The Hows and Whys of Choosing a Viola
Body Size and String Length
Given that proportionately fewer violas were made between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries, the instrument did not evolve into a standard size like the violin. You must take into account both body size and string length. A viola whose body length is less than 16 inches is generally considered to be on the small side. Anything greater than 16.5 inches is thought to be large. The 16 to 16.5 inch range is considered average and is favored by most players.
There is no point in trying to play a viola that is too large. Many violists have suffered career-threatening injuries or a range of tendonitis problems that result from over stretching the arm, elbow, or hand. Whether you play six hours a day or only one, the cumulative effect of a viola that is too large is the same. No matter how much you love the sound, the price is too high if the result is injury.
Sound and body size do not necessarily correlate—a bigger viola does not guarantee a bigger sound. Good, smaller instruments often have a more centered or better-focused sound that may translate into a bigger sound to the listener. Consider also that the larger the concert hall, the more an instrument's size is neutralized; projection will depend on the inherent quality of the instrument.
String length is defined as the main vibration portion of the string, running from the edge of the nut to the edge of the bridge. A 16-inch viola may have a longer string length than a 16.5 inch viola.
To test whether an instrument has an appropriate string length for you, allow your fingers to fall on the first position octave on the C and G strings. If the natural pull of gravity lands your fingers to play D on the G string flat, evaluate the amount of stretch required to play the D perfectly in pitch. If you find that the reach to the in-tune D involves an uncomfortable stretch, the string length may be a potential problem. Having to constantly stretch can weary your hand quickly, in addition to being an unwelcome distraction when concentrating on music.
If you can find the direct measurements of the instruments that appeal to you, you can see at a glance how they compare to one another. the experience of working with players and makers has taught me that the mensur, or the distance from the upper edge of the top of the body at the neck to the center of the bridge foot, should not exceed 22.3 centimeters in order to be comfortable for most players. If the maker or restorer has utilized the generally accepted proportions, the neck length—the distance from the edge of the nut to the top edge of the instrument—will then be 14.7 to 14.8 centimeters.
Sometimes, proportions can vary; you can have a shorter neck and longer mensur, or vice versa, and still equal the srandard string length. As you might expect, pitfalls can occur with a neck that is too short or too long. In the first case, third position is arrived at by colliding with the viola's upper shoulder, while in the other without the hand finding the shoulder at all.
