Cello rock

Cello rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the use of cellos (as well as sometimes also other bowed string instruments such as the violin

Cello rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the use of cellos (as well as sometimes also other bowed string instruments such as the violin and viola) as primary instruments, alongside or in place of more traditional rock instruments such as electric guitars, electric bass guitar, and drum set. Cellos (often in groups of three or more) are used to create a sound, beat, and texture similar to that of familiar rock music, but distinctly reshaped by the unique timbres and more traditional genres of the cello (in particular) and other string instruments used. The cellos and other stringed instruments are often electronically amplified and/or electronically modified, and often played in a manner imitative of the sound of electric guitars. They are often combined with other elements typical of rock music such as rock-style vocals and drumming.

Cello rock has been developing slowly over the years, with its direct influences dating as far back as the 1930s in Russia and Germany. The popularity of cello rock is steadily on the rise, as artists such as Metallica and Marilyn Manson lend support to the fledgling groups (Apocalyptica and Rasputina, respectively), though the genre is still somewhat of a cult phenomenon in the United States music scene.