Gliga are now making a five string violin!

If they make a five string viola I might be VERY interested - do you think it would be regarded as cheating in orchestral circles?

Liz

Are they just adding an extra string to make it possible for it to pretend to be a viola? I am sure that it could have some interesting uses but I am not sure that I really approve. My father once made two viola d'amore type instruments with five strings to play in the Bach St John Passion in a performance given by an amateur orchestra, so that they could be played by violinists and they were quite successful.

OOoooooooooOoooooooooooo!

So all that time, we were thinking in the wrong direction .

As Sarah said, ooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo!!!!

Naughty naughty Gliga.....why must they tempt us so!!!!!!!

Ah, the purist speaks!

Me, I'm quite happy to be a non-purist - now, I wonder if ABRSM would accept a piece played on a five string? I mean, think about it, it's quite common to see five string double basses isn't it. I wonder ... And it would make those 3 octave scales rather easier wouldn't it?! Who's going to volunteer to ask?

Since there isn't much written for a 5 string violin, what is it for? I could imagine that it might make playing some things easier, but presumably the fingerboard is wider, so it would also make some things harder.

Is the extra string a C string below the G string or a B string above the E string? If it is a C string then isn't it just a small viola with an extra string?

O yes, I confess, I'm thinking of a five string viola. But there are plenty of people out there who fancy a five string violin (yes it's an extra C string)

Liz

It turns out they don't do violas, only violins

I wouldn't worry about it Liz, I tried out some luthier made 5 stringed instruments at the local shop (both violin and viola) and to be honest, they were neither one thing nor the other. The viola with an E string had too much body for that little tone to resonate in and it sounded wierd, whereas the C on the violin was just a waste of space because the body wasn't deep enough to give it anything. I was expecting such joy and left feeling really disappointed.

That said, Gliga violins tend to be shaped a little bit like mini violas and have slightly deeper bodies than the French instruments - maybe that will carry the C string off nicely.

Well we will be getting a sample batch in, that's for sure. I'll report back in a couple of weeks

I don't want it, but I think5 string violin is great

I've just remembered this thread. Did we ever learn the outcome of this - I might have missed it...

W

Confession time....I got one!!

Just have to learn the alto clef now otherwise that gorgeous C string is a little redundant.

YAY! Go Jane

Great!! Have been looking at 5 string electric violins on and off for playing folk on - that would give a lot more verstility and the amp could be set up to give the C string some real depth. The only offputting thing is the price tag and right now my Giordano is doing me fine!!!

I have an electric 5 string violin, hardly ever use it though!

Was it a Gliga? What's it like?

W

Yes it's from Liz and is gorgeous. Maybe not as much depth as viola but certainly has a lovely tone. I'll maybe bring to Leeds or the next MH I'm at, you can have a go!

Wow!! Its a real vio-fiddle-a !!! I always wanted one so i could play viola and fiddle at the same time in sessions etc... lol!!!!!

I've never come across a viola at a session! The people in Skye I reckon dont yet know what violas are. They only just got television - bless 'em!

Yeh, all my musical friends play violin & fiddle so naturally i ended up joining school ceilidh band with the viola.. and then taking it to the fiddle fest.... However i am trying to play fiddle coz some tunes really do sound awful down the octave!...

So jealous!!

No. Not that I am at all biased, you understand

I wondered that too!

Sorry but there are rules here you know - a web search should turn up the relevant info, then someone else can post it

Liz

There would be no point - the extra string is a C string. Now, call it a five string viola (where the extra string is an E) and you might have a case - who's going to volunteer to ask?

Liz

Some decades ago, Scientific American described some of the experiments that were done in the US to guide the development of a new set of string instruments with sizes correctly matched to their pitches. One experiment was to make two violas, one shallower and the other deeper than normal. Contrary to intuition, the shallower instrument was richer in the lower register.

Some of you may have picked up on another thread that I have also just bought a 5-string instrument. Unfortunately Freaky is not a Gliga because I can't justify spending the extra money for an instrument that I will probably not use that much - when I already own a beautiful Gama violin and a beautiful Gems viola. Nevertheless, I would love to try the Gliga instrument - just to see what I'm missing...

W