Elements That Affect The Sound Of A Handmade Cello

By Angel Dudley


Some people are attracted to the beauty of an instrument based on the way it is made. While this can draw someone to the instrument at first, it is the sound that to consider getting it for themselves. If one understands the conditions that affect the sound of a handmade cello, they will be able to get one that is of the highest quality.

It is well known that wine gets better with age and this is also true about cellos. The older this instrument is, the better is sounds and this is no accident. This could be due to a number of conditions, such as how the wood was treated before it was put together to make the it. Also, as time goes on the wood is not as soft, which can cause the sound to vibrate better.

Since wood comes from trees, it is natural to assume that the right tree can give a person the right piece of wood to do the work of creating cellos. However, this is only part of the equation. The way the wood is prepared has much to do with the sound of the instrument as the wood itself. The right treatment can create hardness or softness over time which can affect sound.

Even though an older cello might sound better in terms of depth and tone, one also has to consider the condition that it is in. Some instruments have had many repairs over the years for various reasons. With large instruments like cellos, they are more likely to be bumped more frequently than smaller ones. This among other things can change the sound.

These cracks are also affected by the weather and its many changes. The humidity or lack of it, causes these cracks to open and close which can mean constant changes in the sound. Even though repairs are made, one has to think about how often they are done. Too many can cause the quality of sound to decrease since a person will have to constantly try to close the cracks.

The strings used also affect the sound of this string instrument. The cores of strings can be made from a variety of materials which can be metal or synthetic. They can also be made from sheep or goat gut, although this is less popular as it tends to cost more. Gut strings are also unstable when it comes to pitch and need to be tuned quite often.

An example of this is the gut core strings which are made from sheep or goat guts. These type of strings are used by those who play Baroque music, even though they quite expensive and unstable in pitch. On the other hand, steel core strings are for more stable and less expensive. They are also more widely used by amateurs and professionals.

The sound of a handmade cello depends on how well it has been kept overall. Some people go to a general music store in order to get a good string instrument. However, if one is looking for quality it is best to go to a store that specializes in cellos and similar instruments. You are more likely to get the best quality for your money.




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