At first glance, it seems that the cello and double bass are indistinguishable: almost the same shape, the same number of strings. However, these are two independent instruments that differ in design, size, and playing techniques.
Cello
The cello is an instrument of the “bowed string” category. It is used for solo playing, the cello sounds as part of an orchestra, and in a string quartet.
Cello sound range: up to a large octave - la fourth octave. For this reason, notes for this instrument are recorded in several clefs (bass, alto and treble). The cello sounds juicy, the upper register is a bit muffled.
The principle of playing the cello, including the execution of strokes, is the same as the violin. But due to the fact that the cello is larger in size, it is more difficult to play it. Cello playing techniques include pizzicato and harmonics. The cello is played seated and with a bow.
double bass
The double bass is also one of the bowed strings and is the largest representative of this "family" (up to two meters) and the lowest in sound. The contrabass is used in symphony orchestra, in chamber ensembles, in jazz, rockabilly.
The double bass sounds in the mi range of the contra-octave - the salt of the first octave. It has a low, thick sound that makes it easily recognizable. The double bass is rarely used for solo playing, although some musicians specialize in double bass solos.
For the double bass, playing techniques and strokes are used, like on a violin, but its size limits the possibilities of playing. For example, it is difficult to play scales and jumps on it, but pizzicato sounds interesting. If the double bass is played in the style of rockabilly and psychobilly, then the slap technique is used. The double bass is played standing up, with a bow or fingers.
Comparison of double bass and cello
- cello and double bass belong to the same type of instruments: bowed strings;
- the cello is smaller than the double bass;
- the cello is played sitting, the double bass is played standing;
- the double bass has a lower sound than the cello;
- the techniques of playing the double bass and the cello are similar.
- the cello is played only with a bow, and the double bass is played with both a bow and fingers
If you want to start learning how to play one of these instruments, choose according to your personal preferences, the sound and style of music you like. Consult with a bowed string teacher, listen to how each instrument sounds. So you will understand which tool attracts you. Also choose an instrument based on the style of music you plan to play.
The work of one of the masters of the Amati family. a bass instrument of the violin family, tuned an octave below the viola. The performer puts the cello on the floor and plays it while sitting. Initially, in the 16th century, it was a purely ensemble instrument, ... ... Collier Encyclopedia
- (Italian violoncello, from viola viola). A musical instrument between the violin and double bass. Dictionary foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. CELLO 4-string bowed instrument, invented by the musician ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
cello- and, well. violoncelle, it. cello. 1. music. A four-stringed bow instrument, in place and sound, the middle one between the alto and the bass. Dal. Plays the cello. Note. Vedas. 1738 178. They played two violins and a filonshell. 20. 7. 1789. CFJ. // Livanova 2… … Historical dictionary gallicisms of the Russian language
Cello- Cello. CELLO (Italian violoncello), a stringed bowed musical instrument of the violin family of bass tenor sound. Appeared in the 15th and 16th centuries. Classic patterns created by Italian masters 17th-18th centuries (A. and N. Amati, J.… … Illustrated encyclopedic Dictionary
- (Italian violoncello) a musical instrument of the violin family of the bass tenor register. Appeared in the 15th and 16th centuries. Classical samples were created by Italian masters of the 17th and 18th centuries: A. and N. Amati, J. Guarneri, A. Stradivari and others. CELLO (Italian ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Basetl, chordophone, instrument Dictionary of Russian synonyms. cello n., number of synonyms: 6 basetl (3) gamba ... Synonym dictionary
- (Violoncello, abbreviated as Cello) middle instrument between viola and double bass; has an enlarged viola shape. It replaced the ancient instrument viola di Gamba. The tuning is the same as that of the viola, but only an octave lower. Its sound volume is very large, in ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
- (Italian violoncello), a stringed bowed musical instrument of the violin family of bass tenor sound. Appeared in the 15th and 16th centuries. Classical samples were created by Italian masters of the 17th and 18th centuries. (A. and N. Amati, J. Guarneri, A. Stradivari and ... ... Modern Encyclopedia
CELLO, cellos, female (Italian violoncello) (music). Bowed musical instrument with four strings, shaped like a large violin. Dictionary Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov
CELLO, and, for women. Bowed musical instrument, medium in register and size between the violin and double bass. | adj. cello, oh, oh. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov
Modern stringed bowed instruments—the violin, viola, cello, and double bass, of course—had numerous predecessors. These are vertical string bows that came to Europe in the 8th century from the countries of the East. The Arabs had an instrument called “rabab” - they played it by moving the bow along the strings, and not touching them. European pear-shaped rebecs, vielles and spade-like fidels originate from the rabab. These instruments were played by medieval minstrels. Why vertical? Because they played them, holding them in a vertical position, resting the instrument on their knees.
At the end of the 14th century, viols appeared - a family of bowed strings. musical instruments, the forerunners of the modern violin. Due to their gentle sound, they have become indispensable in orchestras. Violas are descended from the old Spanish vihuela, similar to a guitar. Like the guitar, the viola had six strings and frets, unlike the violin, which has no frets. The viols were distinguished by their size and by the position of the instrument when playing: hand-held violas were held horizontally, like a violin; foot - held vertically, like a cello. Violas in the Middle Ages sounded in the richest houses, so very expensive materials were used to create them: ivory and tortoiseshell, ebony and rare stones. One of the main decorations of the viola was the carved heads of people and animals.
Alto
Viola, cello and double bass are similar to the violin, but larger in size. The viola is slightly larger than the violin and is held at the shoulder. It sounds five tones below the violin scale.
The viola has more weight and longer strings than the violin. To play this instrument, the performer must have stronger and long arms than for playing the violin. The sound of the viola is deeper, one might say, more wise and veiled than the sound of a bright and open violin.
Cello.
When playing the cello, the musician sits on a chair, puts the instrument on the floor between the legs, and holds the neck so that it rests on the left shoulder. The cello is much larger than the viola. The body of the tool rests on the floor with an adjustable metal pin.
double bass
The double bass is larger than the cello, its height is about two meters! Therefore, the performer has to stand or sit on a high stool, and hold the instrument in front of him. In shape, the double bass is almost the same as a small violin, only its shoulders are not rounded, but sloping. The very first double bass was built by the famous violin maker Nicolo Amati.
Microphone frequency response
The lowest note produced by the violin is the salt of the main octave, and its fundamental, equal to 196 Hz, is very small in amplitude, since the resonator is too small to radiate it efficiently into space (although the overtones are very strong). The highest frequencies - say, above 10 kHz - are not needed for the reasons mentioned earlier. Therefore, a microphone with a relatively small bandwidth is quite suitable for violin recording. Of course, it is better that its frequency response extends further than the radiated spectrum, however, if it is much wider than the spectrum, the microphone receives either interference from other instruments or noise along with the useful signal. A ribbon microphone is most suitable for the violin.
Violas can be recorded following basically the same rules as for violins. Only with a very close location of the directional microphone relative to the resonator (for example, to create an unusual viola sound in pop music) will the effect of the near zone affect, which will require electronic correction for lower frequencies.
How more sizes resonators in strings, the less directed their radiation becomes. The farthest position of the microphone will not affect the relative frequency balance. Thus, in a small string ensemble that includes all types of stringed instruments, the placement of the microphone will largely be determined by the placement of the violin. Nevertheless, the microphone must “see” (more precisely, “hear”) the instruments present equally well: the cello, located in the background of the quartet, must not be obscured from the microphone. When looking for the optimal point, listen to each instrument as if it were the soloist. Try to get on the phonogram a combination of "freshness", "transparency" of each instrument separately and sonority, "velvety" of the timbre of the entire ensemble as a whole.
Install the microphone in close proximity to the cello or double bass, place it directly against the resonator, perhaps somewhat towards the top of the strings. For a cello, the microphone's frequency response should be substantially flat down to frequencies below 100 Hz under normal operating conditions.
String Quartet. A typical diagram of the mutual arrangement of two violins, viola and cello with respect to one microphone, which, given frequency range received sounds, can be a two-sided tape model. The upper harmonics of the cello are large in amplitude, but they are not as harsh as the harmonics of the violin, so the microphone can be directly in the path of the emitted sounds.
The layout of the instruments in the orchestra. More modern version tool placement reflects new point of the need for an internal balance of orchestral sound, which, in accordance with the direction of radiation of each instrument, depends both on the direct sound and on the degree of mixing of reflections in the hall. The second violins no longer radiate their sound towards the wings, and the cellos and double basses are moved forward so that their sound becomes more defined.
distance, or at least made so with the help of electronic correction. For a double bass, the requirements for linearity at low frequencies are even tougher.
