Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Cello or Violin?

My ds10's school is starting string instruction this year (he wishes they were doing drums).
Just wondering for folks with personal experience learning or having their kids learn, what sounds better for a tall-ish boy (who wants to be a man's man eventually).

We have mostly discussed cello since I figure this will fit him physically as he grows to be a giant guy (runs in the family anyway).
I also read that cello might be a bit easier to progress on...

any thoughts on this one?

DS7 started on pianp, then moved to the violin. Although he swears he loves it, the violin has been a tremendous challenge for him. On the piano, everything sounded ok even if not perfect. On the violin, there can be some truly offensive noise!

If the Cello is a little easier to keep a consistant sound on, I would lean that way, particularly if you have any issues with perfectionism. My DS is really little or I might recommend a switch.

DS9 took violin for about a year. I agree with BWBShari on the noise and the perfectionism. I thought my son was going to break his bow, all because it wasn't perfect the first time. He also became bored with it half way though the year, but continued till school was out. This year he has has dropped violin for the guitar.

As for the cello, I really don't have any experience with it to give you advice.

He could try both and see what feels and sounds good to him. There isn't much difference in difficulty: all string instruments will have the same challenges about tone quality and playing in tune. Beginning cello might be slightly easier on the ears because it's lower, less screechy.

But it's really a matter of opinion. Show him some footage of the instruments being played well on Youtube, and let him try them out, and see what he thinks.

DeeDee

My daughter chose cello at that age, and it was good fit. She is very tall, and she's mentioned that her hands are huge for the violin. Now, of course, you would get used to it, but she said that cello was a lot more natural for her given her being tall. She ended up being very successful on it through 8th grade, when she quit the orchestra (band sounded more fun for her).
Does your school offer a "try out the instruments" day? That would give him a chance to hear all of the different instruments, and at least at my daughters, they got to try them all out, and that would be a good way to see which one he likes.
You didn't mention it, but if he does prefer the feel of the violin but does want as "screechy" of a sound, you could try the viola, as it is pitched lower. DD has a very tall guy friend that played viola and he didn't have any problems with it.

I know people who have kids taking cello and I think either way, the set up for getting a good sound out of a violin or cello (or viola) is slow and difficult. My daughter is 6 and has been taking violin for a year and 1/2. I took violin growing up as well. I also have a pianist. Early piano is SO much smoother than early violin. Once the set up is there, it's fine, but the beginning can be provide some great (and difficult) lessons for perfectionists.

If he's more interested in cello, go for it!

I'm not sure height matters that much for choosing a string instrument. My kids are very tall, but they chose the string they wanted to play.

I couldn't agree more on the first year of violin vs cello or piano. I was *not* prepared for the sounds from the violin in the first year and cello just doesn't make that screechy sound! Piano also sounds pretty great immediately.

We've found it more difficult to find good cello teachers. There are many more violinists and violin teachers than there are cellists.

And to be honest, DD never really made a "bad" sound on the cello. She did, though, get a lot of blisters and was frustrated because she had trouble playing certain notes (you have to press down *really* hard). For the first couple of months, she kept saying that she couldn't really make anything nice on it. A year later she was admitted into the school's chamber (top) orchestra. So I think it's frustrating at the start, as others have said, though since you guys are going to have to choose a string instrument in this case, saying that piano is easier at the beginning doesn't really help.
By the way, is he purposely avoiding band, or does the school not provide it? Obviously if he wants to do orchestra go for it, but DD was jealous of band the whole time in orchestra because they seemed to have a whole lot more fun than the orchestra. (Despite her enthusiasm for the idea at the end of 5th grade when they were choosing). She finally just switched over to band and is enjoying it a lot better. Once again, I'm just throwing this out there, but I see that he wants to do percussion, and it doesn't exist, which makes me think that there is no band program anyway.
Oh, another thing to consider! If you think he is musically gifted, then cello actually might not be the best choice, unless he wants to go with it for 3-4 years. My daughter said that it was dreadfully dull and that only the violins got interesting parts. She didn't practice a single time at home and maintained first chair until the beginning of 8th grade, when she was in the chamber orchestra with students who had been playing for longer than her. Finally she did get challenging parts, but still not "melodies", just more complex background/harmonies, etc. So that's another thing to consider. I can't say that every orchestra program will be like this, maybe our teacher just chose violin-centric songs? I don't know, I'd ask him if he would be upset if he was just playing simple notes and not anything very interesting. After 3-4 years it does even out, but that is a long time to go if it bothers him! Some kids like it being like that, because they don't have to try as hard, but some kids also don't like that, like my daughter.

Two things to consider -

Does your DS already read G-clef? If so, violin would be easier. Cello is in a different clef, and kids who are used to G-clef find that very difficult at first. If not, it doesn't matter.

How big/strong are his hands? Cello is harder in that sense, but for a 10 year old boy should be do-able.

Hey, thanks everybody, sounds like cello could be a good pick, maybe a smidge easier, at least easier on the ears. Yes he definitely has perfectionist leanings so if it sounds just horrific that could be an issue, good points!
Band doesn't start until 6th, I think, but they can pick a string instrument in 5th. So if percussion is available via band, I think that will be a good idea then, but I figured he'd get some good out of the string program and he sounds pretty interested.
...We just saw some incredible cello solos from a guy in the large band that Lyle Lovett has, and it was just phenomenal!