Viola amarantina

Portuguese Viola amarantina

Viola amarantina

Viola Amarantina
String instrument
Other names	Viola de Aramante, Viola de dois corações.
Classification	String instrument
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	(Composite chordophone)
Developed	Amarante, Northern Portugal
Related instruments
Viola caipira, viola beiroa, viola braguesa, viola campaniça, viola da terra, viola de arame, viola sertaneja, viola terceira, viola toeira.

The viola amarantina is a stringed musical instrument from Amarante, Northern Portugal. It is also named viola de dois corações (two-hearted guitar) because of the two heart-shaped frontal openings. It has 10 strings in 5 courses. The strings are made of steel. It is tuned D3 D2, A3 A2, B3 B2, E3 E3, A3 A3.

It is traditional to construct the viola amarantina from walnut for the sides, pine for the soundboard and the neck in mahogany.

The viola amarantina is also sometimes played in Cabo Verde.

References

• The Stringed Instrument Database
• ATLAS of Plucked Instruments