In a string ensemble, which instrument provides the tenor/alto range and is slightly larger than a violin?

• A. Cello
• B. Violin
• C. Viola
• D. Double Bass

Answer: (C)

The middle voice in a string ensemble is filled by the viola. It’s slightly larger than a violin, which gives it a lower, warmer pitch than the violin while still staying above the cello and double bass. That placement—between the bright treble of the violins and the deep bass of the cello—gives the viola its tenor/alto range, making it the best fit for those middle harmonies and inner melodies. The cello sits lower and the violin sits higher, while the double bass goes even deeper, so they don’t occupy that same middle range.