Cello
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The Violoncello, or Cello for short, is essentially a bass violin which is played in an upright position. It has a rich, sonorous tone, and its top string has a haunting, singing quality. The cello is ideally suited to the intimacy of a string quartet, as well as an orchestra.
| Family |
| Strings |
| Pitch range |
| Three-and-a-half octaves. |
| Material |
| Wood, with steel strings. |
| Size |
| Body is 30 in (75 cm) long. |
| Origins |
| The cello began life as a large size of the violin in mid-16th-century Europe. |
| Classification |
| Chordophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of strings. |
| And also... |
| Few women cellists existed before the beginning of the 20th century because of the particular position that the musician has to adopt when holding the cello. Holding the instrument between the knees was considered inelegant and "unladylike." |
