Can You Put Viola Strings on a Violin? 

Okie you've convinced me. I'm switching to a viola. 2setviolin be damned.

Many thanks for your talk on viola C string being used on a violin. I have a German concert violin which is very loud. I think it will convert to a viola! As a violinist who loves passionate music, I get frustrated that I can only go as low as G. Thanks to you I am going to convert this violin to a viola. I will let you know how I get on. Many thanks! You are a brilliant guy! Sheilah .

fyi, ii taught elementary string music for many years and i ''sold the viola sound'' to elem kids who ONLY KNEW OF THE VIOLIN, and i also pushed the cello, so when the kids went to ''rent'' a viiola and found either few or none, they music store tried to change the kids mind to rent a violin in stead, and they (BLESS THEIR HEARTS) insisted on renting a viola to play, and so they DID PUT VIOILA STRINGS ON A VIOILIN (0bvioiusly string size smaller so that the string tension was about the same, and i did this for many years, just so we didn't have VIIOLIN PLAYERS playing the viola part transcribed for violin because they REALLY WANTED THAT SOUND.... and it worked well, it meant that i didn't iend up with ALL VIIOLINS and no other instruments,

Thank you so much. The C string acoustics are very intersting. The wider body is engagingly delightful. I like a deeper, richer tone. I don't really like the high-squeal of the violin E strings. Thank you so much for telling and teaching how to tell the difference between a violin and a viola.

Kennedy Violins Geared mechanisms designed for Violin make tuning it so much easier. Nowadays lots of people are choosing geared tuning machines for violin, this is because actual geared mechanisms for Violin, Viola, and Cello are much more affordable these days, and they produce a much more pleasant sound.

Thank you so much! 😊 To be honest, when I asked the question in the title, I wanted a yes or no for an answer. Didn't feel like sacrificing 9 mins of my life to get one. Well, this video so worth every second!!! Along with the comment section. Very informative, pretty entertaining. (I love the way you play the instruments ❤) I'm glad I found it. 😊 Special thanks for the samples of sounds! Such a great help for me! I knew, if there was going to be even the slightest difference, I would be able to hear it, as I'm good at that. But the differences were huge! I personally don't like the sound of the wider viola at all; wouldn't go for the other viola if I had a choice ... I'm in love with the sound of that violin with those viola strings 💕 That's what I've been dreaming of 💖 You made my day 🙂 ps: What is the passage, you're playing?

I just saw a video where a full size violin had viola octave strings and the low C seems to have been achieved!! As I'm a big guy and a total novice I might go for a viola body anyway, but awesome if indeed it can be done routinely

6:52 the ribs on a Viola will usually be a bit thicker than on a Violin by at least 1/8 of an inch.

Hey I see you watchin' twoset!

Hello Sherry, I'm not sure why guitar strings cannot be used but I do know that a very high level of acoustic engineering goes into developing violin strings. They are wound in a very specific way and very expensive materials are often used like tungsten, titanium silver or gold. Every year I find a new crop of strings have been invented by new companies and 98% of the time the strings are inferior to the strings that are produced by the 3 big string companies. Even the Chinese, who are very good at copying just about everything, have to date as far as I know, never been able to produce a decent quality violin string, despite many years of trying. So apparently, it's quite difficult to create a good violin string! 🤔

I have an interesting question: What if I put violin strings on a 14 inches viola sounds like?

I tried to string a violin as a viola, but using it's own violin strings. But it didn't work :) I loved the sound you made on all the ones you just played, but there was a huge difference when it was the proper viola.

Thank you so much! This is so informative!

The 7/8 Size Violin is 13.5 inches, a good halfway point between a 3/4 size Violin & a 4/4 Size Violin. Those are common among musicians w/ smaller hands.

This was an excellent explanation of the possible problems putting viola strings on a violin. But why do octave violin strings work okay on a violin?

So informative, many thanks

I have seen Viola Conversions & also a 20 in Alto Violin which is an Upright Viola

Good info thanks. Can I put violin strings on a 15” viola and will it sound better do I need to change the bridge thanks

3:39 Violin Low C 3:54 Viola Low C

The "chin cello" strings you buy for violin and viola are just short cello strings for short-scale cellos. I was using 1/10 cello strings on my violas many years before "octave strings" were "invented".

I have an Electric Violin. I was thinking of putting high tension Viola strings on it (to compensate the shorter scale length of the Violin) and make it sound like a Viola. I think the sound will be 'flabby' if I use medium or soft tension viola strings on a 14inch electric Violin. An Electric Violin does not rely on its body for tonal quality. The electronics and pickup are the ones that do; so the low C string will still sound big and round on it.What do you think?

Would you be able to comment on the slightly unorthodox case of high-class professionals who use a single viola string for a certain effect on their uber-valuable Strads, "del Gesu" Guarneris, etc.-? The clearest example is that of violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who apparently uses a viola A-string (Savarez / Corelli-?) in place of a more conventional violin-specific string. What does she achieve by so doing, and are there any risks of premature wear or breakage with a string that is too long for the instrument body length? Any info or commentary you can offer would be appreciated. Thanks...

3:39 Very sour sounding low c, they make 5 string Violin C strings.

Funny thing Bowed instruments always come strung w/ Flatwound Strings

3:27 That C String can hit the Fingerboard as it vibrates if put on a violin

Than Kshatriyas

That video (please turn the comments back on & turn off the made for kids action):ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-d4R3lbbaRsU.html that explains why Violins don't have machine head tuners like a Guitar does is now "Outdated". The interest of using machine head tuners on a Violin, Viola, or Cello has actually gone back up for 3 new reasons 1) they're much lighter weight than they were years ago, 2) they're much more affordable these days, & 3) the different look isn't considered "different from the traditional design" anymore, it's now an "ergonomic" variation of the traditional design meaning that more ideas are being thrown back in. So if you were a maker making your living building instruments w/ "ergonomic" variations of the traditional design the audience actually would love those instruments due to how much more fun they are to play.

There are 5/4 & 6/4 Size Violins

I play both violin and viols. A number of years ago before I got my viola a friend purchased what he called a child's violin. He had just gotten it repaired because the back had a hole in it. He showed to me in the case. The first thing I noticed was two viola bows in the case. I measured his instrument with mine and it was 14 inches the same size as my full size violin. I tuned it and started playing it. The strings looked like violin strings. I noticed the sound was different, it did not sound like a violin. The sound seemed muffled. Could this be a violin with viola bows or could it be a 14 inch viols with violin strings? What happens when you put violin strings on a 14 inch viola?

0:01 exactly what I'm wondering. I want to play I'm cgda. But I don't know if anyone makes a c string for violin

What does a viola sound like if it’s strung up like a violin with G, D, A, E?

I definitely have a few questions for you, but they pertain to holding a violin bow. My questions are these. What's your position on the use of a PinkyHold for Violin and Viola - Rose Pink - Bowing Aid? Does this device actually help with developing muscle memory when it comes to holding a full size violin bow correctly? Is this device actually worth the money? Would using this device be a good habit for an adult beginner to get into? I'm an adult beginner who's having a lot of trouble with getting my fingers and thumb to relax. Every time I try to hold my violin bow correctly using the franco-Belgian method, My fingers and thumb seem to cramp up. I've tried the Russian method, but the cramping seems to get worse with that particular bow hold. I thought that the bowing aid might help with that. Would this bowing aid be a good investment or would it be just a complete waist of money?

3:42 I don't know if the camera can pick it up

4:07 Ok so that's 2 points, one will be the sound and the other is physically the string needs more room to move around.

Do I need to change the bridge of the violin that I put viola strings on?

3:11 So this Thicker string needs more room to move.

5:08 Passage name?

So I'm sure elsewhere in the comment section will have already asked what occurs to me... What about then, putting violin strings on a viola? will the strings be long enough?

Where is your store located?

Can we use guitar strings on violin

3:29 Bartok Pizz

You know you could also join the 21st century and put truss rods in a violin neck to set neck relief . ( as well as geared pegs 😮)

Curious, what would happen if you put a viola's G, D, and A strings on a violin and use a violin's E string?

3:42 I don't know if the camera can pick it up

I have an interesting question: What if I put violin strings on a 14 inches viola sounds like?