Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
[Intro music] Hello. I'm Riki Gerardy. Today, Iím going
to answer a few questions on cello size. [Music]
Try this test to find out if it is the right size.
On the D and A strings, play fourth finger G and first finger B on the A string, major
third. Then point the first finger back to B flat.
If you can do that comfortably without strain, the cello may well be right for you.
[Music] Yes. The magic number you need to know is
27º inches. This is the size of the standard string length.
Now, only choose a cello larger than this if you have a gigantic hand.
If, [Music]as with many people, you have a smaller hand, then you consider the following
options: There is a normal, full-size cello which happens to have a slightly smaller string
length. And then there is the 7/8 cello, which has a smaller body.
Sometimes, quite by chance, you can find a cello in which the stop is just a little more
friendly. But the point is that the older cellos at
mid-price, French and German, are rarely in a smaller size because there was less empathy
towards players with a smaller hand in those days.
Now you can find 7/8 cellos, modern Chinese ones. And at a higher price, there are the
old English. [Music]
Yes, I always do. It is so important to get this right because if you get a cello that
is too big for you, perhaps in a few weeks time, youíre going to feel a sense of strain
in your arm or hand. And then playing
can become very uncomfortable.