The cello is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally struck) string instrument belonging to the violin family. Its four strings are typically tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, D3, and A3. The viola's four strings are each an octave higher. Music for the cello is commonly written in the bass clef, with the tenor clef and treble clef employed for passages in higher ranges. A cello player is referred to as a cellist or violoncellist.
