Can violinists play the viola?

The short answer is yes, but there are a few key differences to be aware of.

The viola is generally bigger than the violin. This means that the finger spacing will be different (aka wider), and the instrument will be heavier. Be mindful of your posture and do not let the viola scroll droop too far towards the ground.

The viola has a different range than the violin. The strings of the violin are G, D, A, E from lowest to highest, and the strings of the viola are C, G, D, A from lowest to highest. This means that the viola has a lower string, C, and does not have a high E string. Since the viola is naturally a deeper and darker-sounding instrument, tone production will be different. When playing viola, it’s very important to have flat hair and generally put more weight into the string than you would with a violin.

Viola reads in alto clef, not treble. This was always the hardest thing for me to overcome! The notes that are spaces in treble clef are lines in alto clef, and the notes that are lines in treble clef are spaces in alto clef, which was a real brain teaser for me!

The technique involved is generally the same, and my violinists play the viola when necessary. If you’re a violinist looking to make the switch to viola, you can definitely do it!

Watch the video below for a further explanation and description.