Re: Viola to mandolin or mandola
You will get lots of opinions with regards to your questions.
1. viola to mandola likely easier transition than to mandolin as they share tuning and C clef.
2. more learning resources available for mandolin
3. I prefer mandola for some music and mandolin for other music. So my choice is both. I find mandola to accomodate solo play more readily than mandolin and mandolin to lend a more distinct voice to playing with other instruments.
4. as per your comment about tablature. I never had the patience to learn it as the dots are easier for me to read by sight and the tabs, well, just cumbersome with little direction other than which frets and strings to play.
With that said, get both if you can (you probably will eventually). Start with the mandola first since you have viola experience and enjoy the trip.
Big Muddy EM8 solid body (Mike Dulak's final EM8 build)
Kentucky KM-950
Weber Gallatin A Mandola "D hole"
Rogue 100A (current campfire tool & emergency canoe paddle)
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