Many people are confused by the similarities in appearance and sound of violas and violins, both members of the string family. You can tell them apart using a variety of cues.
When attending an orchestra concert, one way to tell the violins from the violas is to look at the seating arrangement. In most orchestras, the first violins sit to the conductor’s left, with the concert master in the chair closest to the conductor on the stage’s edge. The section extends from the conductor to the wings in general. The second violins sit further in on the stage, beyond the first violins. The violoncellos, or cellos, are positioned to the conductor’s right. The violas are located between the cellos and the second violins, often directly in front of the conductor in the center of the stage.
Violas and violins can also be distinguished by their size. The viola’s body is larger than the violin’s. Violins have a standard length of 35.5 centimeters (about 14 inches), whereas violas have a length that is always longer, despite not being standardized. Violas can be anywhere from 38 to 48 centimeters in length (about 15 inches to nearly 19 inches or more). Viola bows, on the other hand, are about a centimeter (.39 inch) shorter than violin bows.
The sound is a third way to tell the difference between violas and violins. Violins, also known as soprano members of the string family, are the highest-pitched instruments in the string family. The violas, also known as the alto members of the family, are the second highest pitched string instruments. The viola’s four strings are all tuned a fifth lower than the violin’s four strings. This means that violas have a smaller range than violins.
The role of violas and violins in the orchestra is a fourth way to distinguish them. The violin sections of most orchestras are larger than the viola sections. The violins are frequently used to contribute to the melodic line or solo parts, whereas the violas are more frequently used to add harmony.