The Difference Between Violin and Viola Technique | Murphy Music Academy Livestream

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

For those interested in Skype (or your favored video chat platform) lessons, email [e-mail]. If you'd like to support the channel, hit the "join" button for only $1.99 a month. You also get to use these violinist emojis:

[@kaistinakemperdahl9667]

As an original violinist who has played the viola for a couple of years, I'm so grateful for this! I have figured out some of these things, but it’s so hard to find this kind of information when I don’t have a teacher and only play in an amateur orchestra.

[@Skinny_Karlos]

I have a similar/same problem. I'm playing both at the same time and trying to get myself to remember just which instrument I've got under my chin. This is really important stuff, eh?

[@tomforsythe7024]

I recorded my viola before and after watching this video. It helped a lot. Violinist learning viola.

[@DaisyVernice]

Great video! I was very impressed with all of the details and explanations of the physics of both instruments and how they affect the body differently! Micaela’s mannerisms remind me a lot of how my mother explained techniques of playing the piano! You both are amazing musicians and have become incredible teachers! ❤

[@JSB2500]

39:56 and 40:16 Raising the arm without creating tension ... indeed. This was a huge discovery for me. Not only does it prevent tension in the arm, it also seems (for me) to release tension throughout my body. And it means unlimited violining without tiring. Update: I just realised, this goes further for me. Playing the violin is my #1 way to recover from stress - the best way I know (what you think a glass of wine will do but doesn't) - and I think this is part of the reason.

[@smithmusicstudies]

Wowowow! This was so great and helpful. I am also a violinist who had minimal experience with the viola in high school. I recently started it again because i got a viola student. I live in an area with no string teachers, so I have been playing catch up. This will be helpful in better helping my viola student with her sound. Thanks, Tobiah and Michaela. Also, Tobiah, I got a Murphy Music Academy shirt and it is very comfortable. 👍

[@sorabjiscastle8117]

Love this! I have always wanted to know the differences as a non-string player.

[@JSB2500]

I love so many things about this - and about you two! ❤🙂 === Tobiah compared with most people: Wild Tobiah compared with Micaela: A gentle calming influence Both great! === Around 50:00 to 55:00 Micaela totally gets that the brain must discover a way to use the body to achieve its goals, and not control the body in seemingly correct ways to try to make its goals happen. === Hi Micaela - I love your video very much! 🙂

[@nowhereman6391]

I play the viola. And I am exploring the instrument, especially since two weeks ago, because it is just different to make it sound good. Perfect timing for this information. Where I live, no one plays the viola except for me, and its not like a violin. Great video.🎻♥

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

Glad you enjoyed! I've also dabbled in it. I enjoy playing the middle lines that it so often plays in orchestra and chamber, but gosh do I not like how heavy it is

[@SarumChoirmaster]

I am a retired professional concert level violist and played 56 years. A proportionally accurate viola would be the Wagnerian viola of 21.5 inches in length. I have found, in my opinion, that most violas have too much wood in them. A really good viola should sound very boxy and feel light weight and the body of the box should vibrate like crazy with strings ringing. I have found that string thickness should decrease as you go lower. Primrose always maintained a lower bow arm position. Bow weight is extremely important - let the weight of the bow produce the tone. Extremely slow bow speed with an extremely soft tone - sotto voce - is critically important. Practice making a crystal glass halfway filled with water. Bow speed is slower on the viola than the violin. Also, I have recently discovered that bowing opposite from the violinists bow, might be better sometimes! She is excellent!

[@李湛元]

I would love to see more content of viola. Does your sister has a channel, too? Or could we have her more often in your channel? I'm currently learning viola.

[@violahero4life]

I am thinking to take lessons with Murphy Music Academy. If you play viola, she might be your instructor.

[@pragersowell]

Great presentations.

[@shipsahoy1793]

I haven’t had a chance to watch the whole thing yet, but I’m almost halfway through it and I’m really enjoying the video. It’s actually a good one for me because I try to dabble in both Violin and Viola and they really do feel like different instruments…just the task of reading a different clef is enough to drive me insane; anyway, you and your sister should probably do more string videos together on occasion, and she is quite captivating. I think she seemed a tad nervous though, but she brought up some great points and between the two of you, I find this back and forth very useful. I trust your entire family consists of very passionate and deep thinkers. As always, thank you (and this time your sister) for passionately sharing (in a motivating way) your knowledge and experience. 🎻👨🏻

[@ab-zg8pt]

Tobiah slamming back that LaCroix - I know how that goes, I get a case from Costco and it's gone within a few days. Waterloo is great, too! Your sister has a rock star personality, very humble, too. She's awesome!

[@JohnThomWebb]

Viola is actually easier to play without a shoulder rest than violin, in my opinion, because the ribs are taller filling in more of the space between the chin/jaw and the collarbone.

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

You'd think that, but it is so much heavier and the width of the instrument doesn't really have as much to do with whether or not something is easier to play with a shoulder rest, as having the instrument completely fill out the space is not actually ideal. Anytime I attempt to play viola I find it very difficult mostly because of the weight

[@JohnThomWebb]

@@MurphyMusicAcademy I do play viola and I do find it easier to play without a shoulder rest than violin, although I play both without.

[@irisgirl86music14]

I think whether viola is easier than violin without a shoulder rest and vice versa is something that really depends on one's individual anatomy. Everyone is built so differently, and what suits me doesn't necessarily suit someone else. I routinely play both violin and viola, and I do use a standard Kun-type shoulder rest for both because that's what suits me the best. If I play with absolutely nothing underneath the instrument, I'm more functional on violin than viola, because the viola is longer and heavier so it's harder to balance. If I have a piece of foam, I'm much more able to play than if I have nothing at all, and I'm about equally functional on both violin and viola. Everything else being equal, I do think that your viola setup needs to have less height than your violin setup to account for the difference in the thickness of the instruments. It also depends on how long your neck is, the shape of your shoulders and collarbone, and so on.

[@anyatrioli3734]

​@@irisgirl86music14 this!!! I'm a woman with a long neck and narrow shoulders. Shifting would be very risky business without a shoulder rest, never mind neck issues!

[@David__.]

Very interesting. Maybe one day I can get my hands on one of those things, a 'compromise' between the violin and the chello. But first need to improve on my violin!

[@tombristowe846]

Interestingly, the German for viola is Bratsche, which I imagine comes from the Italian word "braccia", as in viola da braccia.

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

Very good eye! interestingly the words "violin" and "fiddle" both come from the same word as well, the Latin word "Vitula." In the Romance languages it developed into "viola" and in the Germanic languages it mutated into "fithula" and then later into different forms of the word "fiddle." We tend to hold words from Romance languages in higher esteem so the word "violin" denotes a form of 'high' music and 'fiddle' denotes more lower, folk music. I love etymology, if you can't tell

[@tombristowe846]

@@MurphyMusicAcademy Yes, it fascinates me too, etymology. It's a bit like archeology , but with words. Our raising of Romance languages above Old English/Germanic dialects is supposed to stem from the Norman conquest when French became the language of the powerful, in the English speaking world.......I could ramble on but I get the feeling you're up to speed on this subject! I Like your vids, especially the up-bow staccato one. Your initial up-wrist and resetting of the arm exercise is proving very helpful in turning my scrunchy crunchy efforts into something more...euphonious. Best wishes from the UK.

[@johnhudelson2652]

A!so the French word for viola is "alto".

[@hizaleus]

@@MurphyMusicAcademy In musicology (at least in English) "fiddle" refers to any bowed instrument, whereas "violin" etc refer only to the classic orchestral instruments. However, in more common parlance, "vioin" is an Italian "high class" word and "fiddle" is an English, "folk" word, with the two terms refering mostly to differences in repertoire and technique.

[@kickhisassseabass318]

Reminds me of how English introduced the word nude (from the the French word nu) to identify high class art and seperate it from the common word naked

[@johnhudelson2652]

Since I have a huge head I don't notice any difference in holding a violin and viola under my chin. But I do notice it takes more downforce on the bow to play the viola and the strings have a slower response.

[@JSB2500]

Tobiah (after an hour): I think you said you had to go somewhere. Micaela: No, actually I just got started and I have at least another five hours more to run. 🤭

[@UnshavenStatue]

yep this is definitely a giant diamond buried in the youtube mine, ive never played a string instrument but damn if i didn't just spent more than an hour watching this

[@hizaleus]

I did not start on violin (I am fairly accomplished on guitar and mandolin). As an adult, I began teaching myself vioa because that is the instrument I want to play. It is very difficult to find a teacher who is not a violinist for whom viola is a sideline (or consolation prize.) There is essentilly no viola instruction online. How do you accomplish string changes while minimizing raising the elbow? How do you put downward weight on the strings without dropping the fingerboard?

[@smithmusicstudies]

Love the monkey bar analogy!

[@mattimaranda9638]

I keep imagining that you're pounding some beers through this discussion, which also keeps me interested.

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

Even if I have a small amount of alcohol, my playing is shot. So no, I stay dry when music is involved

[@davidthomas1424]

The main difference, as far as I can see, is that your sister is rather prettier! 😊 x I started out as a violin player, before my mother "decided" I should play the viola. Four decades later, I'm playing the violin - or at least trying to. Great channel.

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

Well, my wife thinks I'm handsome, and that is all that matters! 🤣 Anyway, glad you're enjoying the channel

[@Jesuswinsbirdofmichigan]

#40_MadeTenMin_MyLimitToHearingContinuous_upspeak_WithoutVomiting_SorryToSayJustNo🧐