Jono Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Saw this rather excellent cellist: [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=212396971"]http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...endid=212396971[/url] last weekend a couple of times supporting Gemma Hayes and now I wouldn't mind having a go... Anyone give me any advice on what price range a decent cello and bow would be in? Plus tips on transferring from bass (I do play an unlined fretless) For you effects freaks she was playing through an EHX Micro POG and Boss DD5 or DD6 delay and it sounded rather ace. plus she did some looping with a Boss RC20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwilym Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 [quote name='Jono' post='195670' date='May 9 2008, 08:27 PM']Saw this rather excellent cellist: [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=212396971"]http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...endid=212396971[/url] last weekend a couple of times supporting Gemma Hayes and now I wouldn't mind having a go... Anyone give me any advice on what price range a decent cello and bow would be in? Plus tips on transferring from bass (I do play an unlined fretless) For you effects freaks she was playing through an EHX Micro POG and Boss DD5 or DD6 delay and it sounded rather ace. plus she did some looping with a Boss RC20.[/quote] apart from anything else, I'd say the big difference is that standard cello tuning is in 5ths (C-G-D-A) IIRC, so your fingering is going to be totally different, although physically will be more managable than a double bass if you're learning. I used to play before I switched to DB/bass many moons ago. never looked back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 ah yes I knew they were tuned in fifths. Going to ask a really dumb question now but one I've never considered before... what tuning are double basses in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.sibs Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 eadg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 Jono, check out Wikipedia for info on cello and upright. Your avatar is awesome, by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EOS650 Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 I had a friend from college who played cello. I found it difficult to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 thanks for the comment on my avator. One of my friends said it's my daughter's giant left hand that makes her adept at playing bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwilym Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 [quote name='Jono' post='195701' date='May 9 2008, 09:37 PM']ah yes I knew they were tuned in fifths. Going to ask a really dumb question now but one I've never considered before... what tuning are double basses in?[/quote] [quote name='mr.sibs' post='195703' date='May 9 2008, 09:39 PM']eadg[/quote] indeed - exactly the same as a bass guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 I played cello for years. All I can say is best of luck to you. Moving from cello to bass guitar was easy, going the other way will be somewhat more of a challenge. First thing you're going to notice is how high and stiff the action is. Then you're gonna have to get the right hand working in a completely different way to when you play bass guitar. The fact that you play fretless bass won't make a whole lot of difference, that is, it won't give you much of an advantage over a fretted bass player starting out on cello (although having played cello certainly helped me when I started playing fretless bass). Don't want to put you off, but you'll quickly learn why there are considerably more bass guitarists than cellists Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 Cello is my second favourite instrument. Such a sonorous register, but like all string instruments until it sounds great, it sounds f***ing awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blink Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 Hi all I am a cellist and roughly divide my playing 50:50 between cello and Bass Guitar. The most difficult instrument to learn is always the first because you have to learn all the theory and musician stuff at the same time. After that, learning new instruments only requires you to learn the mechanics of playing that instrument. Give it a go and when you feel confident join a local orchestra. Your playing and general musicianship will be all the better for it. Has anybody seen the band Apocolityca. try these links. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbTozgoj9OQ&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbTozgoj9OQ...feature=related[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGigthgbpDI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGigthgbpDI[/url] Enjoy Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Cello is an awesome instrument. Elgar by Jaqueline du Pre is so moving. There is a Ray Brown LP of him playing cello that I heard once. It was very good but I'm not sure whether, being a bassist, he had it tuned in fourths. Red Mitchell was a bassist who tuned his bass in fifths. You can still get a 'Red Mitchell' set of Spirocores in fifths so I suppose that means there are others out there doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 [quote name='Blink' post='195986' date='May 10 2008, 02:20 PM']Hi all The most difficult instrument to learn is always the first because you have to learn all the theory and musician stuff at the same time. After that, learning new instruments only requires you to learn the mechanics of playing that instrument.[/quote] Hey Nick If this is your experience you are a far better musician than me . Seriously, I would suggest that the cello is far and away harder to learn than the bass, irrespective of theory etc. There are so many more variables to control, which means it requires a whole lot more coordination and control. Also, unlike the electric bass, you can't simply turn up/down or change tone by turning a knob. However, I might be prejudiced by my lack of skill, so perhaps you're right Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blink Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Chris My comment should have said easier rather than easy. I'm sure that many subscribers to this site play more than 1 instrument and we all made that leap into the unknown on the first day we picked up the Guitar, keybpard or cello or bass, and with persistance and practice we get to a standard where we are happy to share our music with others for the enjoyment of all. Sounds very deep. I must drink more beer. Still in a state of euphoria after a very good 3 hour rehearsal this afternoon in preparation for our first gig with the new drummer next Saturday at the Wagion at Wix (near Harwich, Essex). Did you look at the Youtube clips. I still amazed they use real wooden cello's rather than carbon fibre electic ones. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 cheers for your replies guys - lots of good advice. Guess I need to start saving or sell some bass gear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiu Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 (edited) go for it! It can be an amazing solo instrument, i've always loved the Bach cello suite's, they aren't too difficult and they are great exercises at the same time. Also If you can find a piano playing friend (in my case it was a tutor) to acompany you there are also some great pieces out there for cello and piano. That really helped to keep it interesting when I was starting out. Edited May 13, 2008 by Kaiu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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