s the bass member of the violin family. It originated in the 16th century as one of family of instruments of varying sizes known as (viole da braccio.( It is a giant version of the violin resting on the floor by the player. Some cellos had a pointed leg so that the bottom of the frame doesn(t touch the floor. Its neck is held by the player, who strums his bow back and forth horizontally to produce a profoundly deep tone. The cello is contructed like the violin, with 70 pieces of wood, but with the difference that its sheer size and cavity produce a bass baritone sound. The cello(s leading players in the 20th century have included Pablo Casals and Yo Yo Ma.
CLARINET: Woodwind family. It is an instrument of cylindrical bore going back several centuries. The clarinet is a family of instruments unto itself, ranging from octave to soprano to contrabass or pedal. It is made in five parts: Mouthpiee, barrel, upper or left hand joint, lower or right hand joint, and bell. The sections are fitted by tenon-and-socket connections. It is a lip instrument played with a single reed. Jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman, who was renowned for his alternately hot and mellow style, was notorious for going through hundreds of reeds to find one that suited him every time he needed a new reed.
CONTRA BASS aka DOUBLE BASS VIOLIN: String family. This is the largest member of the violin family and has the lowest register. It has four or five strings that are tuned in fourths and sound an octave lower than the cello. The contra bass is held under the player(s chin and played with a bow. In the 19th century, Domenico Dragonetti made the contrabass popular throughout Europe, but especially in England. In 1824, Rossini composed a duet for Dragonetti to play with banker Sor David Solomons, who was an amateur cellist. (The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments 593.) Viol-shaped basses have a flat back, while others are modeled on the violin, with a sloping neck...