
Use your knees to keep the cello steady.Adjust the end pin so that the body of the cello rests against your chest, balancing its lower half between your knees.Regardless of your preference, make sure you’re sitting straight Avoid slouching some cellists prefer to sit at the edge of the chair, while others prefer to sit back for more support.The neck of the cello should be to the left of the head, with the C-string tuning peg adjacent to the ear.
Bass stringed instruments how to#
Here’s a little more information on how to hold a cello and a double bass: How to Hold a Cello:

The cello is played sitting down while the bass is played standing up. Difference #4: Playing Position The Bass Is Played Standing Up But the bass is found in almost every form of Western music making it one of the most versatile instruments available. Cellos are very popular in orchestras with between eight and twelve cellos found in large symphony orchestras. Due to its extra octave range, the double bass is capable of producing a deeper sound that the cello is just not capable of producing. It has a deeper and richer tone than both the violin and the viola. The cello is known as an instrument with a tenor voice. Difference #3: Sound – The Double Bass Is Deeper The bass, on the other hand, can be played standing up or while sitting on a tall stool. (Fun fact: the name cello is short for “violoncello”, which means “small double bass” in Italian.) While both the cello and double bass rest on the floor (supported by a metal end pin), the cello is the only instrument in the string family that must be played sitting down. The double bass measures in at about 6 feet long and is the largest instrument in the string family, while the cello is slightly smaller in nature. Difference #2: Size – The Double Bass Is LargerĪlthough the cello and double bass are the largest instruments in the string family, there is a substantial difference in their size. Cellos max out at about five octaves while the double bass maxes out around four. The result of this standard tuning practice is a much wider range for the cello. Although it is possible to tune a cello in fourths and a double bass in fifths, it is almost never done. Basses are turned in 4ths (E, A, D, and G), with the low E being lower than the cello C.

A cello is typically tuned in 5ths from low to high (C, G, D, and A). One of the main differences between the cello and the double bass is its tuning. Head into one of our stores or check out our cello buying guide. If you’ve decided to purchase a cello or a bass and aren’t sure what your next steps should be, we’ve got you covered. From size and tuning to the sound produced and how they’re played, we’ll go through the main differences between the two. When it comes to the cello and the bass, they may look similar but are actually very different. The four main instruments in the string family are the violin, viola, cello, and the double bass.
