Notes on the cello
Every fingering for the cello, from low to high. First position. The open string sounds without a finger; each finger shortens the string by the distance shown.
The fingerboard
Open strings from low to high: C – G – D – A. The dashed marks are the semitones — where beginners put the tapes. Natural notes filled, sharps as rings; every sharp has a flat name too. In first position the first finger lies on the first or second mark, the fourth on the fifth.
| Note | String | |
|---|---|---|
| C2 | C-string | open |
| C#2 | C-string | 1 |
| D2 | C-string | 1 |
| D#2 | C-string | 2 |
| E2 | C-string | 3 |
| F2 | C-string | 4 |
| G2 | G-string | open |
| G#2 | G-string | 1 |
| A2 | G-string | 1 |
| A#2 | G-string | 2 |
| B2 | G-string | 3 |
| C3 | G-string | 4 |
| D3 | D-string | open |
| D#3 | D-string | 1 |
| E3 | D-string | 1 |
| F3 | D-string | 2 |
| F#3 | D-string | 3 |
| G3 | D-string | 4 |
| A3 | A-string | open |
| A#3 | A-string | 1 |
| B3 | A-string | 1 |
| C4 | A-string | 2 |
| C#4 | A-string | 3 |
| D4 | A-string | 4 |
First position. The open string sounds without a finger; each finger shortens the string by the distance shown. Which finger takes which semitone depends on the key.
Related pages
Anotona does this for you
Photograph a page of sheet music or play the melody — Anotona finds the key, engraves the notes and transposes them into any other. Free.
See AnotonaEvery note on this page is computed, not typed in — following the rule that also makes F# major spell its seventh degree E#, not F.