Cello

Before you play

Lift your bow out of the case by its frog (the grip at the end). Avoid touching the hair as it will absorb oils from your skin that will keep it from playing well.
Tighten the adjustment screw at the end of the bow until the hair is about the width of a pencil from the bow stick.
Apply rosin to your bow hair if it needs it. (You shouldn’t need rosin every time you play and too much rosin will leave a powdery mess on your strings, cello, and bow.)
Lift your cello from its case by its neck. (Handle it gently as it’s made of thin wood and can break easily.)
Adjust your endpin to the playing height you prefer.
If you take a break, put your cello and bow on its side against a wall or in a safe place so they don’t get bumped, knocked off, or kicked.

Use a soft cloth to wipe the rosin dust off your cello and each of its strings. (Rosin will eat into your cello’s finish, and excess rosin on your strings will dampen their sound).
Adjust the endpin back into the cello.
Put your cello in its case.
Pick up the bow by the frog and loosen the adjustment screw until the hair just goes slack – loosening the bow lets it rest and keeps it from warping.
Use the soft cloth to wipe the rosin dust off the bow stick, being careful not to touch the hair Put the bow in its compartment in the case.
Put your music, rosin, tuner, and any other small items in the pockets of your case (or carry them separately) so they won’t bounce into your cello and damage it. Don’t put anything (music, paper, tuner, etc.) on top of your cello in its case as it might knock the bridge down or crush your cello.
Store your cello inside where the temperature and humidity are stable. (Never leave your cello in a car on a cold night or hot afternoon since temperature changes can damage your cello’s finish and cause cracks in the wood.)