Figure 9: Left to Right: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass
The cello belongs to the violin family. It is thought to be the youngest of the four instruments . As you can tell all of the instruments of this family have similar Physical features. However they sound very different. The violin is the highest in pitch and the bass is the lowest. The cello range is in between the two. By now you have probably figured out that the size of the instrument correlates with the pitch. The bigger the instrument, the lower in pitch it can go. Because you can shorten the string and raise pitch the lower instruments also have the biggest range.
Video Examples of the Various Instruments
The violin is the highest of the four instruments. The standard tuning is E,A,D,G.This clip lets us hear the high melodic line achieved in the lowest position of the instrument. The lowest note that you hear in this video is the lowest note that can be played on a standard violin, which is the open G string.
This clip is an example of the viola. The standard tuning is A,D,G,C The viola is slightly larger then the violin (as seen in the image above). Because of the size difference the sound of the instrument is lower by a fifth. Although the A on a viola is the same octave as a violin it does not have a high E string, but instead has a low C string.
The cello is a low-middle range instrument. It can play bass notes as well as high melodic lines. The standard tuning is the same as the viola, A,D,G,C, but an octave lower. In this video you can hear the low G being played repeatedly as well as notes in the upper register.
This last clip is of the double bass. The standard tuning is E,A,D,G, but instead of E being the highest open string it is actually the lowest. This clip shows the giant range of this instrument. Notice how the performer travels from the bottom of the fingerboard all the way to the top. Listen to the various range of notes produced by this single instrument.