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Viola Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Viola Quizzes, Trivia

Viola Trivia

Viola Trivia Quizzes

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Fun Trivia
4 Viola quizzes and 40 Viola trivia questions.
1.
  The Vibrant Viola    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
No, it's not a violin! See how much you know about the string family's oft-forgotten member.
Average, 10 Qns, neelie_447, Nov 16 23
Average
neelie_447
Nov 16 23
416 plays
2.
  The Beautiful Viola    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The viola is a beautiful instrument, but it is not nearly as well-known as the violin. Let's see if you can answer some questions about the viola.
Average, 10 Qns, hotdogPi, Nov 26 16
Average
hotdogPi
273 plays
3.
  The Vivacious Viola!    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A quiz on the best alto instrument (at least in my opinion): the viola!
Average, 10 Qns, joannlee, Sep 25 19
Average
joannlee
Sep 25 19
500 plays
4.
  Viola Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I have played the viola for over eight years, I think it's time to make a quiz. Don't worry, I'll give several very simple questions, basically on the parts. There aren't any questions about famous violists, so don't worry.
Easier, 10 Qns, littlp, Aug 05 21
Easier
littlp
Aug 05 21
1308 plays
trivia question Quick Question
In a traditional string quartet, how many violists are there?

From Quiz "The Vivacious Viola!"





Viola Trivia Questions
1. What is the lowest note playable on the viola with standard tuning?

From Quiz The Beautiful Viola

Answer: One octave below middle C

The strings on a viola are C, G, D, and A. The higher three strings are the same pitch as the lower three strings of a violin. The viola is exactly one octave higher than a cello.

2. What is the size of an average viola's body?

From Quiz The Vibrant Viola

Answer: 16 inches

Children's violas may have bodies as small as 12 inches, but the average viola is about 16 inches. However, there is no defined "full-size" viola, as there is for a violin. This means that, theoretically, a viola could be 20+ inches long, although it would be impractical to play such an instrument under the chin.

3. What clef is viola music *primarily* written in?

From Quiz The Vivacious Viola!

Answer: Alto clef

Also called viola clef or c clef since the symbol is centered on the 'c' line of the staff.

4. What is the lowest string on the viola?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: C

The C string is also the lowest on cellos.

5. Treble clef and bass clef are commonly used clefs for many instruments. Which clef is commonly used for the viola, but not for any other instrument?

From Quiz The Beautiful Viola

Answer: Alto clef

Alto clef has a symbol which is centered on middle C. In the alto clef, the middle line of the staff is middle C. Other clefs exist with different names with the same symbol, but they are centered on a different line.

6. In order (lowest to highest), what are the names of the strings?

From Quiz The Vivacious Viola!

Answer: C, G, D, A

Violins and basses are the only instruments, usually seen in the orchestra, with E strings. The C string is what differentiates the viola from the violin. The viola also shares the same strings up (one octave up) as the cello.

7. What is the second string from left to right on the viola?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: G

8. Periodically, something needs to be put on a violist's bow for the bow to function properly. What substance is this?

From Quiz The Beautiful Viola

Answer: Rosin

Rosin is a sticky substance. Without it, the viola would not play well. Oil and water would ruin the bow, while a frog is part of the bow, not something you put on it.

9. Viola music is generally written on an alto clef. Which other instrument may use this clef?

From Quiz The Vibrant Viola

Answer: alto trombone

The alto clef, sometimes called the viola clef, is used chiefly for viola music, although it is also used to write music for the alto trombone or the viola da gamba. It is used occasionally in music for other instruments, however.

10. Which composer "liked best to play the viola, with appropriate loudness and softness"?

From Quiz The Vivacious Viola!

Answer: J.S. Bach

C.P.E. Bach stated this about his father, Johan Sebastian Bach.

11. What is the third string from left to right on a viola?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: D

12. What American rock band from the 1960s featured the viola in many of their songs?

From Quiz The Vibrant Viola

Answer: Velvet Underground

Velvet Underground founding member John Cale was a trained violist, and his playing is featured on such songs as "Heroin" and "Stephanie Says".

13. What is the highest string on the viola?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: A

14. Which language does "viola" come from?

From Quiz The Beautiful Viola

Answer: Italian

In Italian, in addition to the musical instrument, "viola" can also mean a particular type of flower, and it can mean the color purple.

15. Which word could you use to describe the sound of a well-played viola?

From Quiz The Vibrant Viola

Answer: mellow

A well played viola has a very rich tone with much more body than that of the violin. Because of this, the viola is used more to provide harmony, as opposed to melody.

16. The frog is located on which part of the instrument?

From Quiz The Vivacious Viola!

Answer: The bottom of the bow

The frog is a part of the bow on any string instrument, really. You tune with pegs and/or fine tuners, and the chinrest is just a chinrest.

17. What is the thing that is used to produce sound from the instrument (you would use your right hand for this)?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: bow

18. Generally, is a viola thinner or thicker than a violin?

From Quiz The Beautiful Viola

Answer: thicker

Violas are thicker than violins because they have a lower range, and that is also the reason why they are bigger.

19. Many agree that the viola has a deep, rich sound. What can a violist do to add to this deep sound?

From Quiz The Vivacious Viola!

Answer: Wide vibrato

The viola, as with all lower stringed instruments, should use a wider vibrato to enrich their sound. Violins use narrow vibrato, because their pitches are higher, and so their vibrato mimics the string vibrations.

20. What is the thing called that you put your fingers on (the instrument)?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: fingerboard & string & neck

21. What happens to the pitch of a viola string when it is loosened?

From Quiz The Vibrant Viola

Answer: It gets lower.

Loosening a string will make the pitch flatter (lower). Proper tuning is very important for any kind of playing. Interesting enough, however, many pieces call for strings to be purposely tuned up or tuned down, in order to create a brighter (or mellower, if tuned down) tone.

22. What do violas typically play?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: harmony

Most of the time violas play the harmony and the violins play the melody, but there are several exceptions.

23. The viola is called "Bratsche" in which language?

From Quiz The Beautiful Viola

Answer: German

In orchestral scores, names of musical instruments (used for cues) can be in different languages, depending on the language the composer wrote in. This is unlike musical directions, which are almost always in Italian.

24. In a traditional string quartet, how many violists are there?

From Quiz The Vivacious Viola!

Answer: One

A string quartet usually consists of a first violinist, a second violinist, a violist, and a cellist.

25. What do you turn to tune the instrument?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: tuning peg & fine tuner & tuning pegs & fine tuners & pegs & peg

26. Only thirteen violas made by this famous family are known to exist today. Who was this famed family of luthiers, one of whose violas belongs to the U.S. Library of Congress?

From Quiz The Vibrant Viola

Answer: Stradivarius

The Stradivari family built a number of extremely high quality string instruments. Experts are still trying to match these instruments in sound quality. In 2003, Joseph Nagyvary created a violin that is claimed to be of Stradivari quality.

27. What country was the viola created in?

From Quiz The Vivacious Viola!

Answer: Italy

Both the viola and the violin originated from the Italian 'viola da braccio'.

28. The viola has the same strings as what other instrument?

From Quiz Viola Quiz

Answer: cello & violoncello

29. Which famous rock star began his musical career on viola?

From Quiz The Vivacious Viola!

Answer: Jimi Hendrix

Interestingly enough, he did in fact play viola at a young age. I'm not sure about the others, but John Lennon's first instrument was a banjo.

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Last Updated Nov 16 2024 5:49 AM
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