Notes on the viola
Every fingering for the viola, from low to high. First position. The open string sounds without a finger; each finger shortens the string by the distance shown.
The fingerboard
Open strings from low to high: C – G – D – A. The dashed marks are the semitones — where beginners put the tapes. Natural notes filled, sharps as rings; every sharp has a flat name too. In first position the first finger lies on the first or second mark, the fourth on the fifth.
| Note | String | |
|---|---|---|
| C3 | C-string | open |
| D3 | C-string | 1 |
| D#3 | C-string | 2 |
| E3 | C-string | 2 |
| F3 | C-string | 3 |
| G3 | C-string | 4 |
| G3 | G-string | open |
| A3 | G-string | 1 |
| A#3 | G-string | 2 |
| B3 | G-string | 2 |
| C4 | G-string | 3 |
| D4 | G-string | 4 |
| D4 | D-string | open |
| E4 | D-string | 1 |
| F4 | D-string | 2 |
| F#4 | D-string | 2 |
| G4 | D-string | 3 |
| A4 | D-string | 4 |
| A4 | A-string | open |
| B4 | A-string | 1 |
| C5 | A-string | 2 |
| C#5 | A-string | 2 |
| D5 | A-string | 3 |
| E5 | A-string | 4 |
First position. The open string sounds without a finger; each finger shortens the string by the distance shown. Which finger takes which semitone depends on the key.
Related pages
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See AnotonaEvery note on this page is computed, not typed in — following the rule that also makes F# major spell its seventh degree E#, not F.