The cello is a stringed instrument with a striking resemblance to the violin. It’s played from a seated position whereby the player holds the instrument upright between the legs.

If you’re looking to learn the cello, you’re probably interested in learning some cello history as well. So in the following guide, we’ll provide a detailed account of how the cello was invented.

How the Cello Works

Before we dive into its history, here’s a brief look at how the cello works.

On that note, cellos are chordophones. This means that they generate sound through their strings, which vibrate when they’re plucked. Examples of other instruments in this category include lutes, violins, violas, the upright bass and guitars.

A chordophone is designed in such a way that the strings’ vibrations cause the entire body of the instrument to produce sound because it’s hollow. The hollow body helps to amplify the resulting sound so that it’s audible.

Now that you know how a cello works, let’s look at how it all started. 

History of the Cello

Early Roots

Unbeknownst to many, stringed instruments were used by ancient civilizations as well.

The most popular instruments at the time were the lyre and the harp. Not only were they used to produce music but also to accompany poetry. This is where the history of the cello began, although the cello bow was added much later.

If you look at 13th century artworks, you’ll notice that they showcase the earliest form of the violin. Legend has it that the instrument evolved from two bowed instruments namely rebec and lira.

As time went by, these instruments began being identified through the techniques used to play them. This is what led to the invention of the viola de braccio and viola de Gamba. The viola de braccio was played on the shoulder while the latter was held on or between the knees.

At the beginning, the de Gamba was the more preferred version of the two. However, most instruments that now make up the violin family all evolved from the de braccio design.

Creation of the Cello

The Vienna Symphonic Library reveals that the cello was developed much later, specifically, during the first half of the 16th century. That’s when violin manufacturers started experimenting the design of the cello.

There are several luthiers who are credited with the creation of this instrument. These include Gasparo da Salo (1549 to 1609), Andrea Amati (1581 to 1632) and Paolo Maggini (1581 to 1632). These individuals are famous for inventing the original bass/violin designs, popularly referred to as “violone”.

The early instruments were a lot bigger than modern-day string instruments. But, they were designed in this size for a reason. This is the fact that producing lower pitches could only be accomplished on a large-size instrument.

Initially, instruments that produced high pitches were the most favored. But as cultural preferences changed, more people desired instruments that could produce lower pitches as well. Hence, there was need to create an instrument that could produce lower register sounds.

Evolution of the Cello Design

Prior to the 18th century, there were only two musical instruments that had the F2, C3, G3 and D4 tunings. The first was a gigantic bass, which was 2’8” long. The second instrument was smaller 2’5 ½” long.

These tunings were only made possible thanks to the discovery of metal wound strings back in 1659. In the period that followed, somewhere between 1700 to 1710, there arose a need to shrink the size of the original violoncello.

In that regard, Antonio Stradivari is credited with developing the size of the modern-day cello. This luthier started making cellos, whose size was in between the initial two sizes. Soon afterwards, other luthiers followed suit.

This standardization in cello sizes is what paved way for the emergence of virtuoso players, like the legendary cellist and composer, Luigi Boccherini.

Up to that point, the cello had only been used in a couple of bass techniques. But Boccherini set himself apart by incorporating harmonics, tremolo among other complex melodies on the instrument. This proved that cellos deserved a place in the world of solo instruments.

Cultural changes have influenced the sound of different musical instruments, and the cello is not an exception.

The French revolution, in particular, shifted the emphasis from producing delicate sounds tailored for exclusive individuals to more audible performances that could be enjoyed by a mass audience.

Due to this, adjustments were done to increase the volume, responsiveness and clarity of the cello. Raising the cello bridge is one of the most notable changes that was done. This helped to improve string pressure and volume.

The fingerboard and neck were also extended with the neck being positioned at an angle so as to enhance the clarity and response.

By the time these changes had been incorporated, a couple of composers and cellists had already started producing cello music. But the very first major piece written for the cello remains to be Bach’s Six Suites.

Based on history records, the design of the cello remained relatively the same during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The only grand change was adding an endpin rod, which made the cello easier to balance.

Modern-Day Cellos

Unlike in the past where cellos were reserved for playing classical music, the modern-day cello is very versatile. It’s used in a wide range of music genres including folk, pop and jazz. In fact, we even have Cello rock, a category of rock music that stresses on gothic sounds. Learn more about the best cellos in our buying guide.

Final Thoughts

This is a brief and concise overview of cello history and how this instrument came to be. Based on this, you’ll notice that the modern-day cello is a far cry from what the original instrument looked and sounded.

The previous cellos were not only bigger, but they were only suitable for playing high-pitched notes.

Thanks to technological advancements, the modern-day cello is perfect for playing lower-pitched notes as well. Not only that, it’s fitted with a ton of accessories that make it easier to play and use. These attachments include rock stops, cello mutes, rosin for a cello and digital metronomes.