Learning Viola: Where do I start?

Hi all

I've decided to learn the viola so I can get involved in an orchestra and I'm looking for the best way to start. Is there any method book that's known as the best for a beginner? I'm looking for something that basically skips the basic theory and how to read alto clef seems as I already know these things from uni and playing viola parts from string quartets in a guitar ensemble. I just want to get the techniques down as quickly and solidly as possible so I can get playing. I know a few violin players who should be able to help me along a bit but I get the feeling I need to have a book I can work through step by step as well.

I've decided to learn the viola so I can get involved in an orchestra and I'm looking for the best way to start.

Go to your local scrapyard and get some wood, some screws, and some fishing line and make one.

Then methodically remove all musical knowledge and sense of intonation from your brain.

Finally, learn violin instead.

( :lol: )

Go to your local scrapyard and get some wood, some screws, and some fishing line and make one.

Then methodically remove all musical knowledge and sense of intonation from your brain.

Finally, learn violin instead.

( :lol: )

I certainly appreciate a good viola joke every now and then and will look forward to the barrage of abuse I get when I take it to uni with me ;) . I'm not learning violin though because there are too many on my course and I've been told if I can learn it quick enough I can be in the orchestra and the string ensemble and I desperately need to be in something like that because being a classical guitarist I can't at the moment.

There is another way to get into the ensemble, and that's to play the violoncello. Or even the contrabass.

Seriously though, if you have never learned a bowed string instrument before get a teacher who plays the instrument even if they're a uni student. They will be able to answer your question and also be able to advise you on what size instrument to get. You can cause serious damage to shoulder, wrist and back muscles from bad posture playing the viola, especially if nobody is correcting you. The instrument is heavy and the fact that orchestral violists sit does not alleviate this. I hope there won't be any problem with your wrist muscles 're-learning' the posture and action for playing at a completely different angle and technique to the guitar, but I'm always careful never to practice the viola when I have an important 'cello gig coming up for fear of damaging something.

I just want to get the techniques down as quickly and solidly as possible so I can get playing.

I have to tell you that this won't happen overnight or even after a couple of nights. Of course learning any instrument is hard and takes time, but particularly so with bowed strings as you will have to develop fine motor control of both hands, and then in the case of shoulder strings then use them at a highly unnatural angle. You should probably be able to play a couple of octaves in most of the simpler keys after about a year though, and the fact you can read music and know theory is a distinct time-saving advantage. I don't know what standard the orchestra you intend to join is, but if it's a uni orchestra they will probably be doing 'mature' standard repertoire (ie stuff like Brahms and Tchaikovsky symphonies) in which the viola parts are as difficult as those of any other instrument.

That said, I wish you well, as the viola remains a neglected instrument even though playing standards are high these days. But find a teacher!

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Thanks for the replies everyone!

I figure my left hand technique should be pretty solid because my guitar repertoire is mostly grade 8 to diploma standard so even though the hand may be positioned differently I certainly have a decent amount of dexterity in my fingers. Maybe intonation will be a problem at first but it's mainly the bowing that I think will cause me problems.

I'm going to try and teach myself because I'm already paying for guitar lessons so I can't really afford viola lessons as well but as I said earlier, a lot of my friends on the course are violinists so I'll be turning to them for some advice which I would assume would also apply to the viola. I've been told to measure the span of my outstretched left arm from my shoulder to the top of the palm of my hand with a tape measure and then someone is going to advise me on what size viola to get based on that.

The problem is, once I get it, where do I go from there. For example, I started classical guitar with the Frederick Noad book and that took me through the basics step by step and introduced me early on to easy but beautiful music by the likes of Carcassi, Sor, Gulliani etc. Is there any kind of viola equivalent to this that I can just buy and work through or even a recognised set of beginner viola studies that anyone knows of?

I taught myself how to play the viola and have perhaps discovered some new things in the process. Would be curious what a trained student would think of it. With a little training I can even put up the soundpost and cut the bridge now.

Teach yourself viola or violin

First, Bravo for choosing the viola. Second, the best thing that you can do is to find another violist to teach you. I can't say it any more plain than that. This is step one, and the most important step.