A note of sympathy for cellists in school music programs – tuning

I need to express some sympathy for my cello-playing brothers and sisters in the first couple of years of their school music program.  The violinists and violists take their instruments back and forth to school, allowing the director to tune their instrument several times a week.  The bassists keep their instruments at home, but because of their geared tuners, their instruments’ tuning is more stable.  We cellists keep our instruments at home, but since most of them are fitted with traditional “friction pegs”, the opportunity for varying temperature and humidity to leave us with a completely loose, out-of-tune string is greater.  Since the directors have little time to teach tuning over the first several semesters, that can leave a cellist with an instrument at home that is not available for practice.  We will always be happy to tune the cello here at Paige’s/Encore, but it is a long trip for many of our customers.  the director is always happy to tune the instrument, but getting it in and out of school can be a challenge for students riding the bus.  So, brothers and sisters of the cello, if you want to set a time to come into the shop and have me help you learn to tune your own instrument, don’t hesitate to contact me!