What makes a cello sound good

And yet, among all of the string instruments in the orchestra , there is something special about the cello. When it comes to tone, cellos and violas are the most similar to the human voice. For that reason, even non-classical music lovers typically appreciate the sounds of the cello. That insight hits the nail on the head. While we are tremendous champions of the violin, we respect that its higher notes, may not be as pleasing to those who prefer listening to lower registers. Eventually, in the early s, Antonio Stradivari standardized the cello to the size it is today.

Just as the tone of the cello is similar to the human voice, so, too, is the shape of the cello. Yes, it has the same beautiful curvature of the violin, viola, bass, and guitar - but only the cello and bass are sized similarly to humans, which enhance its curvy, feminine form.

As a result, outsiders often interpret that cellists have a deeper and more physical relationship with their instrument. It is this physical relationship, the whole body experience, that makes the cello one of the most interesting instruments to audience members. Many non-musicians mistakenly assume the cello is one of the hardest instruments to play because they are able to recognize the physicality required to play it.

The researchers assessed that not only is the resulting music more expressive in its sound not just visually when cellists move naturally but that those instinctual movements, from head to toe, ergonomically protect the spine, neck, shoulders, etc. Since the standardized cello is a newer kid on the string instrument block, circa , it makes sense that it is also a versatile instrument in the sense of musical genres. The playability of the cello and the sounds that it made evolved right along with the classical and contemporary music evolution.

You're never too old to play any instrument. Even though it looks as if the cello requires greater physical stamina, it is actually easier to hold, support, and play the cello than it is to play the violin or viola. The seated playing position, even for solo concerti, is also age-friendly and accessible. First the tailpieces. Our basic principal is that if you want more sound and brighter sound, use the lightest in weight and hardest possible tailpiece available, and attach it with the material that lets it flex the most.

The two tailpieces in this category that we use are the hard plastic and the composite. For even more focus try a wire tailgut: or if you really need to boost the focus, try a metal tailpiece with wire.

To darken things a bit, try the non-stetch cord our favorite which we carry in three different diameters, the smallest causing the brightest result and working backwards from there.

For a cello that is too bright, try the old wooden tailpiece — ebony is the densest — with 4 auxillary fine-tuners added, and attach it with the plastic tailgut. Most cellists who experiment with these things end up with something in between.