Well I've been doing research about the history of a few instruments (Tubas, Viola, and some others) and I constantly keep reading that the viola was a difficult instrument to master because you have such wide fingerings? I haven't played any other string instrument (I don't think bass guitar counts ) but doesn't a cello and a double bass have bigger fingerings for notes and such?

Another question I have is what is half position? I've heard about it on a few forums but I can't find a concrete explanation of it.

I've been making progress on viola (if you wanted to know that is lol!) I've learned vibrato and how to shift on my own and I'm buying Suzuki book 2 soon. (My private teacher doesn't like the Suzuki books, but I do, we usually use a book called Muller Rusch)

I hope everyone had a good Christmas, Hanukkah, and what ever else holiday you might be celebrating.

Yes, cello and bass fingerings are wider, but on these instruments you often/always use more than the adjacent finger for notes a tone or semintone apart, whereas on violin and viola you use the adjacent fingers when going up the string. Because violas are larger the spacing is wider than on violin.

Half position is what you use for playing, e.g., Bb on the A string - 'lower' than first position.

Hope that helps. Am tired so explanations might not be eloquently phrased!