Viola pomposa Viola pomposa The viola pomposa (also known as the violino pomposo) is a five-stringed instrument developed around 1725. There are no exact dimensions applicable to all instruments used under this name, although in general the pomposa is slightly wider than a standard viola (hence the Italian adjective "pomposa"). It uses four viola strings, tuned conventionally (C-G-D-A), with the addition of a high E string (usually a violin string), giving it a greater range than the orchestral viola; the trade-off comes in a sound which is slightly more resonant than a violin. The viola pomposa is played on the arm and
Basic physics of the violin pitch, which may be described in terms of frequency. The playing tension of a violin string ranges from about to . The length of the string also influences its pitch, and is the basis for how a violin is played. Violinists "stop" a string with a left-hand fingertip, shortening its playing length. Most often the string is stopped against the violin's fingerboard, but in some cases fingertip contact alone is enough to stop the string at the desired sounding length. Stopping the string at a shorter length has the effect of raising its pitch. String material affects the quality of