Some weeks ago I wrote a version of a "Dodecats"- duo (viola & cello) for an uncommon string quartet: violin, viola, baritone violin, cello.
My baritone violin is a normal traditional violin strung with octave strings. Normally I'm playing it electrically, because the small body doesn't transport the deep frequencies well.
But the student quartet decided to play acoustically on our school concert. What should I do?
I googled a bit and found the viola profonda: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Profonda
I own a viola not in use these days, so I looked for strings and found them at "Super Sensitive", where I bought a nickel wound viola F-string, which I tuned up to G.
The next string is a "Dominant" C tuned up to D, then a "Dominant" G tuned up to A and a Pirastro "Flexocor" D tuned up to E.
Now the sound is much stronger and fuller - my viola is a small 38cm, surely a bigger viola would do even better.
All strings have magnetic properties, so they work fine with the installed magnetic "REBO" pickup. The string tension ist higher, but my luthier says there won't be a problem.
A fiddler friend of mine gave me a Viola last year.. Some I always wanted... Not set up yet, need's new bridge and string's,,, But something I've always loved the sound of .
jim,,,
I'd be tempted to try your octave violin strings on the viola. Assuming your 38cm viola has a string length of about 35cm, you'd only be pulling them about a semitone above their intended tension.
I'm surprised that you get a magnetic signal from Dominant A & D strings - they're aluminium on synthetic, so I always assumed they wouldn't work with magnetic pickups. I wonder why it works.
The tenor violin from Carleen Hutchins's New Violin Family is better proportioned (greater scale length, bigger body) and sounds better. Possibly not as easy to play though (more like a cello than a viola).
Those octave violin strings are quite short. Shorter than normal violin strings I think. They only just fit on a violin. I tried to put them on a 16in viola and they just wouldn't fit. So I bought some octave viola stings they sound great, and it's fun jumping around the octaves to make it fit in with the tunes. If you want a baritone violin with a bigger sound you could use the G,D & A octave viola strings, then get a light gauge viola D string and tune it up a tone for the E.
>>"If you want a baritone violin with a bigger sound you could use the G,D & A octave viola strings, then get a light gauge viola D string and tune it up a tone for the E."
How would that work? If you take octave viola strings, and tune them to their intended pitch on a violin (with a shorter string length) they will be at lower tension, giving a flabbier sound. Surely it is better to just buy octave violin strings?
Sorry, didn't make myself clear. What I meant to say was: You could convert a Viola into a baritone Violin by using the G,D & A from the octave viola set, and then get a light gauge viola D string and tune it up a tone for the E.
A Violin just isn't designed to produce these lower notes and a Viola is much more suitable for the job.
Viola profonda
Viola profonda
Some weeks ago I wrote a version of a "Dodecats"- duo (viola & cello) for an uncommon string quartet: violin, viola, baritone violin, cello.
My baritone violin is a normal traditional violin strung with octave strings. Normally I'm playing it electrically, because the small body doesn't transport the deep frequencies well.
But the student quartet decided to play acoustically on our school concert. What should I do?
I googled a bit and found the viola profonda:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Profonda
I own a viola not in use these days, so I looked for strings and found them at "Super Sensitive", where I bought a nickel wound viola F-string, which I tuned up to G.
The next string is a "Dominant" C tuned up to D, then a "Dominant" G tuned up to A and a Pirastro "Flexocor" D tuned up to E.
Now the sound is much stronger and fuller - my viola is a small 38cm, surely a bigger viola would do even better.
All strings have magnetic properties, so they work fine with the installed magnetic "REBO" pickup. The string tension ist higher, but my luthier says there won't be a problem.
# Posted on January 3rd 2012 by UlisesDos
Re: Viola profonda
You are putting too much tension on the body by tuning up a whole tone. Not good for it. Why not just transpose the part up a tone?
# Posted on January 3rd 2012 by ...
Re: Viola profonda
A fiddler friend of mine gave me a Viola last year.. Some I always wanted... Not set up yet, need's new bridge and string's,,, But something I've always loved the sound of .
jim,,,
# Posted on January 3rd 2012 by FIDDLE4
Re: Viola profonda
I'd be tempted to try your octave violin strings on the viola. Assuming your 38cm viola has a string length of about 35cm, you'd only be pulling them about a semitone above their intended tension.
I'm surprised that you get a magnetic signal from Dominant A & D strings - they're aluminium on synthetic, so I always assumed they wouldn't work with magnetic pickups. I wonder why it works.
# Posted on January 3rd 2012 by skreech
Re: Viola profonda
The tenor violin from Carleen Hutchins's New Violin Family is better proportioned (greater scale length, bigger body) and sounds better. Possibly not as easy to play though (more like a cello than a viola).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenor_violin
# Posted on January 3rd 2012 by Jack Campin
Re: Viola profonda
Those octave violin strings are quite short. Shorter than normal violin strings I think. They only just fit on a violin. I tried to put them on a 16in viola and they just wouldn't fit. So I bought some octave viola stings they sound great, and it's fun jumping around the octaves to make it fit in with the tunes. If you want a baritone violin with a bigger sound you could use the G,D & A octave viola strings, then get a light gauge viola D string and tune it up a tone for the E.
# Posted on January 4th 2012 by fabphil39
Re: Viola profonda
>>"If you want a baritone violin with a bigger sound you could use the G,D & A octave viola strings, then get a light gauge viola D string and tune it up a tone for the E."
How would that work? If you take octave viola strings, and tune them to their intended pitch on a violin (with a shorter string length) they will be at lower tension, giving a flabbier sound. Surely it is better to just buy octave violin strings?
# Posted on January 4th 2012 by skreech
Re: Viola profonda
Sorry, didn't make myself clear. What I meant to say was: You could convert a Viola into a baritone Violin by using the G,D & A from the octave viola set, and then get a light gauge viola D string and tune it up a tone for the E.
A Violin just isn't designed to produce these lower notes and a Viola is much more suitable for the job.
# Posted on January 5th 2012 by fabphil39
Re: Viola profonda
... And octave violin strings aren't long enough for the viola. I understand what you are getting at now.
# Posted on January 5th 2012 by skreech
Re: Viola profonda
Probably still better to just get a cello though!
# Posted on January 5th 2012 by skreech
Re: Viola profonda
"Probably still better to just get a cello though!"...or a Profonda. Well calculated, balanced, no cables - finished design.
Best
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by Pro.tone
Re: Viola profonda
Take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQD9mwnI2Zk
Or just take a listen
http://soundcloud.com/violaprofonda:
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by Pro.tone