Violin & Viola Sizing

1. Hold the instrument against the left shoulder, under the chin.
2. Straighten the left arm in line with the instrument, then bring the hand up to the scroll, palm facing
upward.
3. Wrap the hand around the scroll and check its position and reach. If the fingers can curl around the
scroll and into the peg box, the instrument is the right size. If the fingers cannot wrap all the way
around the scroll and the student has trouble holding his or her arm up to it, then the instrument is too
big. If the scroll can be cupped in the palm alone, then it’s too small.
4. For instruments that pass the “hand check”, verify the fit by placing the student’s hand on the neck in
playing position. On a correctly-sized instrument, this will leave the arm in a clear “V” shape, not too
steep and not too shallow. If the arm is more of a shallow “U”, the instrument is too large. If it’s a
very narrow “V” pressed close to the body, then the instrument is too small.

Measurement Tables
If instruments are not readily available for sizing, you can take measurements to determine the
correct size instrument instead. Use a yardstick or measuring tape and follow this procedure:

1. Have your child extend his or her left arm horizontally to the front, and measure from the left side of
the neck to the center of the palm (in inches).
2. Find the instrument-specific measurement on the following list and choose the indicated instrument
size. As a rule of thumb, if the measurement falls between two different sizes, you can safely choose
the smaller of the two.
Violin Measurements
 23 5/8″: 4/4 (full size) violin
 22 1/4″: 3/4 size violin
 20 3/85″: 1/2 size violin
 18 1/2″: 1/4 size violin
 16 7/8″: 1/8 size violin
 15 3/8″: 1/10 size violin
 14 1/8″: 1/16 size violin

Viola Measurements
 27 1/8″: 16.5-inch viola
 27 1/8″: 16-inch viola
 25 5/8″: 15.5-inch viola
 24 7/8″: 15-inch viola
 23 1/4″: 14-inch viola
 21 7/8″: 13-inch viola
 20 3/8″: 12-inch viola
 18 1/2″: 11-inch viola
Cello Sizing
1. Sit straight up in the chair, with knees at a 90-degree angle.
2. Place the cello between the knees, leaning it back against the chest.
3. Check the cello’s alignment with the student’s chest and legs. If it is correctly sized, the fingerboard
will be resting on the sternum and the upper part of the cello body will rest on the thighs.
4. Look for the top peg on the right-hand side (belonging to the “C” string); it should be near the left ear.
5. Check the corner of the lower bout; it should be resting against the left knee.
6. Verify that the fingerboard is within reach without straining. If your child has to stretch to reach the
fingerboard, or if the cello is resting too high in each of the previous three steps, then it is likely too
large. If it’s resting too low, or if the “C” string peg is even with or below the chin, the cello is
probably too small.

Bass Sizing
1. Stand up and hold the bass upright. Position the instrument against the left side, holding the neck in
the left hand with fingers in the first position.
2. On a properly-sized bass, those fingers will line up with the eyes.
3. Double-check by holding the bow in the right hand, with shoulders straight and arm relaxed in a
ready-to-play position, parallel to the floor. If the instrument is the correct size, the bow should cross
the strings between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard.
4. You will know the bass is too large while following the steps above if the left hand is above eye-level,
or if the bow falls at or below the bridge. Alternately, if the left hand is above eye-level in first
position or if the bow is at or above the end of the fingerboard, you’ll know that the instrument is too
small.

Measurement Table
In case you don’t have access to instruments for sizing purposes, you can take a measurement to
determine the best size instead. Start by having student stand up in a straight but relaxed posture,
arms positioned at the sides with hands open, fingers pointing downward, and palms in against
the body. Then, measure the distance from the “V” between the thumb and forefinger up to the
outside corner of your child’s left eye. Reference the following list, choosing the indicated size
for close-to-exact measurements, or the smaller size for measurements that fall squarely between.
Bass Measurements
 41″+: 4/4 (full size) bass
 39″: 3/4 size bass
 35 7/8″: 1/2 size bass
 33 1/4″: 1/4 size bass

Sizing in the Future

It’s important to remember that as your student grows, so too must their instruments. When
choosing a rental or purchase plan for the violin, viola, cello or bass, make sure to look into the
exchange policy. For instance, rentals from our local music store are eligible for no-charge
exchanges to larger sizes. That means it’s easy to always have the best fit even for a rapidly-
growing young musician, and your child can enjoy a better learning experience as a result!