FAQ's - Orchestral String Family

Standard Instrument Tunings of the Orchestral String Family
violino piccolo	c', g', d'', a''
violin violino (Italian) Geige (German) Violine (German) violon (French)	g, d', a', e''
second violin	slightly larger violin: g, d', a', e''
viola viola (Italian) Bratsche (German) alto (French)	c g d' a'
tenor violin	played down like a violoncello now rare: G, d, a, e'
violoncello piccolo	small five stringed cello: C, G, d, a, e'
violoncello violoncello (Italian) Violoncell (German) violoncelle (French)	also called 'cello: C, G, d, a
double bass	EE, AA, D, G (part written an octave higher than sounding pitch)

The features of the orchestral string family are an arched belly, arched back, shallow ribs, commonly four strings tuned in fifths, unfretted fingerboard, right-angled shoulders and F sound holes. The smaller members (down to viola) are played under the chin, the larger members played between the legs, with the bow (originally out-curved but now in-curved) held with the hand lying above the stick. Some double-bass players retain the under-hand bowing associated with the viol family. [1]

[1] http://www.dolmetsch.com