YC (Default) Comparison. (Beethoven and Dvorak were themselves viola players.) Later on, however, composers started to recognize the viola's unique sound and started to give it more to do in the orchestra. The Viola is better than the Cello because the Violin is similar to the Viola, the Viola is way cheaper than the Cello, the Viola is easier to play than the Cello, and the Viola is smaller than the Cello. “Gamba” is the Italian word for leg and it’s held between the legs like a cello. Many popular singers and bands use, if not one instrument, a combination of all four. The sound. Violin, viola, cello and bass can be used to play many different styles -- everything from classical to contemporary music. The cello is often cited for its practical disadvantages – mainly its size and expense. Composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Dvorak started to change the viola's role in the ensemble. Cello vs violin is not some easy type of comparison, so please read on. So let me tell you the difference between a viola da gamba and a cello. ... Viola Vs Cello Theme . It’s the predecessor of the cello and it’s of comparable size. But for students who enjoy the sound of the cello more, hauling around a larger and more expensive instrument is well worth the care and effort. The cello’s low register and tonality resonates with many musicians far more than the violin’s higher register. The Viola plays on the same octave as the Violin but the Cello plays one octave lower. First of all, the Violin is similar to the Viola. The main differences in the instruments are size, strings, range and position in which they're played. When it comes to positioning, the cello is much easier because its weight is supported directly on the solid ground, and you’ll attain far more control over the instrument’s body. The cello has four strings; the gamba has six (or sometimes seven). The name indicates where you hold it.