I would love to have a viola, just can't afford one right now. Anyone tried re-tuning the strings on a violin?
6 Comments |
 | fishingcat says:
8/30/2011 4:17:35 PM
Violin strings won't have enough tension to retune. However, you could use a set of 14" viola strings on a violin. It won't sound as satisfying as a 14" viola, which has a deeper body (for starters), but it will achieve pitch. 14" violas are definitely a cut below their larger brethren, but they're readily available and a lot cheaper, too ... so you might be able to find one you can afford (useful if you want to keep playing fiddle also).
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 | mossyfiddle says:
8/30/2011 8:23:54 PM
How far you can tune down will depend on the strings you use. In my experience, Dominants become rather floppy when tuned down, whereas Evah Pirazzis, which seem to operate at a higher tension to begin with, do much better. I regularly tune down to DADA to play Hindustani music, and they work fine. You might be able to get down to viola tuning on the lower strings, but your new C string might not work terribly well.
They also make octave fiddle strings, which will give you a lower pitch and let you play the same keys as a regular fiddle, but I can't tell you one way or the other how it will sound. I suspect, however, that the heavier strings you use (including viola strings) the more it will constrain the vibration of the instrument's top, reducing your sound quality. (I did this once on a guitar and it was terrible.)
Maybe the thing to do would be to experiment with alternative tunings that can give you a bit more low end while not going all the way to a viola tuning. DDAE is an interesting one. I also find that my fiddle sounds great with all the strings tuned down 2-3 half steps.
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 | transplant says:
8/31/2011 5:04:35 AM
It is pretty common for junior-sized viola students to use a fractional violin strung as a viola. It is possible to do the same to a full-sized fiddle, by moving the bottom over and adding a short-scale C string. The sound will not be very satisfying.
We keep a 12" viola around the house for kids to try. The length is the same as a half-sized violin, but the ribs are deeper, and there may be some other differences in the box and bass bar. It works pretty well for a ten year old kid. It is out on loan at the moment, with a new viola student who hasn't yet got an instrument of his own.
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| transplant says:
8/31/2011 5:05:22 AM
move the bottom *three* over and add a C string
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| transplant says:
8/31/2011 5:06:40 AM
Of course, the nut grooves and bridge notches have to be redone for the fatter strings.
OK, I think that's about it from me for the moment... ;-)
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 | mudbug says:
9/9/2011 12:13:36 PM
The thing is, do you really want to re-do the nut for thicker strings and end up dis-satisfied with the tone? I've really wanted one since I started fiddling 2 1/2 years ago, so every time I went to shops, I tried the violas, which made me realise that I REALLY liked the expensive violas, but I'd never be able to afford one, so I just kept looking and trying different sizes and eventually found a deal on a cheap student one. Keep playing your fiddle and keep checking out the viola's. By the way, I found out that a cheap viola sounds way better with expensive strings than the cheap one's they come with.
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