any of you guys double on cello?

TobyBrodel · #1 05-11-2009, 07:54 AM

just wondering, i started a few months ago in my quartet, just playing some simple heads and improvising countermelodies. i've just started taking some solos in rehearsals, but it'll be a while until i'm comfortable with taking one at a gig.

its been really good for my sense of melody, it helps you realise what it's like to be a horn player.

anyone else into this? i've since found out that oscar pettiford and ron carter both double on cello. cool.

i love the cello on the film version of "Naked Lunch"
ornette is on the soundtrack, his cellist is effing cool.

HogieWan · #2 05-11-2009, 07:56 AM

I got a cheap 5-string cello not that long ago and have been trying to figure it out. I'm an electric bass player, and the left hand stuff came pretty easily for me, but the bowing is tougher than I thought

TobyBrodel · #3 05-11-2009, 08:03 AM

yeah the bowing is the so important. it is your tone.
and i find the cello to be so much more dynamically responsive than the bass, your bow technique really has to be nuanced.

do you play jazz?
how do you tune a fiver?

jgbass · #4 05-11-2009, 09:37 AM

Do you tune this in fourths or fifths? If in fifths, is it not difficult to play in different tunings? Always wanted to try cello.

shadygrove · #5 05-11-2009, 10:28 AM

Not to answer for HogieWan, but a cello is usually tuned in fifths CGDA and a fifth string would be either an F on the bottom or E on the top. There's no reason you couldn't tune a cello in fourths or your bass in fifths if you really wanted to use the same tuning for both.

I don't play cello, but do play other fifth tuned instruments. When I first started playing mandolin it was hard to go back and forth with guitar as the fretting and picking techniques are so similar, but I don't recall every having "muscle memory" issues with my fingers getting confused between bass and fiddle. If I was going to do it I'd learn the cello in fifths, heck I'd like to tune my bass in fifths for the range and sound, but am intimidated by the additional shifting and am also lazy about the relearning that would be required.

Try doing a search on "cello"... seems there was another thread recently that went into it and there are some doublers here on TB (fdeck ?)

fdeck · #6 05-11-2009, 07:26 PM

I play cello. It was my first instrument, then I switched to bass after high school. Lately when my kids started taking string lessons I got the old cello back out. It's a blast to play, but I don't think that I will ever be up to the level of performing on it.

The odd thing is that I can't play jazz on cello to save my life. The fourths tuning is burned into my brain, making it easy to work out fingerings on the fly without thinking about it, and I just can't do that in fifths. Of course I am sure that if I practice more... the usual story.

I am presently in string hell. After my C string broke, I got a new set of D'Addario nylon strings, and they are scratchy as all get out. So I will probably go back to my original setup which was Dominants on the bottom and steel strongs on the top, which my teacher recommended so many years ago.

davidAaronCarte · #7 05-11-2009, 09:18 PM

I've played a couple free things on a borrowed cello which were a nightmare
Back when I played a lot of guitar I was playing in 4 or 5 different tunings, and I know a bit of mandolin so the 5ths tuning wasn't too bad, but definately really rough
I believe Ron Carter played tuned in fourths, so did Ray Brown from what I've heard

TobyBrodel · #8 05-12-2009, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbass

Do you tune this in fourths or fifths? If in fifths, is it not difficult to play in different tunings? Always wanted to try cello.

i tune in fifths, it's tough for a bit, but it's starting to come without having to think now.
i had mucked around with my bass in fifths before for a while before that though.

i think the different tuning has it's advantages, you never get stuck playing the same old licks, it forces you to really think about each note before you play it. its helped me get a better idea of what makes a good melody.

if you ever get chance to borrow one, i'd highly recommend trying it out.

jgbass · #9 05-13-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobyBrodel

if you ever get chance to borrow one, i'd highly recommend trying it out.

Thanks for the info. Yes, I hope to try one out. Sounds like switching from 4th to 5th tuning is doable.

TobyBrodel · #10 05-13-2009, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbass

Sounds like switching from 4th to 5th tuning is doable.

definitely.

it's disheartening to start with, as you can't get any of your ideas out for a while. but i've realised that i am picking up a brand new instrument, so while some skills will crossover, there's heaps and heaps to learn and it won't come instantly.

sort of like going from BG to DB.
doable.

wiro · #11 05-27-2009, 03:08 PM

Doubling from fretless 6 string BG to 4 string upright is already enough challange for me.

Do you know Ernst Reijseger? Here he's doubling the left hand of a piano player on his cello:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3J7FbHFwi4

ZonGuy · #12 05-28-2009, 10:08 AM

I was wondering if any of the guys who said they played the bass tuned in fifths n another thread are going to answer this.

jaywa · #13 05-28-2009, 10:10 AM

Cellos are uber-cool. My favorite classical string instrument by far.

Not to mention, female cellists always seem to be hot.

Kam · #14 05-30-2009, 11:56 PM

I'd love to play cello but my fiance won't let me tune her instrument in fourths...it is fun to be able to play 3 octave scales in one position though..it's like a sports car compared to the bass.

KontraKurt · #15 07-01-2009, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZonGuy

I was wondering if any of the guys who said they played the bass tuned in fifths n another thread are going to answer this.

Red Mitchell changed to tune his bass in 5ths and played that way for one and a half decade. He was successful in that and I take my hat off for him. It is a very tricky thing to manage. Mitchell did it because he wanted a wider span of notes for his bass. He said that he thought that a double bass should be tuned like the others in the violin family.

I tried 5ths for a couple of weeks but start getting crazy over the frustration that it means just to throw overboard everything you have learn earlier. It was a pain.

I cannot see the reason of why to do it really. It cost too much efforts. You win 4 more notes on your E-string if you are using Mitchells tuning; C (for the E-string) G, D, A. But you have to have a special C-string because you cannot let the ordinary E-string go down to C. Impossible.

Better to change to a 5-stringed bass. Stay with 4ths and win 6 more notes; Bb, B, C, Db, D, Eb. Tuned Bb, E, A, D, G.

HogieWan · #16 07-01-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadygrove

Not to answer for HogieWan, but a cello is usually tuned in fifths CGDA and a fifth string would be either an F on the bottom or E on the top. There's no reason you couldn't tune a cello in fourths or your bass in fifths if you really wanted to use the same tuning for both.

sorry for the late reply - It's tuned in fifths with a low F (I'm a bass player, of course I went lower). I'm actually looking for a string to work on the low F. I thought of tuning it in fourths, but I'm getting the hang of it.

Right now I have a D'Addario Chrome (.95) bass string on it for the low F. It sounds ok, but it's a bit bright. Also, I'd like something that I could get into a fine tuner. Would a DB string fit into a fine tuner?

mattfong · #17 07-01-2009, 06:28 PM

Cello's something I'd love to do/learn one day. Check out Toronto bassist Andrew Downing, he's killing on both. Tunes his bass in fifths too.

ZonGuy · #18 07-02-2009, 12:01 PM

Listening to YoYo gives me C-GAS. Reminding myself about 5ths tuning pops the bubble.