Viola Instrument

Playing the viola instrument in the orchestra, I have had to put up with my share put downs. Violas are definitely not the most glamorous member of the string family. First of all, they are far less resonant than the better known violins. This means that they always get used for harmony. For example, there are very rarely viola solos. Instead, the viola instrument is used to back up whatever the violin is doing. It is basically as much work, but there is much less glory to it.

Nonetheless, for those of us who love it, the viola instrument is a truly beautiful tool to make music with. Violins have a very bright sound that is too harsh for some ears. They can be grating and piercing if you listen to them too much. Viola instruments, by contrast, have a dry dusky sound. It sounds kind of mysterious and unpolished. It is almost an earthy tone when compared to the sharp, shrill violin. All in all, I prefer it.

Playing classical music on you viola instrument is, of course, a good way to learn to play. Nonetheless, you're cheating yourself if that is all you do with it. Viola instruments are capable of so much more than what they get assigned to play in most cases. They have every bit as big a range as violins do, and they're only one octave lower. As a result, you can use them to play basically anything a violin can play. They give music a much different feel that, to some ears, is much more appealing. You simply will not know what they are capable of until you explore on your own.

One of my favorite genres to play on my viola instrument is gypsy music. The music of the gypsies can sound a bit too high and piercing when played on a high quality violin, but it is perfectly at home on a viola instrument. It is also great music to improvise with once you get the basics down. You can really spend hours going on long sonic explorations before you discover the limits of the viola instrument. Like any other classical musical instrument, it has some very deep and profound aspects that are not easy to describe. They really only make themselves known to the true master player. If you do manage to master this fascinating and subtle musical instrument, you will get quite profound joy from the experience.