In fact, the general term we have for violin, and viola, and cello are " stringed instruments." They're instruments that have long strings that you play.
The instrument is based on sketches Leonardo da Vinci made in his notebooks of a " viola organista" with the dream of simulating a viola ensemble that could be played from a keyboard.
And because there weren't any viola teachers in my town, to be able to play the things that I heard in my head, I turned to a teacher who seemed to know everything: YouTube.