Well, now that I've had my viola for several months I must say that I absolutely love the sound of it...:wub:

...but my alto clef reading isn't coming along very fast...

...I've just been playing it as if it were a violin, using the same music I play on violin, just to develop my technique on it as well...a little different...have to stretch my hand much more...

...my violin playing has improved considerably since I started the viola...I think my finger placement has become more flexible because of the stretching...

...all the easy viola music I've purchased isn't very inspirational either...most is just a transcription of easy violin music that I already have... <_<

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<span style='color:green'><span style='font-family:Optima'>Music is what feelings sound like...Anon</span>.</span>

I also have a question...part of the beauty of the sound of the viola (for me at least) lies in it's lower registers...on the C and G strings...(pulls at my heart strings) yet most of the viola music I've looked at is played in the upper registars...esp. high up on the A string (where the E string would be on a violin)...

...if you're going to primarily play way up there...where a violin sounds much better...what's the point?

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<span style='color:green'><span style='font-family:Optima'>Music is what feelings sound like...Anon</span>.</span>

I love the viola tone too! I think the thing with the lower registers is that they are the special range which only Viola has in that way. But higher registers have also such a warm tone!

You will be kissed in all orchestras as you are a violist, because they are so rare. A perfect instrument to get into orchestras

...ah yes...I just have to learn to play it first...

I think each type of instruments has its own unique tone colour.
So to me a viola will not sound same or inferior as compared to the violin on higher register.
I don't think it's fair to compare this way... the violion is sweet, silvery , and the viola is just lush and warm, and incredibly 'open' compared to the violin on higher registers. But we often hear too many bad viola versions...it's hard enough to play the viola( not everyone will manage to pull this off, u need really strong and big hands), but to get the broad open tone in upper registers just makes it more impossible.

I think you're right...it's not fair to compare the sound in the same registar, but I still think the lower strings aren't utilized as much as they should.

I just adore the viola, even though the only recording I have are as follows:

mozert symphonia concertante with heifetz and primrose, and with oistrach and oistrach junior

historical recording of brahms sonatas with primrose

the first thing I will do once I get very good with a violin is get myself a viola.

I have big hands, and I love the sound, the looks, and the feelings

...I think you should get one too...they sound divine!

Back in high school I started to learn how to play the viola, but it's been so long I can't read the clef anymore. Sometimes I think I should've switched to viola in school because I love the notes in the lower register. Maybe if I took viola I would've ended up majoring in music like I originally intended. I think I may keep my sights out for an affordable viola (I think I may be going back to work soon.) I still have my beginning viola book!

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<span style='color:red'>Carpe Jugulum</span>

Reading the clef is very easy, if you practise it for 2 weeks, you get used to it very fast.

Reading the clef is very easy, if you practise it for 2 weeks, you will get used to it very fast.

I must be practicing wrong...because it's been about 4 months and I still can't read to speed...I know what all the lines and spaces are, but I still get lost, or find I've inadvertantly shifted to playing as if it were treble clef...

...I can't get past familiar kindergarten tunes...

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<span style='color:green'><span style='font-family:Optima'>Music is what feelings sound like...Anon</span>.</span>

I'm sure it'll work out soon, you should be happy, I can't even read treble quickly, or even relatively slowly, my recorder playing is suffering. :unsure:

you should see me when I switched from my sisters soprano recorder to my new alto I kept transposing everything down :blink:

...poor O! I luv the recorder, btw...

...well, I was hoping I'd be up to speed on the alto clef by Sept., so I could maybe play viola in an ensemble if I can't get a spot as a 2nd violin...but I have to be able to read the music (my actual sound on the viola is almost as good as on the violin ...still a little shaky reaching with my pinky for 4th...but otherwise I sound good)...