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Violins, cellos etc come from the viola da braccio family (arm viola). I used to play the viola da gamba (leg viola), which comes in all sizes but you play the
by stirfish 4y ago
Violins, cellos etc come from the viola da braccio family (arm viola).
I used to play the viola da gamba (leg viola), which comes in all sizes but you play them kinda like little cellos. They have six strings, frets, and you hold the bow a little differently, but even the small ones are played with it tucked between your knees.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_da_braccio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_da_braccio
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viol
- pclmulqdq 4y agoThe Viola da Gamba has a beautiful sound, but almost nobody plays them here in the US. The modern viola is too small to resonate well in its note range, but it's a compromise we make to keep it looking like a violin.
- tomcam 4y agoI just think of it as a throaty, smokey violin sound and feel like it lacks nothing, so it’s illuminating to think about from your perspective.
- pclmulqdq 4y agoMy sister is a professional violist, so I can't be too complimentary to the instrument. It has a very nice sound even though it doesn't resonate as well as the other string instruments.
- bkev 4y agoA violist I knew had a viola from the 1500’s that was originally a viola da gamba that had been cut down a couple hundred years ago (somewhat; was still pretty large for a viola). Had purfling hearts on the bouts. Beautiful instrument.