The body of the viola is made of wood, and is hollow so it can vibrate to create sound. The shape of the body gives the viola its distinctive tone. The body of the viola is usually about 16 inches long.
On the neck is the fingerboard. The violist presses the strings against the fingerboard to change their pitch.
The four strings stretch across the body and fingerboard of the viola, from one end to the other. They are made of steel or gut, and each is tuned to a different pitch.
The viola has four tuning pegs - one for each string. The upper ends of the strings are wound around these wooden pegs. They can be turned to tighten or loosen the strings, changing the pitch.
The tail piece attaches the strings to the other end of the viola.
To get the most accurate pitch possible for each string, four fine tuners are also used in addition to the tuning pegs. Fine tuners are small screws that sit at the upper end of the tail piece.
The bridge supports the strings and transmits their vibrations to the body of the viola. It is made of wood, and is curved so that you can bow each string separately.
The soundholes are called f-holes because of their shape. They help the body of the viola to vibrate, and help the vibrating air to escape from inside the instrument. This makes the viola sound louder.
The chin rest is a curved cup that makes it more comfortable to hold the instrument under the chin.
The bow is made of horsehair attached to a rod. When the horsehair touches the strings of the viola, they vibrate, creating a pitch.
