how to play the Viola
Learn how to have fun playing the Viola
So you have purchased your viola – but what’s next? Learning how to play the viola will probably be a great start… This portion of our ‘Beginner’s Guide To Learning the Viola’ will start you off in the right route.
Structure of the viola
Before we start playing, we need to know the basic structure of the viola.
The viola has 4 strings; A is the highest, then D, G and C. If you place your 3 middle fingers from your left hand on each string as close to the scroll as possible, then you have found what we call the first position.
Next, the bow. This is made of 3 sections; the Frog, the stick and the hair. If you put your right thumb in the gap between the stick and hair with your four fingers on top of the Frog, then you’ll have yourself a bowhold!
First steps
In order to hold and start playing the viola, you’ll need a shoulder rest. Attach this to the bottom of your instrument and then place the viola on your shoulder, with your chin on the chinrest. Support the scroll of the viola with your left hand.
Next, raise your bow and place it at a 90-degree angle across the 4 strings of the viola. Allow the hair to make contact with one of the middle strings (G or D) and pull the bow in a straight line, always maintaining a 90-degree angle.
Repeat this process for each of the 4 strings and, hey presto, you’ve played your first 4 notes on the viola!
C major scale
Now, let’s take things up a notch.
You were using your left hand to support the viola’s scroll. Now, let’s move it to the first position at the bottom of the fingerboard, as near to the scroll as possible.
If you put your first finger at the bottom of the C string, this note is D. Then your second finger goes about an inch further up the fingerboard (E) and finally, your third finger goes as close as possible to the second finger (F). Repeat this process on the G string and you’ll have found the notes A, B and C.
Now take your bow and play the C string followed by the three fingers on the C string, then the G string and the three fingers on it, too. These notes being played one after another is what we call a scale! This particular scale is C major scale, one octave.
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Wittner Viola Chin Rest
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PROS
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Kun Shoulder Rest
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
PROS
- Ergonomic shape and easy to attach
- Stylish design
CONS
- None!
The TedScore™ is our unique system of scoring products.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Next steps
You’ve already made great strides and can be very pleased with yourself. The next step is to use the bow even more.
So far you’ve used the bow to play single notes, but why not try pushing the bow up as well as pushing it down? This will mean you can play each note of your scale twice.
You can also try experimenting with how much you press the bow down onto the viola’s strings. If it scratches, you’re using too much pressure. If the sound barely comes out at all, it’s not enough. Try to find the sweet spot, where you can hear the note without crushing it with the bow.
How To Play the Viola - Summary
By now, you should be able to:
- Know the names of your viola’s 4 strings
- Know how to hold you bow
- Know how to place your left hand in the first position on the viola
- Know how to play C major scale, one octave
- Start experimenting with how much pressure to apply with the bow
- Play each note twice with the bow going ‘up’ and ‘down’
Now it’s time to improve your technique...
About the Author
Mark Gibbs
My name is Mark and I’ve been playing the viola since I was ten years old. I studied at the Royal College of Music in London for four years. Since then, I’ve played with Rod Stewart at the Brits, played with the likes of Katherine Jenkins and travelled all over the world, doing what I love!
In my spare time, I love learning languages. I’ve been learning German for several years now and speak some Czech, too. I also enjoy studying maps, as well as playing and watching football.
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