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6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Viola Tone
Production
Learn to break it down and boost your sound
By Heather K. Scott posted February 2011
The Problem
Difficulty achieving a warm, dark tone.
Where to Begin
Violists who approach instructor and recording artist Helen Callus, an associate professor of viola at
the University of CaliforniaSanta Barbara, often complain that they sound like violinists playing the
viola. It doesnt sound right to me! is a common self-assessment of tone. The secret to that dark,
seductive tone sought by all violists can be found in mastering basic skills, along with checking the
setup of the viola. Callus believes these can resolve issues with flat tone and depth and help to
achieve that trademark rich sound.
The Solution
1. Right Arm Weight
The idea that you can release your arm weight completely while bowing can be a revelation,
says Callus, who believes that this is the key in capturing the violas open, ringing tone.
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How to Master It
Dont use pressure on the first finger of your bow hand. Instead, utilize the weight of your arm.
Callus suggests that you get the string to bloom, and project sound outward rather than straight
into your strings. Try an tude, like Kreutzers No. 10, and play all down bows or all up bows (as
retakes) slowly. On the down bows, imagine youre throwing a ball down to the floor with a motion
utilizing your entire arm (not just the hand).
2. Bow Speed
With the weight coming into the string properly, be sure to use the correct bow speed in order to
disperse the energy. If you bow too slowly, the sound will crush or become harsh or tight, Callus
advises.
How to Master It
Practice bowing long, even notes. You will most likely hear a bumpy bow change or different
speeds throughout the bow as you pull it in string crossings as different parts of your arm take over
the operation, Callus says. As a cure, practice long bows with an tude such as Kreutzers No. 2
(or scales) and watch yourself in the mirror (or videotape yourself) to evaluate your technique.
3. Point of Contact
Watch your bow placement between the bridge and the fingerboard, but also consider how your
bow hair is hitting the string (flat or from the side). Maximize the vibration of the string directly at the
moment of contact by remembering that a down bow pulls from behind the string and an up bow
pushes in front of it, Callus says. This point will help you avoid pushing down too much with your
bow hand or first finger instead of using the natural weight of the bow arm
How to Master It
Bowing a straight line is essential to maintaining proper point of contact. Many problems with
articulation and sound quality can be cured by simply correcting bow direction. This is easy to solve
by practicing in front of the mirror. You might be surprised how different it looks from your
perspective compared to what you see in the mirror, suggests Callus. She adds this tip: think of
your elbow as a hinge with movement extending down.
4. Flight Path
The way in which you get from the tip to the frog and how you change bows can greatly influence
your sound. The simpler [movements] the better for violistsfancy maneuvers dont translate well
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EXPERIMENTATION IS THE KEY
I believe that the sound of the viola is extremely seductive when the instrument is
played well, Helen Callus says. There is something completely different about it from
a violin, something unique, dark, and gorgeous. And there are really just three basic
elements to a great sound: arm weight, bow speed, and point of contact. There are
to our instrument, Callus says. Youll need to master keeping a legato line and changing bows, she
adds, while not losing that core.
How to Master It
When studying the bow, a mirror is your best friend. [It] becomes the eyes of your teacher and
allows you to see things from an outside perspective, Callus says. Practice repeating the
perspective that looks best in the mirror while away from the mirror, too. Check yourself frequently.
5. Vibrato
If youre tight in your left hand, chances are youre tight in your right hand, too (which can result in
too much squeezing and pushing). The messages from the brain have to be trained to become
independent from one another, Callus says. No matter what your right hand is doing, your left hand
should always play lightly or pianissimo. And if you are hammering your left hand fingers, for
instance, it is unlikely that your right hand will be making sound the way it should.
How to Master It
Practice, practice, practice! Sometimes turning on a metronome and bending pitch back and forth to
the beat can help. But, as Callus says, vibrato is not easy to solve, and can be difficult to teach.
Diligent practice will help you find your comfort zone.
6. Posture
When playing, check yourself in the mirror or have a teacher evaluate if your instrument is too low
(which changes the angle of the bow to the string). Also, take note of how you tilt the instrument and
how that affects the angle of the bridge.
How to Master It
For me, Callus says, where the viola actually sits on the body is a huge amount of work and takes
time to get right. Sometimes simple changes can help. Try holding the viola higher, raising the
music stand, and finding a stance in which your bow doesnt drift down the fingerboard.
You
may
also
be
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variations for all and experimentation is the key to discovering them for yourself.
*This article appeared in Strings February 2011
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