The cello has come a long way from its starting point. The first cello was called the violoncello. The cello was made because composers were yearning for a lower toned instrument in their music. It was first played with no end pin. The end pin is a stick that is usually made of metal. It holds up the cello so one can play comfortably. Then a man, who was quite obese, carved a piece of wood to hold up the cello while he played. Cello makers loved it and adopted it for their own use. The cello was a popular instrument in the sixteenth century. The royal families loved the cello and many cello players evolved. The cello was also loved by composers. Composers such as Beethoven and Bach gave cello players a challenge in music. Today the cello is a very important instrument alone, in quartets, and in orchestras. From the cello evolved the bass. The cello and other stringed  instruments are gifts to this world.