It's a Big Violin?

WOAH! YOU PLAY THE VIOLIN?!?"

"no... the viola."

"...........OoooOOoOh."

"you have no idea what that is, don't you?"

".....YEAAA I DO! IT'S, UH...IT'S.....it's a teensy violin, right?"

"...no."

"OooOoOH....well is it that big one you sit down and play?"

"...no."

"oh. "

"......(awkward silence as i begin to explain what in God's name is a Viola)"

If i had a penny for everytime i have undergone this lackluster conversation, i would have enough money to make Oprah Winfrey look poor.

Violin, cello, bass. common instruments that any average citizen of the world could suppoesdly, possibly -on a good day- distingush by apperance:  

(bass, cello, violin...in case you wanted clarification)

But what about the VIOLA? is it some alienated instrument with antennae and tail? Some estranged object that no human has ever layed eyes on? no. Of course not.

Someone had to make the first one...

But the point is that many people who think they are in the presense of a violin, might actcually be in the presense of the angelic instrument known to man-kind as the VIOLA. Having said that, the VIOLA looks 100% identical to it's cousin, the violin. The only physically apparent difference would be that a viola is usally 2 to 3 times larger than a full-sized violin, and has the same low strings as it's other cousin, the cello. Violas are the "mutants" of the symphonic instruments. Although trying not to expose my bias, the viola is really the most diverse, breath-taking, awe-inspiring, remarkable, splendid, extraordinary, amazing, and coolest-sounding out of the stringed instruments (when played properly). It can play as low as the cellos because of the shared low "C" string, and almost as extreemly high as the violins. (What about the basses you ask? they're just too gosh darn low. it's impossible to distinguish their notes, so we don't worry ourselves with them.) 

So the next time you approach a violin, please, stop. Do the world a favor: think of the inspiring words of ninjasurfer. And before you judge, please consider, that you just might be in the presense of a VIOLA.