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05-26-2006, 07:33 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia | | | Differance between a BD and a Cello?
Ahoi Double Bassers.
Im just a bass guitar newb so I have has to venture into this strange, classical and large forum to ask a question which is plauging me! When ever I watch music video's and the bassist has a Big upright instrument, I'm not sure if its a Cello or a DB.
Ive done a bit of googling and the only differance Ive found if the tuning (done in 4th or something). Is there any visual way to instantly tell a DB from a Cello?
EDIT: I realise i misspelt DB in the title. Apologies DB'ers!
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Last edited by silent89 : 05-26-2006 at 07:37 AM.
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05-26-2006, 07:46 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: minneapolis minnesota | | | Well,last time I checked my string bass(double bass,doghouse,upright,etc) was about three times bigger than my cello.That might be one clue!
The DB strings are tuned E,A,D,G.The cello is tuned C,G,D,A.
Hope this helps. |
05-26-2006, 07:50 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Dallas, TX. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by silent89 Ahoi Double Bassers.
Im just a bass guitar newb so I have has to venture into this strange, classical and large forum to ask a question which is plauging me! When ever I watch music video's and the bassist has a Big upright instrument, I'm not sure if its a Cello or a DB.
Ive done a bit of googling and the only differance Ive found if the tuning (done in 4th or something). Is there any visual way to instantly tell a DB from a Cello?
EDIT: I realise i misspelt DB in the title. Apologies DB'ers! | Seeing them alone, maybe not as easy, but Cello is played from a seated position, with the Cello between the players legs. A bass (double bass) is played from a standing position, as it is too large to play seated. |
05-26-2006, 07:57 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West Central, OH | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Juneau ....A bass (double bass) is played from a standing position, as it is too large to play seated. | Untrue. Many very fine (and not so fine) players play their basses from a seated position. |
05-26-2006, 08:12 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Orlando, FL | | | Ok then, at least you can agree that if the instrument in question is too small to play while standing up (without looking like a jackass), it's a bass. Here's Oscar Pettiford on a cello.
Last edited by DrBassie : 11-01-2009 at 06:33 PM.
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05-26-2006, 08:26 AM
|  | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | The and of the fingerboard of a DB comes up to your eyebrows (when standing), while a Cello's comes nearer your chest !!  
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Last edited by Bruce Lindfield : 05-26-2006 at 08:30 AM.
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05-26-2006, 08:35 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North Dakota | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield The and of the fingerboard of a DB comes up to your eyebrows (when standing), while a Cello's comes nearer your chest !! | For a visual ID with nothing else to give you perspective you need to look at the shoulders of the instrument. The cello (pictured on the right) is more rounded. The bass (on the left) is sloped. |
05-26-2006, 09:30 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Australia - Brisbane | | The Double Bass is larger and rarely played in a seated position, however a Celo is often played seated. And the one time ive seen a musician play a Celo standing he was bent down so far. Bassists are normally further towards the back  that may help if you are really desperate and cant work it out. |
05-26-2006, 09:39 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Stuart,Florida | | | on a double bass the tuning machines go towards the back.. on a cello they go side to side. |
05-27-2006, 06:58 AM
| | AES Fine Instruments | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Brewster, NY, USA | | A bass burns for longer than a cello.  Well, somebody was going to say it... |
05-27-2006, 10:52 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago, IL | | | The size is so much different....
Also, pegs vs. machines is an easy way to tell most of the time.
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05-27-2006, 11:08 AM
| | "Working Bassist" | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by silent89 EDIT: I realise i misspelt DB in the title. Apologies DB'ers! | Did you realize that you misspelled Difference in the title too?
Andy |
05-27-2006, 11:45 AM
|  | Student of Life Forum Administrator | | Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Louisville, KY | | | A BD is a lot like a CV, but a lot bigger. |
05-27-2006, 11:48 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Southeast Michigan | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald A BD is a lot like a CV, but a lot bigger. | I thought a BD was a Bass Dobro. |
05-27-2006, 05:47 PM
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Originally Posted by DumbChild The Double Bass is larger and rarely played in a seated position. | Completely untrue. |
05-27-2006, 05:50 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Niagara Falls, ON, Canada | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald A BD is a lot like a CV, but a lot bigger. | Post of the thread.
The rest of it is rather inane, though I know some of you folk are presenting fact in the hope to educate. |
05-27-2006, 11:07 PM
| | "Working Bassist" | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by DumbChild The Double Bass is larger and rarely played in a seated position. | Quote: |
Originally Posted by kraid Completely untrue. | Completely untrue. Really?
So you're saying a Double Bass is never larger than a Cello and always played in a seated position?
I'm not sure I agree with you here...
Andy |
05-28-2006, 04:45 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by airbass Did you realize that you misspelled Difference in the title too?
Andy | I corrected myself because saying DB instead of DB was obviously something that people would crack jokes about as opposed to awnsering my question (PS: most of which have been extremly helpful, thankyou guys), but untill I strt spekin lik dis wit no frm o cohrnce n grmer you can stop being useless 
Sorry, I can't stand people who complain about simple mistakes which the phrase is completly coherant, anywho!
Thanks for the awsners guys, i didn't actually realise the size differance etc. probably due to not seeing enough and many a picture being mislabelled. |
05-28-2006, 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by airbass Completely untrue. Really?
So you're saying a Double Bass is never larger than a Cello and always played in a seated position?
I'm not sure I agree with you here...
Andy | No one likes a smartass. |
05-28-2006, 08:54 AM
| | "Working Bassist" | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by kraid No one likes a smartass. | I don't suppose they are very keen on those who make sweeping, inaccurate and unqualified generalizations, either.
Andy |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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