Cello

This is a string instrument categorized in the bowing class. The instrument is mainly made of wood pieces glued (never nailed) together although aluminum and carbon fiber can also be used.

Traditionally, a cello has a maple back, neck and sides; spruce top and at times, willow or poplar woods are used to make the sides and back. A cello is made of laminated wood are cheaper. The back and top are hand-carved, the ribs and sides are made of heated wood bended around forms. The cello C-bouts form the narrow middle to support the wide top and bottom bouts with sound holes and the bridge being placed in the middle. The purfling border not only decorates the back and top of a cello, but it also prevents crack in case the cello is dropped and if a crack is formed, the purfling will prevent it from spreading further on the body of the cello. It has a hollow body, which acts as a sound resonating box. A tall piece is used to hold pegs which are wrapped with the bowing strings (mostly four but five for the double bass) made of nylon, steel or animal gut.

A bow is used to play the cello. It is mostly made of brazilwood or pernambuco, which come from same tree specie (Caesalpina echinata). Other materials such as fiberglass and carbon fiber are also used to make the bow for the cello. Varying colors of horsehair and synthetic fiber are used to make the bow hair, which can be adjusted by the player by turning a screw to increase and reduce the length and tension for tone variations.

A cello is placed between a players knees when being played. It produces a tenor voice and produces excellent sounds in ascending order. Other instruments in the same musical class as the cello include the viola, the double bass and the violin. The cello is physically the second largest instrument in the violin family after the double bass. The cello is mostly played as a solo instrument and mostly associated with classical music (European). Music professionals have described the cello as the closest musical instrument that sounds like the human voice. The cello has being used in writing a number of sonatas and concertos. Although the cello is not so popular in the current music, it has featured in rock and pop recordings. People seem to get more used to the cello instrument and recently, the cello has being used in R&B and hip-hop live performances including being modified by some artistes for classical music in India.

A cello is played in different modes which include the body position where one plays when seated with most weight supported by the floor; The left hand technique incorporates determining the note pitch by using the left hand fingers. A higher pitch is produced by bowing closer to the cellos’ bridge; another cello playing technique is the right hand technique where the right hand holds and controls the bow to determine the character and duration of the produced notes.