Modern music for cello

The cello is the third largest instrument in the modern violin family, after the violin and viola. Its register is the closest to the human voice, and for this reason it is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful and expressive instruments. It has a place in modern music today, but is still largely considered a classical instrument.

Cellos can be found in virtually every genre of modern music. They have found their way into rock and pop arrangements, jazz, blues folk, indie, and even hip hop. Despite the cello’s presence in these genres, the instrument is still relatively unknown and there are very few cellists who stand prominently at the forefront of any modern musical genre.

Why is this?

The technique that most cellists learn is rooted in a long history of classical tradition. Because the instrument is so old, there is a long established tradition of ‘proper’ technique. Technique is very important due to the complexity and relative difficulty of playing the instrument. The cello bows, and it is relatively difficult to produce notes with a bow, unlike playing a guitar or playing a note on the piano. Furthermore, the technique cellists are taught to play classical music is not necessarily conducive to the style used in modern music.

Rock and roll and hip hop, and most other styles of modern popular music, have their roots in the jazz and blues of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rock and roll adapted the structures of the blues to create something very different from the classical Western tradition of composition and style. Rock was born from a spirit of rebellion and youthful anti-system sentiments. The electric guitar is a key element for this, because of the great volume of sound it can create, but also because of the style of music it allows. The guitar was originally a classical instrument, but the electric guitar gave guitarists a whole new realm to explore. The playing style used by rock guitarists is very different from the “proper technique” used by classical guitarists.

Similarly, modern cello music employs different styles of playing that are not taught in the classical tradition. The techniques used are adapted from similar roots, employing strokes and curves found in blues and jazz music. The pizzicato bass lines and percussive hits allow the cello to sound very similar to a double bass found in jazz. Brief arco-glissando can be employed to sound very similar to the guitar bend technique, which is used to glide into the correct note from a lower note.

One of the last big hurdles to overcome for the adoption of the cello in today’s music is singing and playing. The guitar is widely used as an accompaniment for a singer. Singers who play the guitar can play chord progressions to accompany the melody they sing. This is largely possible because of the frets on a guitar. Frets are the horizontal pieces of metal on a guitar’s neck that ensure notes are played in tune. The guitarist simply presses his finger against the string behind the desired fret and the instrument will produce the correct note, as long as it is in tune. However, the cello leaves much more room for error. Without frets, the cellist must place his finger in the exact spot to produce the correct note. There is very little margin for error and it is very easy to go out of tune. Add to this the difficulty of drawing a note with a bow, which is more complicated than plucking, and playing two or three simultaneous notes with other fingers, also without frets, and singing at the same time, and it is much more complicated. process.

Despite this added level of difficulty, there are still cells venturing into this realm. The addition of technology, in the form of loop pedals, also opens up many possibilities for cellists. With the use of loops, cellists can record a phrase, which is then played back into an amplifier, and then overdub new parts or harmonies over the original loop.

There are still many hurdles that cellists must overcome to move away from classical music towards more modern styles. Despite these difficulties, more and more cellists are doing it, and more and more interesting and beautiful music is being made as a result.