Cello or Violin?

[elephant]

I want to study another instrument, and I have fallen very much in doubt whether to choose the cello or the violin. Here are the points I have considered.

• Violins for beginners are cheap compared to cellos, about prices for more advanced instruments I don´t know.
• Violins are easier to carry around.
• Ergonomics. I have to sit as I play the cello, with the violin I may move around – although perhaps it is uncomfortable stabilizing it with the neck?
• Choosing the violin I may perhaps also play the violoa, choosing the cello I might perhaps also play the double bass?
• I´m a bit conserned about damaging my hearing with the loud violin so close to my ear.
• Repertoary. So much written for the violin…
• Sound / expressiveness. Obviously subjective, this is where I can´t make up my mind. Initially I thought I prefered the cello for its rich bass and so very beautiful treble but now I´m in doubt, the violing, too, can sound very beautiful.

I cant´t make up my mind...

[thalbergmad]

I was faced with this dilemma a few years back. I went for the violin for the following reasons.

1. It was cheaper.
2. It was smaller and more portable.
3. I had a Heifetz fixation.
4. Greater literature.
5. Just loved the sound.

Now, it is in my loft along with my piano accordian, bagpipes, trombone, guitar, electric guitar, 4 string banjo, clarinet and something i think is a dulcimer.

[janne p.]

[li]Ergonomics. I have to sit as I play the cello, with the violin I may move around – although perhaps it is uncomfortable stabilizing it with the neck?[/li]

The violin is most likely the most unergonomic instrument to play (alongside with the flute). This is at least what my (violinist) fiancée tells me. Holding your arms up for a long time isn't good, and think of how unbalanced your body is while playing (imagine the posture of a violinist without the violin - then add the weight of it and eventual relaxation problems and think of how ergonomic it is to stand, or sit, like that for a long time.) It is very very easy to get strains in your shoulders, arms and neck when you play the violin. I know this for a fact, as I played for fun in an amateur orchestra for a year. I haven't ever taken any lessons, but if you read some statistics of what instrumentalists get the most injuries, violinists are up there which means that it's not just me. And if my fiancée still has problems sometimes with injuries (she's played the violin for a little less than 20 years) it can't be just a beginner's problem.

But I would go for the violin, I think.

[elephant]

Thx! More opinions?

[Dazzer]

i personally prefer the sound of a cello. but of course if you want to take all those other stuff into account ... then violin

[Bouter Boogie]

Definitely cello! It's my favourite of all instruments

[elephant]

i personally prefer the sound of a cello. but of course if you want to take all those other stuff into account ... then violin

Apart from repertoary, those other points don´t matter a fraction as much as the sound. I´ll try to come back with my thoughts on the sound of the two instruments. In the meantime, I invite all of you to do the same: Which sound do you prefere, and why?

[luc]

I much prefer the sound of a cello. Just listen to the cello arrangement of Chopin's prelude in E-minor (op.28/4)

[elephant]

I think as a beginner it is much more difficult getting a good sound out of the violin than the cello. For me, the violin played great has this godlike quality to it, in some way resembling of the organ, that has very much grown on me as I´m going through this decisionmaking process. The cello has this dramatic sound, but tend to sound kind of stressed - is it possible to tire of its sound?

But what do I know? I think I will try to listen to some people playing the instruments. Perhaps someone can recommend some recordings showing the diversity of the instruments? I´m most familiar with the works of Bach...

[twinkletoesfaery]

I started of playing the violin but I quit after more than 1/2 a year and started to play cello.  Violin (for me) is a harder instrument to play, what usually comes out doesn't sound like music at all but with the cello I find myself able to play music.  I completely ditched the violin for years after that but recently I bought myself a 50 pounds second-hand violin which sounded really sweet and I start playing it again. 

Am hopelessly in love with the cello but there's no getting away from violins

xx

[nsvppp]

Borrow a violin and start playing on it. Can you stand the sound?

I ask it because I used to play the violin and stopped (after 10 years). The sound of a violin can be very harsh and it takes more time to have any results. On a cello you will be playing adequately much earlier.

So what did I do? I started playing the piano.

[elephant]

Borrow a violin and start playing on it. Can you stand the sound?

I ask it because I used to play the violin and stopped (after 10 years). The sound of a violin can be very harsh and it takes more time to have any results. On a cello you will be playing adequately much earlier.

So what did I do? I started playing the piano.

Perhaps I should do that. What is the main obstacle for getting a good sound out of the violin? Is it bowing technique or just keeping in tune?

[princessdecadence]

Bowing for me - keeping in tune is not very hard (although it can be a bit of a problem with some sharps)

[elephant]

I´m intrigued by the difficulty of playing the violin - and stringed instruments in general. The few encounters I have had with such beasts in the past were incredible - my head kind of lit up and I got warm and [My english vocabulary is coming short]. Playing the piano in comparaison seems so sterile, mechanic, and, how shall I express myself, mindless? without resistance?

Anyway, I´m really looking forward to starting out - if I only could decide

[princessdecadence]

Oh you'll love it!

I prefer the sterile, mechanic, whatelese is there...by a bargepole! The piano don't drive me doolally as often.

[minimozart007]

Very interesting discussion.  Being a cellist myself, I might have a bias, but oh well.  Anyway, from my experience, and from what other violinsts (and violists) tell me, cellists tend to have more right hand problems (Bowing) and violinists tend to have more left hand problems (vibrato, intonation, etc.).  Speaking of sound, I don't think you can say which instrument has a more dramatic sound, because we are talking musicality, which depends on the work and performer involved.  You can say that the cello has a deeper sound than the violin, simply because of the range involved.  As for cello recordings, I would recommend the Rostropovich recording of the Bach Cello suites, and then any recording of the Dvorak concerto you can get your hands on.  You will notice a very distinct difference in the sound.  Also, string players can have very different sounds very easily, so listening to two different recordings of the same piece can be a eye opening experience.

Greetings.   

[princessdecadence]

I muchly agree.  Do check out Rostropovich's unaccompanied Bach suites, after all the courage he mustered up just to record them.  To compare, you can find Yo-yo-ma'srecording of BWV 1007.  Rostropovich's is much better.