Hey Viola Kingdom, it’s been a while! Sorry if anyone was worried about me-I got a few messages checking in to see if I was alive lol. Since I last posted in June, I’ve had more career stuff going on than at any other point so far (mostly with my quartet, The Dolphins) and I have been playing an incredible amount of viola every day. I have also been deeply entrenched in writing more music. The biggest composition project of my life so far will be premiering this Thursday: String Quartet 1 in F# minor “Grunge”-I think you will all love it! It is also the year of my master’s degree auditions so that’s been a whole other thing to worry about. Anyways, I love making KZfaq videos but this year has been especially demanding of my time and energy so KZfaq very sadly had to take a back seat. It takes me a very long time to make content that I am proud of, especially the editing part. For example, this video alone took me three weeks to edit when I had time (in between preparing for a competition, sitting principal for an orchestra cycle, traveling to a quartet seminar, finishing composing my quartet, preparing for a solo recital, and classes). That being said, I can’t promise any kind of uploading consistency for now-but I can promise that every video I do publish will be something I’m truly proud of creating. Thank you all for sticking with me through content gaps-your continued support keeps me coming back to make more videos no matter how much other stuff I have going on.

I literally got that viola 1 week ago the setup was insane and I had to get all the strings fixed 😭 good video btw!! We missed you

As an oboist, this was actually some acceptable sound for an oboe (even more acceptable, especially since it comes from this thing ) even if I for my part couldn't identify the note played 😆😅😅

You inspire me as a Violist to keep on going. Not just for Viola, but Double Bass. Because I want to be a professional at those instruments one day. Yes, I considered you a professional Viola King lol.

Good to see you back!

Love your videos. Keep up the great work.

Glad that you are back.

Glad to see a video from you again! I guess others have touched on it, but I wonder if that bridge wasn't so much a ready-to-use one as it was a bridge blank. But, then, I play trumpet, so I should just stay in the corner eating my popcorn, lol. Fun to watch you get this playable.

Thanks for exploring this, I've always wondered about those inexpensive instruments as well. Other than the bridge being a hot mess, it seems you found a serviceable viola.

EXCELLENT!!!!! BRAVO!!!!! BRAVO!!!!! BRAVO!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Welcome back brother

We missed you!

2:31: Your fellow channel viewer and subscriber is proud violist(8 years of experience) is also an oboist!

Any day you post is a w

❤ the Beethoven quartet #1 in the background.

Oooh, I bought a cheap (electric) violin, but that E string! I began to long for a deeper sound and discovered the viola. A cheap viola might be the fix I need. It's also fun to imagine my scrabblings would magically sound better on a more quality instrument 😅

I just got a viola as a present from amazon. The bridge you have to put together.

That bridge was giving me THE WORST anxiety I have ever experienced in my life. 😨

You have a lot going on! I welcome any posts...no pressure from me.

I think it would help to take an instrument like that to a luthier and get it properly set up. Sure, that will add to the cost, but it will save a lot of aggravation. Beginners don't know what they don't know, and wouldn't have any idea the strings are too high or how to compensate for it.

I wonder how it would sound if you took it to a luthier to set up properly. Also if you added the price of the setup (which I would imagine would include cutting the bridge, maybe a soundpost adjustment) and a price D'addario preludes so your strings can actually hold a pitch you'd probably be in for about $250. I wonder how that professionally set up $250 viola would compare to a $500 beginner instrument.

The feet on the bridge coould be sanded down by a luthier it would probably help with the string hight. There are videos out there that show how to do that. Just sayn'

Hi James. I'm also James and also an asparing violist.

This makes me feel better with how I sound on my (even cheaper) violin

I just got a 15 inch, much smaller than my old 16.5 inch, and I MISS the really deep tone. I'm thinking of going back and getting a 15.5, even though it's a bit harder to reach my c string stuff, do you think it's worth it?

Can confirm that is definitely a viola

3.5/5! very high score for what i thought would surely be a VSO

Noon here. Wonder how good it is with a trimmed bridge. Better too tall than too low for the instrument?

It wasn't a great viola (or even a tiny bit good one), but it's way better than some of the cheap violins I've heard.

First! ❤

ay can you make a top 10 viola pieces that are easier than they look i need to flex please bro

!

To sound like an oboe, play the viola of the Law. 😂

The bridge needs to be cut down & notches need to be added

Lol this made me laugh. Realistically you could actually get some sandpaper and shave some wood off the bridge from the top. I bet it would sound 10 times better. Would be interesting to see how it sounds as you get closer and closer to a real bridge shape. You'd also want to re notch it where the strings go I guess.

Is the $69 viola made of plywood ?

3.5 out of 5? I think that's way too high. Whatever the luthier is going to charge to replace the bridge can be put toward a little better quality instrument bought at a music store. Add to that the cost of a new set of strings - I think Daddario Preludes are available for viola, the money spent there can be put toward the new instrument. When it comes to music and instruments, don't buy from the 'A' company, instead buy from your local music shop.

Oof. It looks like that bridge hasn’t been shaped at all. 😬

“it is only 79 dollars” title: 69 dollars

that's definitely a basswood instrument

Take a moment to reprofile the bridge, that should improve the treble stopping problems, I'm learning folk fiddle but my last set of strings cost more than your whole set up, a case a bow and a viola that plays for £ 69 is dirt cheap, think how much the Chinese workers would get paid to produce that , we worry about slavery going on 300 years ago.

ok, comparing to your viola, the cheap one definitely has a high ass bridge

Maybe this is an interesting video, but I cannot attend it because it’s all out of tune and that sicks me!!!

Oh my fucking Christ.... That sounded truly bad. Sorry.

at 7:52 when u said that the viola was "only 79 dollars", were you misrepresenting the cost of the instrument intentionally to make your review more critical? why are you misleading consumers.

Hey @Violaking could you please play playing god by polyphia on viola.... i hope it works on viola as well