There it is – your cello bow. It's with you whenever you play, unless we're talking pizzicato. But for now let's just focus on playing with a bow.
So how much do you know about your cello’s best friend which helps make such a beautiful noise?
Congrats to 2017 GRAMMY Winner Mike Block for his work with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, they've won Best World Music Album for Sing Me Home! Watch this trailer for an upcoming documentary on them called "The Music of Strangers" and learn more about what they're doing at their website.
Being able to tune your instrument is a necessary skill for any cello player. It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised by how many people there are who don't even know how to tune a cello properly. It's so important!
Not only does it ensure that your cello is at the same, and therefore correct, pitch as other cellos, but it also helps train your ear to “hear” the proper notes. A cello that is just slightly out of tune, is still out of tune, and when played in concert with other instruments the difference is incredibly noticeable. The good news, however, is that tuning a cello is a relatively easy and straightforward adventure.
Despite its larger size, the cello is a delicate stringed instrument, meaning that it needs special care. But with proper cello maintenance, you can enjoy your instrument for decades.
But what happens if you don’t take care of your cello? You can affect its appearance, its sound, its structural integrity, and eventually, your ability to play the instrument. Here's some things to look out for so you can avoid taking your cello into the shop for an expensive repair job.