A smiling man in a green sweater sits with his cello in his living room

Learn cello. tonestro listens.

Your first song in 10 minutes. On your own cello.

Get started 7 days free · iOS & Android

Over 1 million
downloads

You play. tonestro listens.

Play a note in tune, on any string, and it turns green. Play one off, and tonestro hears it.

A woman plays the cello at home with a tablet on a stand beside her

9:41

Ode to Joy

Learn cello, step by step.

Two courses made by music teachers take you from your first notes to your first pieces, at your own pace.

Fingering chart See where your fingers go for each note.
Slow it down Play new pieces at 80% or 60% speed first.
Weekly challenge Play the same song as musicians around the world.

It's never too late to start.

Never played? Start with your very first notes.
Played years ago? Choose your course and find your sound again.

A woman with dark curly hair plays the cello in her bright living room

Getting started with the cello

Many adults fall for the cello because of its warm, low voice. You sit while you play, and even simple melodies sound full. Like the violin, the cello has no frets, so playing in tune comes from your fingers. tonestro listens to every note and shows you right away whether it was in tune.

Practice a little on most days. Start slowly, look at the feedback, then play the passage again at full speed.

What you need

Your own cello and bow
A chair without armrests
An iPhone, iPad or Android phone with an internet connection

Not just cello. The whole family.

One plan for up to six people. Everyone picks their own instrument.

See the Family Plan

A mother smiles while her son plays the cello next to her

Questions about learning cello

Can I learn the cello as an adult?

Yes. tonestro is made for adults who start or come back to an instrument. You go step by step and tonestro listens to every note.

Do I need my own cello?

Yes. You play your own acoustic cello, and tonestro listens through the microphone of your phone or tablet.

Do I need to read music?

No. The courses teach you to read music step by step, and you can show note names while you learn.

How soon will I play my first cello song?

In your first 10 minutes. You play one or two notes along with a real song and a band: small at first, but real music. Full speed comes later, step by step.

Which devices can I use?

Cello lessons run on iPhone and iPad (iOS 15 or newer) and on Android phones (Android 8 or newer, at least 4 GB of memory). tonestro needs an internet connection.

What does it cost?

You can try tonestro free for 7 days with the yearly plan. The app shows you the price before you buy. If you cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends, you won’t be charged. You can cancel in the app under Profile → Settings → Manage Subscription.