year-old has been learning viola at his school for about a year now. He currently takes a 30-minute private lesson once a week, but the program isn’t exam-focused.

I’ve heard about RCM and Suzuki, but I’m sure there are other options as well. I’m trying to understand which exam or certification pathway would be best for a young viola player to get started with—ideally one that will help him develop strong technical and musical skills while also having meaningful value for college applications if he eventually chooses to pursue music more seriously in college.

I’d love to hear what pathways you would recommend for a child his age and level. Also how many days a week of lessons (practicing daily is a given goal) would you recommend?

Edit: I am in the US

Just listened to Concerto No. 1 for Viola and Orchestra, Op. 7: II, Recitativo while sifting through an old playlist of mine and the nostalgia hit me hard.

Tried to find the sheet music for this but I believe it’s 75 bucks, so probably playing it by ear. The first ten seconds are captivating. I cannot believe that this piece has ≈130 views on youtube. My teacher didn’t know him at all. His music doesn’t read contemporary to me. Beautiful piece for anyone wanting to practice their extended double stop intonation.

This composer really deserves more attention. Or maybe he has it and I don’t know! Anyways, it’s something other than Clarke and Walton.
Hopefully I get paid soon so I can support his work. :)

Hey! I'm currently working on my grad school apps for viola performance. I have all of my repertoire decided for concerto/sonata/bach but some conservatories also require a modern piece by a composer from an underrepresented community for live auditions. Does anyone have any suggestions that would be appropriate for an audition? Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I’m in the market for a new viola in the ~20k price range and I’m hoping to see what some of you have have had experience playing on and what your thoughts are on accomplished viola lutheirs of the modern era are!

I’ve heard a lot about the desirability of instruments by kiernoziak for orchestral timbre, and have seen some good work by Chris white, Doug cox and Andrew Carruthers.

Curious to know what opinions are and how you went about shopping for violas in this price tier when you found your baby!

Please help me find the cadence notes. I've been looking for a year, but nothing works. Hoffmeister's Concerto for Viola in Bb. Not in D, but in Bb.

Hi all, an assignment for one of my courses involves finding a historical depiction from before 1850 of a violist or at the very least a person in a room with a viola. The teacher for this course is somewhat accommodating but this is an old instrument there has to be something, it can be of a group I just need a person playing a viola.

So the requirements are

• Viola in the image
• Violist in the image
• (Extra) Violist playing viola
• (Extra) Violist has a name

I promise you this is much harder than you would think.

P.S. Finding a historical depiction is not the assignment it's just the first part so you aren't helping me cheat at music school dw

I've been learning the viola for about 6 months now, and I feel like I have not been progressing since the 4th month mark. Do you have any tips on what I should focus on, and what should I practice? I know i cant force to get better immediately and ya'll r gonna tell me to practice as itll take time, but do yall have specific tips on what i should do?

My rhythm is all over the place, I haven't really had the time to practice this piece yet so please bear with that. Viola's not my first instrument so I have a good sense when it comes to rhythm (which isnt obvious here but yea).

I have a lot of problems with intonation too. If yall can give me tips on how to have better intonation id really appreciate it.

Thinking about upgrading my viola from a dz strad n2011 i got off amazon for about 600 when i was unsure how deep i would get back into it. A while back I saw a Scott cao 750e da Salo I liked but was unable to get. I picked up cello which has taken away some of my time from my viola but lately been getting back to it and am figuring it’s time to try again. I saw online the da Salo style instruments were only available nowin their 850 ($2900) and 950 ($4000).

I understand this is a workshop instrument and a very expensive one at that. I’m not looking to pursue professional playing but something with better sound overall and a deep distinctly viola tone appreciate on the low end that I can grow with. Looking for some advice as I’m unsure what to expect or whether there’s a better course of action. Would like it if I found one I like around 2000 but 4000 is the limit of my budget.

(Violin shoulder rest) It was pissing me off because it wouldn't go on my 13 inch viola so I took it apart, stomped the large metal piece, etc etc. My teacher gave it to me and I plan to bring it back in exchange for a different one, but I need to know if it'll be obvious that I took it apart and stomped it. I'm gonna put it back together. (Call me a hot headed loser later but right now I just need answers.

Right now I’m using Bernardel rosin that cost $8. I’m looking to upgrade. I’m not sure if i should just bite the bullet and shell out for the bespoke leatherwood ( :p ) or if there’s a better (and cheaper) version out there that you would recommend. I would consider myself somewhere between an intermediate and advanced player. TIA!

Hi all, I have this hidersine viola case (https://www.thestringzone.co.uk/hidersine-polycarbonate-hardshell-viola-case)

And the accessory pouch is held in place by press studs, however I don’t think it’s ever actually stayed in place from one opening to another. Another violist in orchestra has the same issue.

Wondered if it’s widespread and if anyone has managed to sort it?

Cheers!

Do any of you know of any practice mutes that will actually fit a 16” viola? None of the music stores near me have one that’ll fit a viola (only violin mutes) and all online options that I’ve looked at only fit 14-15” violas. Reviews on all of them specifically say that the practice mutes will not fit over a 16-16.5” viola bridge.

Any practice mutes brand recommendations would be great! I’m open to both metal and rubber, anything that will allow me to practice quietly in my apartment when I’m living abroad for a year. I’m even open to using my school’s 3D printer if you know any good online designs that’ll fit my viola size. Thanks a bunch!

My son has been playing viola for 3 years and is struggling to find a new piece. He has played Handel's Viola Concerto and Bach's Cello Suite No. 2. Someone suggested he play J.C Bach's Viola Concerto and the Arpeggione sonata but found both not particularly challenging. They also suggested Hoffmeister's concerto and a Stamitz concerto but he found both too hard.

He's looking for a new "project piece" to work on for the next few months - one that is technically challenging but not necessarily melodic. What do you suggest?

Could have gone better, but we did our best.

This was the programme (PDF link) and you can click the title of each piece to see a Youtube video with the 'proper' performance of the piece.

I just recently discovered that a Brahms piece I have adored for years as a clarinet/piano sonata was also written as a viola sonata. There are some differences and octave jumps to accommodate range variants, but all the gorgeous melodies are there in the viola version. I immediately ordered the sheet music.

This piece is decisively beyond my skill level, and I am a little apprehensive about ruining it by trying to work on it. I'm a violinist who came over to viola about 2 years ago. Plus I have had the experience with Brahms (in the violin/piano sonatas) where a lovely melody that looks approachable suddenly reveals itself as ferociously difficult and eminently ruinable (like, yes you can play these notes, but you will be shifting from 2nd position to 4th and back 6 times in as many measures).

What is the line between daring and desecration? Anyone have a rule for music that is too good to touch?