Music enthusiasts who want to buy the best viola books should look at the exact content of each offering, and understand how they can best use the content on instrument theory, music background, and more, to their advantage. Choosing good music learning resources will help beginners to master the viola or similar stringed instruments in the violin family. A few basic characteristics will help shoppers identify many of the best books for picking up the viola.
A detailed introduction of the instrument is often a central element of the best viola books. This includes showing the unique tuning of the viola,, and how the fretboard is laid out, as well as any pertinent information on the instrument’s internal design. Many of the best books will have an introduction to bowing, the use of the bow to play the strings of the viola, since this technique will make a difference in the resulting sounds that the beginner makes.
The best viola books also frequently include a history of the instrument. Shoppers should know whether they want only a practice book, or a more comprehensive resource with the history and background of the viola. Another good element in some of the best books on the viola is how to contrast this instrument to the violin and other similar instruments.
When evaluating which books on the viola are likely to serve the beginning musician best, shoppers can look at the actual practice content in the book. Many top editions will include specific information on chord structures and sequences. A common resource in viola books is the octave scale, where the musician plays through the entire eight tones in an octave, both up and down, in order to see how these basic sequences are placed on the viola. Books may also include simple songs and compositions, where the difficulty of these activities gradually progresses.
In addition to all of the practice content that is in viola books, beginning musicians can also look for references that include more than one format. Some books may include more detailed visuals of the fretboard, the strings, and the bow. Books that include helpful, engaging formats are generally more effective for helping a beginner to learn this instrument. This may include oversized letters and numbers for specific fingering directions, or cutaway pictures of the instrument that show how it is made. Look for visuals and other extras in viola books to choose the best resources for progressive mastery of this complex instrument.