Chapter 1
The physics of the perfect vibration
Chapter 2
The voice of the orchestra
Chapter 3
From Baroque backrooms to modern carbon
Chapter 4
Global icons and legendary moments
YOUR GOAL
Master of Why the cello sounds so human
Ch 1 · The physics of the perfect vibration
maestro Cello Resonance Physics
Move the air, Move the air, The wood turns the string's wave into sound.
maestro An isometric technical render shows the small spruce soundpost inside a cello body.
BETA
maestro Drag the bow to play famous melodies and learn how the cello's unique sound works.
Fun Fact
Cello varnish secret: Some historians believe classical Italian luthiers mixed crushed gemstones, like amber and jasper, into their varnish to give cellos a unique, shimmering look.
Glossary
wolf tone (noun)
An unpleasant, howling sound produced by a stringed instrument when a played note matches the body's natural resonant frequency. In 1916, physicist C. V. Raman first explained this acoustic phenomenon on the cello.
An unpleasant, howling sound produced by a stringed instrument when a played note matches the body's natural resonant frequency. In 1916, physicist C. V. Raman first explained this acoustic phenomenon on the cello.
Quiz
In standard cello playing, which hand is responsible for pressing the strings against the fingerboard?