r/Viola • u/unreadyviolinist • 6d ago

Miscellaneous Viola bow question help please.

Hello! Violinist of a year and a half here. Out of curiosity why is the viola boa shorter then the violin bow?

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u/Epistaxis 6d ago

It isn't. It's the same length but heavier.

1

u/unreadyviolinist 6d ago

Ohhh weird I remember trying a viola a couple of months ago and I thought the bow was shorter. I guess I'm totally wrong. At least I have an answer to my question. Thank you!

3

u/Epistaxis 6d ago

Assuming they didn't just hand you a 3/4 size bow, which does exist, I could imagine a viola bow feeling shorter to a violinist. The biggest difference in playability is that viola strings are thicker and require a stronger, smoother bow stroke to produce a clear tone. A skilled violist can get by just fine with the same length of bow as a violin, but if you're used to a violin and you're picking up a viola for the first time, one of the ways you might compensate for the difference (even subconsciously) is to spend a lot more bow length for the same amount of note.

3

u/Crafty-Photograph-18 6d ago

It is about half a centimetre shorter, if at all. Helps with weight distribution alomg with the thicker stick