I want to learn how to play cello

[MagnusNord]

What would be different and what would be the same? I can already play bass, guitar, piano. Would I have to take lessons to be able to play? Are the basic mechanics the same(i.e. press fretboard, vibrate string)?

[tom once dead]

I started out playing cello. Did My grade 7 on it before I started bass. which helped alot and I bassically skipped the begginer stage on bass. There will be some little things that you will need to practice a fair bit ie, bow and technique. But you will get there a lot faster than someone who has never played anything before.

[TBrett]

While I can't answer your questions about cello, I once knew a very accomplished bassist who also took up the cello. She found it very challenging, said it was quite difficult at first, but she sounded like she loved every bit of that challenge. Good luck with your quest!

[L-A]

A cello is tuned in fifths, so you'll have to adapt to this. As far as playing technique goes, if you already played fretless, you will have to get used to the shorter scale, different position and learn to bow properly.

[fdeck]

I started on cello before taking up the bass. Like L-A says, the differences are mainly fifths tuning and bowing. The conventional wisdom, which I agree with, is that learning to bow requires a teacher.

[bassrique]

I don't get the tuning in fifths thing. I used to detune by low B to an A, but all across the fingerboard?

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by bassrique

I don't get the tuning in fifths thing. I used to detune by low B to an A, but all across the fingerboard?

Yes. The cello is CGDA. The C is the same frequency as the C on our A string.

[bassteban]

I just grabbed an old Kay plywood cello- it's a 3/4 & I'm 6' 2" so this may get silly real quick. I may start my own *stupid questions about the cello* thread, but I will certainly watch this one too. To me there's nothing like a well-stroked cello- that throaty, mid-ranged voice- mmmmm. There was a song by the Selecter w/a sweet little cello break- can't recall, but it was on the same album w/*Bombscare*

[MalcolmAmos]

Fiddle - took me forever to get the cats out of my fiddle. Once you get all the cats out of your cello I think you will enjoy this instrument.

Takes a few weeks/months to get everything going, but, that's probably true with every new instrument.

[pointbass]

Cello is a wonderful instrument, IMO one of the sweetest voiced instruments there is. I used to play cello quite a bit, but these past few years I have been lax. The biggest issues are the 5th's tuning and differences in scale, and of course, arco playing.

If the OP doesn't play DB, the scale differential may be less of an issue. Again IMO, there is very little correlation between cello and electric bass in terms of technique.

It's a really fun instrument to play, and unlike some lower-end DB's, an inexpensive student-type cello can get you a long way down the road before you need to upgrade to a more serious axe .....

[MNAirHead]

I started with this .. totally different instrument.

IF you're into performance, it becomes more different.

I can't jump back and fourth.. tried it .. sucked

[Jools4001]

Well, I don't know about anybody elses experience, but I picked up a cello from an antique store about 7 or 8 years ago, it's no Amati but it's not a complete learner instrument either - it's the sort of low priced instrument that you might get as your second cello purchase if you were upgrading from a school hack. It was sitting in the window, stringless and unloved so I bought it on impulse.

I went and got myself a bow, a set of dominants, spent a little bit at the local violin repair store getting a new bridge and the soundpost refitted and then took it home to try out.

Since I've played unlined fretless for years, I found that I quickly adapted my left hand technique to the cello's scale length and since my fretless vibrato technique is already cello-like, that came completely naturally. I also took to the 5ths tuning without too much heartache, so I could play in tune, with the correct vibrato technique very quickly.

Bowing was a different issue. It took some practise to get the string to speak with sonority and to speak when I wanted it to, but after a bit of practice with how much rosin to use, how much bow tension to apply and how much pressure to exert I could make single string playing pretty mellow. Changing to different strings to play scales and arpeggios was more challenging, I would be doing OK, then as I moved to the next string going either up or down a scale I was often rewarded with a cat squeal of scraping harmonics rather than the mellifluous sound of a nicely bowed cello. I didn't have a teacher, just watched orchestral players on the TV and noted how they held their bow and the bow tension they had. Like anything else it just took a bit of practise but after what seemed a ridiculously short period of time compared to learning other instruments I was accompmanying my kids (both Grade 8 violinists) playing little string trio pieces (quartets without the viola basically) and playing along to Barber's adagio. I would NOT have been able to do this as quickly as I did without having had a secure understanding of harmonic intervals, fingering techniques and good intonation from playing fretless bass - I really didn't have to teach my left hand anything - Oh, except that technique when you stop the string with your thumb when playing high up on the fingerboard, but that came easily enough

I would never have made Carnegie Hall but I was good enough to play to family, friends and small informal concerts and sound OK. Never took it too seriously, never claimed or tried to be a serious cellist, just as a bit of fun, but at the same time it didn't do my bass practice any harm either and I seriously pondered tuning my 5 string fretless in 5ths for a while

The Cello is behind me in the corner right now, sadly without a bridge because it snapped when I was tuning it one day

[fdeck]

I'm just beginning to get into playing jazz on cello -- strictly at home for now. Improvising in fifths tuning is completely unnatural for me, but I took the first step and downloaded "Chord Studies For Trombone." Wish me luck.