Viola: Beginner Guide — Music & Arts
“The viola has four strings. In descending order, they are: A, D, G, C. The A is the thinnest and highest-sounding of the strings, and the C is the thickest and lowest..”
Viola: Brief Description — Vienna Symphonic Library
“The viola is the alto instrument of the violin family (violin, viola, cello). It is constructed using the same components as the violin, the only difference being the larger size. Its stately and dark timbre contrasts sharply with that of the violin and makes the viola perfectly suited as the violin family’s middle voice.”
Viola: Instrument Studies for Eyes and Ears — Jacobs School of Music
Instrument Studies for Eyes and Ears, by Don Freund, site designed by Reid Merzbacher
Viola: The Orchestra: A User's Manual — Andrew Hugill
“The aim of The Orchestra: A User's Manual is to provide information about the orchestra, orchestration, composition and instruments, for the benefit of anybody with an interest in the subject.”
Viola : The Orchestra Up Close — Orchestre Métropolitain
“Part of the string family, the viola can be thought of as the bigger cousin of the violin. Though practically identical, the sound of the viola is lower and less piercing than that of the violin.”