Though violin and viola originated from Italy, both orchestral string instruments and both played with a bow; they still have some differences. Here are some of them.
Violas are larger than violins and they also have deeper and mellower sounds. It is easier to play the viola than the violin which produces higher pitched sounds.
The viola also has thicker strings and its bow is slightly shorter compared to the thinner strings and the longer bow of the violin, that’s why it takes a bit longer to hear the sound produced from the time the bow touches the string.
A viola player is going to read the Alto Clef, and a violinist reads the Treble Clef The violin and the viola have different strings. Since the viola is larger the sound that resonates from the strings is deeper. The viola has a lower register than the violin. The viola bow is slightly shorter than a full-sized violin bow.
It takes a lot more polished technique to pull off playing the viola. The violin is also higher pitched. Also, in a typical string orchestra, there are two sections of violins and one section of violas. The two instruments also vary in tone and depth.
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