The violin, viola, cello, and double bass are the four main instruments of the orchestra's string family. All four are built the same way, from pieces of wood glued together around a hollow body, with strings stretched across a bridge. They differ in size, in how they are held, and in how high or low they sound. Here is how they compare.

The violin

The violin is the smallest member of the family and the highest-sounding. A full-size violin is about 60 centimeters (23.5 inches) long. The player holds it on the left side, under the chin and resting on the shoulder, and bows with the right hand. Its strings are tuned G, D, A, and E, and its range climbs nearly four octaves above the low G. (An octave is the distance from one note to the next note with the same letter name.)

Violin music is written in the treble clef. A clef is the sign on a line of music that shows which note each line and space stands for, and the treble clef is the one used for higher instruments and voices.

Violins are the largest group in the string section, with as many as 30 in a large orchestra, divided into first and second violins. They most often play the melody, the part you would sing to yourself.

The viola

The viola looks like a violin and is held the same way, but it is slightly larger. It is tuned five notes lower, to C, G, D, and A, and its tone is darker and warmer.

Viola music is written in the alto clef, a clef used mainly for the viola. Its middle line is the note C.

In the orchestra, violas most often play the harmony, the notes that fill out the sound under the melody. A symphony orchestra typically has twelve for a large work.

Our article Switching from Violin to Viola covers what changes for a violinist who takes it up.

The cello

The cello is much bigger. Its body is about 76 centimeters (30 inches) long and much deeper than a violin's. The cellist sits with the cello between the knees, and a metal rod called the endpin rests on the floor and holds it at the right height. The bow crosses the strings level with the floor.

The cello's strings are tuned C, G, D, and A, an octave below the viola. Cello music is written mostly in the bass clef, the clef for lower instruments, and moves to the tenor or treble clef for high passages.

In the orchestra, the cello can play the bass line one moment and a melody the next. Orchestras usually have eight to twelve cellos.

The double bass

The double bass, also called the string bass or upright bass, is the largest and lowest member of the family. Because of its size, the player stands or sits on a high stool. A full-size bass is so large that most bassists, including many professionals, play a three-quarter size instead. The bass has sloping shoulders where the others have rounded ones, which gives the player more room to move. It also descends from the viol family, not the violin family.

The violin, viola, and cello are tuned in fifths. The bass is tuned in fourths, four notes apart: E, A, D, and G from low to high. Bass music sounds an octave lower than it is written, so when cellos and basses read the same note, the basses sound an octave below. Bassists choose between two kinds of bow, the French and the German, and the German bow is held with the hand underneath. Bass players also pluck the strings more often than other string players.

In the orchestra, the bass plays the bass line, the foundation under everything else. Bassists also play jazz, bluegrass, country, rock, pop, and more.

Sizes for children

All four instruments come in smaller sizes made in proportion to a child's body. A child playing an instrument that is too large may cope by building habits and postures that are hard to change later. Our guide to choosing the right violin size explains how a fit is checked.

Suzuki books for all four

Dr. Shinichi Suzuki was a violinist, so he first applied his method to the violin. It has since been used with many other instruments. There are Suzuki books for violin, viola, cello, and bass, and each instrument has its own set of pieces that every Suzuki student on that instrument learns in the same order. You can read more in What is the Suzuki Method?.

Choosing

Each instrument has its own voice, and no one of them is right for every child. Listening is a good start. Play recordings of all four with your child and notice which sound they keep coming back to.

At our studio we teach violin and viola. You can read about our classes, and if you would like to try lessons, book a free trial lesson. If you have questions, we are happy to talk.

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