The special charm of the cello owes itself partly to the gently dark sound character it produces. Interestingly, a significant homage to this expressive string instrument comes from the world-famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin: “The cello touches our feelings on a deep, unfathomable level”. That alone is reason enough to dedicate an entire blog article to informing you about this big sister of the violin and viola. ️
Sound of a Cello – In No Way Limited to Classical Music
Classical music is the typical domain of the cello and this instrument is an integral part of classic orchestras. Restricting the cello to this would unfairly ignore its musical diversity. Various artists celebrate a cross-genre experience on the cello that can hardly be described in words. One example is Wolfram Huschke, an experimental cellist who was originally trained at the Salzburg Mozarteum. Another example is the Finnish crossover band Apocalyptica, which plays metal covers (as well as originals). See the videos below:
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Up close and personal
The cello is usually played while sitting. The cellist basically “hugs” the instrument while playing it. The cello is closely related in construction and form to the violin and viola. Like these relatives, today’s cellos have 4 strings and are tuned in fifths. Nevertheless, there are clear differences between these stringed instruments in terms of dimensions as well as playing style and grip technique.
Special playing style and fingering
The fact that the cello is larger than its relatives also means that the distances between the strings and thus the notes are wider. While violinists can grasp four notes in one position, this is hardly feasible with the cello. For this reason, the gripping hand must be moved back and forth with simple melodies on the neck and fingerboard. So that entry-level fingers can perfectly target the notes, simple markings can be glued to the fingerboard. You can do this with precise measurements or with products like this:
The cello bow: an extension of the cellist’s arm
The bow is particularly important; ultimately it’s an extension of your arm, or some may say even of your soul. The tone and colour of your notes depends on how you stroke the strings. Different materials are used for the bow rod, whereby they need to be durable and, on the other hand, sufficiently flexible. Pernambuco (latin: Caesalpinia echinata), a now endangered wood from Brasil, is often used for the best bows. For some time now, bows with carbon rods have become increasingly popular. The balance of the bow is important for multifaceted and controlled playing.
Horsehair and daily care
The bow has a covering that is mostly made of natural hair, in many cases horsehair. Sometimes also synthetic alternatives are used, but in either case it needs to be groomed regularly for at least two reasons. The hair cover slides over the strings and should provide the resistance (or friction) necessary for an even tone; on the other hand, it must not slow down the bow movements, so a balance is needed. A care product called rosin is used for to maintain this balance and is easily applied by rubbing. It is made mostly from the resin (sap) of pine and conifer trees but most manufacturers add other materials to it such as beeswax or even gold (for more premium brands).
When can you start playing the cello?
Ambitious beginners or parents ask themselves at what age can start playing the cello. The encouraging answer: Depending on the child’s development, this can start very early. If the child really wants to do it on her/his own, then from the age of five they shouldn’t be restricted! Just check out Sujari Britt in the video below, a cellist prodigy who started playing cello at the age of four.
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Suitable sizes for kids and adult beginners
Like many other instruments, cellos are available in child-friendly sizes. The standard for adults is the 4/4 size. The 7/8 cello is somewhat smaller, a size that is mostly played by adults with a petite build, relatively small hands and/or short fingers. There are further subdivisions for kids:
If the child’s arm length is between 55 and 60 cm, a 3/4 cello can be used, a 1/2 cello is recommended for arm length of 50 to 55 cm, and at 45 to 50 cm, the ambitious beginners can use the 1/4 cello. Even more compact are the 1/8 and 1/16 cellos.
Again and again you can see that people of different ages are fascinated by the sound and possibilities of the cello, above all because of its extraordinarily unique and beautiful sound. This is understandable for us and that’s why we’d like to quote the words of German journalist Wolfram Weidner: “The cello is an adult violin that has learned to stand on its own two feet.”
We wish everyone, young and old, beginner or advanced, a lot of fun and quick learning.
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Allison Hyman says:
I am a cellist
Ian says:
Me too