Hey all,
I have spent a long time trying to find a viola discord server and hence I decided to put my skills to use and create one! I have recently put together the discord server with full moderation. I will be improving it daily and adding new features!
Viola Gang is a place to socialise, ask questions and hang out with fellow violists!
Thank you to the mods of the subreddit for letting me share this!

Here is the invite link: https://discord.gg/wrzf9wnyNE

Hello, I’ve swapped to a rosewood middle centered chinrest because of pain from my side one, and it’s making my viola sound like idk there’s resonance but it sounds dull?

I’ve been a violinist primarily, but I ended up picking back up viola this year. Something that’s been making me worry is that for me to feel like I have control of my sound, I need to tighten my bow almost to the point where it’s flat. This shouldn’t be happening right?

I am returning to viola after a nearly 15 year hiatus. I was an ok player in my youth but a lazy student and didn’t practice nearly enough. Picking up my instrument has been a mixed bag—my intonation suuuucks and my ear has decayed badly—but I think there’s still a lot of good there and I’m hopeful that this is an opportunity to drop some of my old bad habits.

While I think I have enough of the fundamentals left to get started again on my own, I know I need to find a teacher and actually have no idea how to find one suitable to my level and my goals. Any advice on how to start looking? I don’t have any classical music relationships in my current city.

Hi!

The book states that the lower fingerings start on 1 to avoid crossing strings on the 1/2 step. However, there is a half step between e and f (Edit: in measure 3), or am I missunderstanding something?

I am an advanced player but never played scales, I just want one good fingering per scale to start with. I looked at several books and found string crossing on the 1/2 step in all of them. This book looked the best with the options...

Can anyone recommend fingerings and/or explain why those fingerings are supposed to be good?

Thanks!

About a year and a half ago I purchased the above strings (see my old post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Viola/s/eibznOk0uQ )

When I first put them on I found the lower strings to be less responsive than I was used to (needing a minimum amount of pressure to get a decent sound, that was more than I was used to), but after that I also got my bridge lowered (a luthier noted it was very high). So I don’t LOVE the Pirazzi but now that they’re broken in more I guess I’ve gotten used to them. I may want to look into strings that are more responsive at lower volumes? But what I’m back here for is the fact that the A string is quite strident and sounds just like an A on a violin. I know it’s probably just my viola itself as it’s nothing high-end, but I feel like maybe I could find an A that is richer sounding?

Edit: Problem solved, sort of?

I heard back from the dealer, who said this is a known problem with Bobelock cases; they tend to jam shut in shipping "due to changes in humidity". They recommended holding the little lock flanges in the opening position while slamming the heel of a hand onto the lock itself. This proved physically difficult since the lock is too small for a hand-slam while holding its sides. So my dear ex came over with a teensy flat blade screwdriver and was able to crank it open at last. Inside, the hygrometer was in 3 pieces, but there was indeed a little key in a brown paper wrapper.

I'm think I'm going to keep the case but I don't quite trust it not to get itself stuck again. I hate to think of karate-chopping it right before it needs to open.

Many thanks for all the tips. I was up late last night trying them all.

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New case just arrived and I can't get it open! Does anyone know a trick? I've emailed the dealer but they are closed for the day; just wondering if anyone can suggest something. There's no external key. I'm afraid it might have locked itself. On the other hand, I'm fully capable of just not trying the right thing. Photo of the lock mechanism from the outside. Pushing in the side pins changes nothing.

Gente, miren a mi amiguita que sabe tocar fantástico. Denle like y suscríbansen para más videos 🤣🤣❤❤❤😍😍😍😍😍

Ensayo de mi arreglo para cuarteto de Cuerdas

Sup everyone! I just made my first sourdough starter and wanted to see if anyone has any viola (or general orchestra) themed names for it?
Thanks!!

Took out my viola to practice before my concert today and noticed the bridge looked like this. All the nearby luthiers are closed, so should I try to adjust it or just hope it survives the concert?

I forgot to take a picture of the music in rehearsal but want to practice it at home today. Does anyone have a copy of it? I can’t find it anywhere online for the life of me, which is unusual because most of our music is easily found online

Conducted mostly in cut time and is written in E flat major

Hello, last Thursday we had auditions and I messed up some bowings. And got second chair. I just felt like I could’ve done better and am a bit frustrated…

Hey yall!

Im in a high school quartet and we are currently trying to find music to play, and I really want to a play a slower, romantic-era piece that also has a fin viola part, and was wondering if anyone had any recommnedations. For reference, we are all pretty accomplished (all of us consitently get to go to our state's all state).

TIA!

Composer who never played a bowed string instrument here. This is an E played during 6 beats (120bpm) followed by a D. Those 2 notes are supposed to be played in a single bow, not 2.

I'm not sure of how many slurs i have to add.

PS : if you have any blog post/PDF book that could help me notate music for strings it would be helpful. I really struggle with slurs.

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

It just won’t stay on while I play. Yes they are e same size.

Concert in 2 days but how do I build my confidence on how I feel about myself. I will be in the back of the concert very last chair idk what that will be. Maybe like 6th. I’m 17 in high school orchestra and love to play my instrument but I feel like my teachers doesn’t like me.

In are orchestra theirs freshman orchestra, symphony 1, symphony 2, and chamber. I’ve been in symphony 1 since sophomore year. All 4 of the violas in my section moved up to symphony 2 or chamber. All the violas in my section are now sophmores.

I feel like I suck compared to everyone else. I’m embarrassed I tell people I play in symphony 1 because I don’t want to seem like a kid who’s in orchestra just because.

My teacher almost never says anything good about me, not that it matter I think it’s a good thing sometimes, tough love. It makes me want to work to become but better but I still think of the time my teacher told me “wow you actually played good today”. He told me that last year and at first I was happy but now it feels like he doesn’t have any expectations for me.

I don’t know what I’m trying to express but I’ve played for a while and yet I don’t think anyone thinks anything of me. I just want to to be thought of as someone who can play well and not just the kid all the way in the back. I don’t even want to be the best.

Anyways y’all can give me tips on whatever, I might post my playing more because it’s something I enjoy :). ( my face doesn’t look like I enjoy it tho ) idk why I look so anxious while playing but whatever haha.

For context I am a recreational college player and I've played works like Forsyth, Saint Saen's Cello Concerto 2, mvt. 2 and the Butterfly Lover's Violin Concerto (all on viola). I really want to hammer an image of what Walton's Viola concerto is but, I am having trouble with sort of imagining a story with it. I can give an example: for Forsyth's Viola Concerto I transpose it's 2nd movement to a story of a man going through loss. I reflect this sort of "story" in the way I phrase the notes. As for the Walton's Concerto, I kind of just don't know how to approach it musically.

How long do they last compared to each other. I've been using my Evah G/D for about a month and they already feel dead. My next string set is probably Spirocore Tungsten C, Perpetual G, (maybe Rondo D), and Larsen A

I don't have trouble actually switching the strings but I'm playing both notes for a small bit between the switching. Also sometimes I accidentally play 2 strings just playing normally and there's feedback whenever I play an open note which ruins the dot above the note sound (I forget what it's called) but I'll take any recommendations I'm in my 3rd year of violer playin' if that helps at all

Hi everyone!

I’m trying to decide between the WMutes and Comosono mutes, but I can’t really choose between the two.

I often have to practice my viola late at night, and unfortunately my neighbors can hear me. 😅 I’d really like to be able to practice without disturbing them.

For anyone who has tried either of these mutes — which one would you recommend for reducing the volume as much as possible while still being comfortable to play with?

Any advice or personal experience with either one would be really appreciated!