Alto Viol Strings
Feb 15th 2024
Gamut Music has recently added Alto Viol strings to the store!
We offer A-Alto Viol and C-Alto Viol strings individually, or in bundled sets featuring the most popular kinds of strings for ease of ordering. Gauges are available from Light to Heavy+.
The Alto Viol is a mid-sized instrument, larger than the Treble Viol but smaller than the Tenor Viol. It typically has six strings and is played either with a bow or by plucking the strings (pizzicato). The sound of the Alto Viol is warm and rich, and it was commonly used in consort music, where several Viols of different sizes would play together in ensemble settings.
In terms of pitch, the Alto Viol is typically tuned a fifth below the Treble Viol, making it sound in the alto range. Its role in ensembles and consort music varied, but it often provided middle-range melodies and harmonies, contributing to the overall texture and timbre of the ensemble.
The Alto Viol string sets consist of:
- 1st String - Treble Gut
- 2nd String - Treble Gut
- 3rd String - Lyon Gut
- 4th String - Pistoy Gut
- 5th String - Gut/Silverplate-Wound
- 6th String - Gut/Silverplate-Wound