Alternative Violin Family Instruments: What Are They For?

Related Articles:

• Alternative Violin Family Instruments: Relative Sizes and Shapes of Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Range Instruments
• Brief Descriptions for Various Alternative Violin Family Instruments

In this context, “Alternative” or “Non-Standard” bowed string instruments refer to the following:

• Violin Variants

  • 5-string Violins: See 5-String Violins and Fiddles 
    Travel / Backpacker Violins: See Travel and Backpacker Fiddles (and Violas) 
  • Octave Violins (aka Tenor Violins): See Octave Violins, 5-string Violas and Octave Violas
  • Travel / Backpacker Violins: See Travel and Backpacker Fiddles (and Violas) 

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• Viola Variants

  • Travel / Practice Violas: See Travel and Backpacker Fiddles (and Violas) 
  • Tenor Violas: See Octave Violins, 5-string Violas and Octave Violas 
  • 5-string Violas: See Octave Violins, 5-string Violas and Octave Violas 
  • Octave Violas: See Octave Violins, 5-string Violas and Octave Violas 

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• Cello Variants

  • Petite Violoncellos da Spalla: See Petite Violoncello da Spalla by D. Rickert 
  • Violoncellos da Spalla: See Violoncellos da Spalla and Related 

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So, what are all of those cool alternative bowed instruments for?

Initial answer: Just about every type of music besides standard modern orchestral music, at least not as played in live orchestral performance settings. That being said, Travel Violins and Travel Violas are often owned by classical violinists and violists (i.e. orchestra musicians), who like a very portable instrument for practice when traveling. They are even more popular with fiddlers who need a durable and portable instrument to take on adventures of all sorts. Also, many bowed strings teachers (e.g. Suzuki Teachers) use 5-string violins and 5-string violas to afford the playing of both violin AND viola parts when teaching, such as demonstrating how a piece should be played as well as accompanying their advancing students. They are of course, favored by rock, jazz, Bluegrass and Celtic players.

Further, while octave violins are generally used for playing genres other than orchestral (e.g. folk, rock, jazz, New Age, Celtic, Bluegrass, Old-time, etc.), octave violas are often used to play the cello parts as part of teaching orchestral violin and viola musicianship. This is important, as violin and viola teachers are generally not facile on cello (and vice versa). Also, octave violas are becoming increasingly common as a substitute for cellos in the music recording and cinema soundtrack industries. To be sure, the timbre of an octave viola is different from a cello. With modern recording technology (e.g. digital filters), however, making an octave viola sound EXACTLY like a cello is almost trivial; however, the unique timbre of an octave viola is featured unmodified and celebrated for its distinct sound. Octave violins and octave violas are becoming increasingly popular among fiddlers in various folk genres, including Bluegrass and Old-time. 

To add some perspective, there are other extremely popular NON-String instruments, which are not normally used in orchestral performance. For example, the saxophone is NOT a standard orchestral instrument either, its use being reserved for specific pieces requiring something louder and more expressive than clarinets. For example, that brash buzzing tone and “note bending” often associated with saxophones cannot easily (if at all) be replicated on a clarinet, despite the fact that clarinets and saxophones, which are both single reed instruments, are very similar. Rather, saxophones are most commonly played in marching bands (for which they were invented), as well as jazz and rock music. It might surprise many that saxophones are becoming increasingly popular in folk genres such as Irish Traditional as well. The saxophone is a good analogy, as it comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from soprano to contrabass. See the rough correspondences below.

• Soprano saxophone – Violin
• Alto saxophone – Viola
• Tenor saxophone – Octave violin
• Baritone saxophone – Cello or Octave viola
• Bass saxophone – Double bass

There are also contra-bass saxophones and there even exits a sub-contrabass saxophone. See the video ‘Less Common Instruments' for an example of the sub-contrabass saxophone, as well as other examples of alternatives to standard non-violin family orchestral instruments, such as a bass flute, sub-contrabass flute, contrabass clarinet, bass trumpet, contrabass French horn, contrabass trombone, and more.

Another instrument family that is not normally used in orchestral music is the guitar family, which is technically called the lute family. Yet, guitars and guitar relatives are possibly the most widely played instruments on the planet, and includes many common instruments in Asia, Africa, Central and South America in addition to Europe. And they also come in a variety of sizes, some of which correspond conceptually (i.e. not literally, as the tuning systems are different) to violin family instruments, as follows:

• Ukulele – Violin
• Baritone ukulele – Viola *Note: Concert and Tenor ukuleles are technically soprano range instruments as well. They are tuned almost the same, differing only in timbre.
• Regular guitar – Cello or octave viola
• Bass guitar – Double bass

Of course, there is a plethora of other guitar variants, such as the tenor guitar, baritone guitar, etc.

So, returning to the question “What are all of those cool alternative bowed instruments for?” The answer is simple, they are tools for a uniquely expressive art form, which is MAKING MUSIC! Without exception, when a potential customer contacts me to discuss an alternative bowed instrument, he or she already has a good idea of how they plan to use their instrument in pursuing their artistic adventures. In other words, they do not ask me what the instruments are for. On the other hand, when I show instruments at music festivals, many people do ask what they are for. It usually does not take long to explain, with the help of a short demonstration. Whenever I have one or more violoncellos da spalla to show at Old-time / Bluegrass fiddlers conventions, they are always a big hit. It is amazing how popular an instrument usually thought of as an instrument for Baroque period re-enactment is with folk-genre fiddlers.

Contact Information

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