Cello Submarine: Deeply Classical turned Hot Rock

The name cello is taken from the Italian violoncello, which means "little violone", referring to the violone ("big viol").

Cellos are usually made of wood, although there are modern instruments made out of carbon fibre. Cellos typically have four strings which are tuned in fifths, starting with C2 (two octaves below middle C) as the lowest string, followed by G2, D3, and A3. Thus, the cello is tuned exactly one octave below the viola, which is a fifth below the violin!.

The first known cello was made in the mid-1500's by a luthier named Andrea Amati. Only six of his instruments are still in known existence. Until the mid-1600's, when wire wound strings were invented, cello strings were made of gut. Since the baroque period the angle of the cello's neck has changed considerably, an endpin has been added so that the cello no longer needs to be supported between the players legs, and wire core strings have become standard. These allow for higher degrees of tension which permits a cleaner sound and greater volume. A great discussion of the differences betwen modern and baroque cellos can be found at Cello Heaven (www.celloheaven.com).

Just how modern can cellos become?