Small Size Violas, - how do makes compare for sound? Options

[rachelviolin]

Some time ago my eldest (age 9) picked up a copy of a viola tutor book and asked about alto clef. As she already plays violin to Gr 3/4, I took the cheapest route and strung down an old half size violin to let her have a go. To cut a long story short, she is enjoying the viola, has already done some ensemble playing and is doing Grade 1 'for fun' this term so it looks as if she's going to keep playing.

She is nearly big enough to move up to a 3/4 size violin so at that point I'll have to think what to do about a bigger viola for her. It would be nice to get a 'proper' viola rather than string down another violin and I'd really appreciate it if anyone has experience of how different makes of small viola compare for sound. I'd be looking at a 13" for her - although she's tallish she has very narrow shoulders and a tendency towards a sway back so I don't want her to have too long or heavy an instrument.

Her half size violin is a Gliga so I'm interested in the small Gliga violas but have also been recommended Beare-Tertis violas by a friend. Anybody out there got experience of these to share? Thanks in advance!

[pianist_1210]

Yes, I've always being having this question....how can children actually learn the viola if the smallest viola is 14.5 inch....?? My ex-viola teacher has a student who is only 8 and he is learning the viola....(probably a 1/2 size violin strung with viola strings...) the sound he's making is very much like a violin sound...it is very sad that viola learners don't get their 'real' viola sound until to be al least 1.5m tall....(for the smallest size viola)...and violin learners have very small size violins available...i.e. 1/32 size.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[elidatrading]

Gliga do violas down to 11 inch. To be fair I've never heard anything below 13 but those really do sound like small violas.

I know one Suzuki teacher who teaches viola down to 1/32 size. She replaces the C string with another D string tuned down a tone.

Liz

[pianist_1210]

Gliga do violas down to 11 inch.

Wow....that's has to be the smallest viola ever existed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ....
so it'll be even smaller than a violin....!?

[rachelviolin]

it is very sad that viola learners don't get their 'real' viola sound until to be al least 1.5m tall....(for the smallest size viola)...and violin learners have very small size violins available...i.e. 1/32 size.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

I agree! But quite a few manufacturers seem to have noticed this as well. When I did a search on the internet I found Stentor and Zeller advertising violas down to 12" (approximately = to half size violin) as well as Gliga and Beare-Tertis. However, without seeing and hearing them it's hard to know whose instruments are really closest to a viola and worth choosing instead of a re-strung violin.

Gliga do violas down to 11 inch. To be fair I've never heard anything below 13 but those really do sound like small violas.

Liz

Thanks very much for replying - that's exactly what I've been hoping to find. A real 'viola sound' from a small size instrument. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[elidatrading]

Gliga do violas down to 11 inch.

Wow....that's has to be the smallest viola ever existed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ....
so it'll be even smaller than a violin....!?

It's the same size as a 1/4 size violin.

It's a matter of deeper ribs, basically.

I agree! But quite a few manufacturers seem to have noticed this as well. When I did a search on the internet I found Stentor and Zeller advertising violas down to 12" (approximately = to half size violin) as well as Gliga and Beare-Tertis. However, without seeing and hearing them it's hard to know whose instruments are really closest to a viola and worth choosing instead of a re-strung violin.

It is a problem in acoustical terms - none of them are going to sound like 16 inch violas, but getting one that sounds better than a restrung violin shouldn't be a problem.

Liz

[rosfrog]

Gliga do violas down to 11 inch. To be fair I've never heard anything below 13 but those really do sound like small violas.

I know one Suzuki teacher who teaches viola down to 1/32 size. She replaces the C string with another D string tuned down a tone.

Liz

Hi Liz (and rachel),

I've recently provided a gliga 12 inch viola for customer here in France. It is smaller than a 4/4 violin. The customer's daughter had been playing on a violin strung down and was delighted with the sound change - I had a play on it myself (for fun) and it was very impressive considering the size. It didn't sound tinny and was surprisingly resonnant.

I'd say go with a gliga - Liz sells them in the UK.

Allan

[AmandaL]

I'd say go with a gliga - Liz sells them in the UK.

I'd give a thumbs up on that. Speaking as someone with small hands, the 15" Gilga Gama I have sounds just as good as any 16" viola.

Gliga tend to make the bodies of their violas a bit deeper than most and this really improves the resonance in the smaller (shorter) backed instruments.

[FionaM]

Hi everyone, this thread caught my eye and now I'm wondering if I can tune down my old violin to have a go at some viola music. What notes are the viola strings and can anyone reccomend a good book for leaning alto?
Fiona

[violin-ann]

Hi everyone, this thread caught my eye and now I'm wondering if I can tune down my old violin to have a go at some viola music. What notes are the viola strings and can anyone reccomend a good book for leaning alto?
Fiona

The strings are C G (below the middle C) D A (just above the middle C). As for books, actually Grade 4 theory has basic exercises for learning the alto clef. If you need music books for it, I'm sure someone else here can recommend some good ones.

[rachelviolin]

Hi everyone, this thread caught my eye and now I'm wondering if I can tune down my old violin to have a go at some viola music. What notes are the viola strings and can anyone reccomend a good book for leaning alto?
Fiona

The strings are C G (below the middle C) D A (just above the middle C). As for books, actually Grade 4 theory has basic exercises for learning the alto clef. If you need music books for it, I'm sure someone else here can recommend some good ones.

You will need to re-string as well, as it's not possible to eg tune a violin E-string down a fifth and get an acceptable sounding A. When I've converted a violin to viola tuning I've used a complete new set of viola strings of the correct length for the violin. I didn't have a choice because the original strings on the violin were in such an awful condition but I suppose if the original strings are OK it would be possible take off the E-string, move the other three strings one place to the right and then just buy a C string.

I tried a few beginners books to try to get my alto clef reading off the ground - I found I had problems with the ones like Tune a Day which use lots of well known tunes as I was playing too much by ear. I got best results from books like Viola Time Joggers or Stepping Stones which start from open strings with specially written tunes and have a backing CD. So you can't play by ear (not the first time through, anyway) and if you play with the CD you have to keep going!

[FionaM]

Thanks everyone!