The cello, like the viola, violin, double bass, and bass violin, is a large stringed instrument. The name cello is a contraction of violoncello, and it is sometimes abbreviated as ‘cello. The cello, like the violin, is usually played with a bow, but it can also be plucked.
The cello’s origins can be traced back to a three-stringed bass violin created in the mid-16th century. Over the next century, a number of pieces were written for this instrument, which was usually used in concert with a violin. With the introduction of metal-wrapped strings in the mid-seventeenth century, a cello-like instrument was born. Until the Baroque era, when the design was refined and a large number of exceptional pieces were composed for the instrument, the cello had limited success.
Cellos are typically made of wood and have a similar shape to a violin. With an inward curving indentation towards the middle and a protruding neck at the top, the body is larger near the bottom than the top. There are four strings, which can be made of synthetics, metal, or gut. Brazilianwood is used to make traditional cello bows, with higher-quality bows made from the tree’s heartwood. Horsehair is used as the bow’s rubbing surface and is coated with rosin to help the strings resonate better. The bow can also be made of synthetic material, though this is less common and less traditional.
Cellos come in a variety of sizes, ranging from slightly larger than the full 4/4 size to the teeny-tiny 1/16 size. Although the smallest of these cellos is designed primarily for children, some people with smaller frames prefer to play 7/8 cellos because they allow their hands to find positions more easily. Someone with large enough hands to reach a cello larger than 4/4 may be able to play it.
The cello is tuned to a low register, with A, D, G, and C tuned to the four strings. This is from highest to lowest pitch, with traditional tuning being A3, D3, G2, and C2 in perfect fifths intervals. In the cello, alternate tunings are common, with the most common being C2, G2, D3, and G3, as in one of Bach’s suites.
The cello is primarily used in Classical, Baroque, and Romantic music, and it plays an important role in chamber orchestras. It could also be considered part of a string quartet, as it provides the low bass end. Over the years, a great deal of music has been written for the cello, and it is a very popular instrument. Bach’s six cello suites are probably the most well-known of these classical cello pieces. The cello has become more widely used in contemporary music, particularly R&B and pop, in recent years. Cellos are now being used in genres where fiddles were traditionally used, such as Celtic and Americana music.