I mark on side of ebony finger board with pencil. The marks are easily rubbed off and does not hurt the ebony. The 1st position 4 fingers are marked...and also some up the board. After time goes, the marks are no longer needed. The finger tap actually helps to quietly hear the note. Our frets are not seen but accomplished by hearing our fret as we bow and adjust in miniature sliding into it with kind of vibrato. My biggest help is practicing scales and playing BY EAR WITH MANY DIFFERENT SONGS. Most songs follow scales. Jazz jumps around in different chords, but also use types of scales. PRACTICE...PRACTICE. Tutorial-nicely done. Thanx for your tips. I got a electric pick up for cello and the little bit of reverb complements cello sound. Blue Dave.
Thank you. You're video was very clear and easy to understand. This is the first time I've ever watched any of your videos. I found you on a search for left hand position. I'm looking forward to more videos. I subscribed.
I played cello for 18 months, and then had to stop playing for three months because I developed tendinitis in my left elbow. I am just beginning again and trying to get my technique straight. Any advice? I don't want to injure myself again. (And thanks for a great video, I've taken notes and will go through your points with my instrument).
Thank you! Very helpful and answers to the problems I've been experiencing with my left hand. Good tip too about the exercises to build up strength in the fingers :-) Thanks :-)
Have you done a video on left hand position in the transition through 4th, 5th, 6th position etc? I’m struggling with this and can’t seem to find anything on it. I have a good teacher, but always like to learn as much as I can and lessons feel very short!
Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for your helpful videos. If you have time, would you be able to show how our left hand is supposed to sink in for each of the strings, especially the G and C strings. I find that I wrap my thumb around the neck of the cello too tightly and am now experiencing muscle strain on my left thumb @~@
Thanks! I'll give it a try! I always thought the thumb and fingers both press against the neck of the cello, and I've been practicing like that for a while. Whoops!
Hi Sarah! Thank you for the video! Do you have any tips for a violinist (40 years) turned cellist who has left hand fingers that are a bit on the short side for cello? I have a pretty good spread and strength from 26 years of playing guitar and very good coordination. I've been working on the cello for about 2 months and I'm learning that it is definitely a different skill set. My left hand has stretched out more but I'm still struggling with thumb placement (I am making sure I keep a "C" form with my thumb and fingers), and still having a hard time reaching everything in first position without tension even with a lot of muscle memory work. Any help would be much appreciated! Mary
You might try rolling your hand in order to reach the other notes. So when fourth finger is down, finger one doesn't necessarily have to stay down. I could be wrong, but that's just a thought.
+M4RC4TO Top two strings are Larson. Bottom two are Bel Canto. The Bel Canto strings can be very bright at first, but they mellow out after a couple weeks.
Hi, Sarah! I really apreciate your channel and your tips and tutorials! Thank you very much for making great videos! I'm brasilian and just started studying the cello. I would like to know if you have some tip or exercise to keep the left hand fingers near from fingerboard when they're not pressing the string. I find myself putting them far from the fingerboard and it looks a little bit weird. I'm strugling to change that. Can you help me w/ that? Thanks!
Maintaining a relaxed C-shape with your hand is the starting point. To make sure that you keep it that way, practice slowly and take pauses in order to check frequently.
I thought you were not supposed to pronate your left hand fingers so that the spacing between fingers is equal. I thought you were supposed to keep your fingers more or less straight towards the neck do you have more strength to push down on the string with.
From the professors I’ve studied with, both options are fine. It depends entirely on the person’s build and preference. You should do what is healthiest and most comfortable for you.
Hi Sarah, I'm double jointed in my fingers and thumb and it is making it difficult to hold my bow and making the C shape with my hand, because my fingers lock up and look weird :) any suggestions?
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I mark on side of ebony finger board with pencil. The marks are easily rubbed off and does not hurt the ebony. The 1st position 4 fingers are marked...and also some up the board. After time goes, the marks are no longer needed. The finger tap actually helps to quietly hear the note.
Our frets are not seen but accomplished by hearing our fret as we bow and adjust in miniature sliding into it with kind of vibrato.
My biggest help is practicing scales and playing BY EAR WITH MANY DIFFERENT SONGS. Most songs follow scales.
Jazz jumps around in different chords, but also use types of scales. PRACTICE...PRACTICE.
Tutorial-nicely done. Thanx for your tips. I got a electric pick up for cello and the little bit of reverb complements cello sound.
Blue Dave.
Thank you. You're video was very clear and easy to understand. This is the first time I've ever watched any of your videos. I found you on a search for left hand position. I'm looking forward to more videos. I subscribed.
Thanks so much!
I played cello for 18 months, and then had to stop playing for three months because I developed tendinitis in my left elbow. I am just beginning again and trying to get my technique straight. Any advice? I don't want to injure myself again. (And thanks for a great video, I've taken notes and will go through your points with my instrument).
Thank you very much, this video helps me a lot, I will do practice you suggested!
Great to hear! :)
Thank you! Very helpful and answers to the problems I've been experiencing with my left hand. Good tip too about the exercises to build up strength in the fingers :-) Thanks :-)
thanks for the video!!! Any tip for second and third finger staying too close??
Have you done a video on left hand position in the transition through 4th, 5th, 6th position etc? I’m struggling with this and can’t seem to find anything on it. I have a good teacher, but always like to learn as much as I can and lessons feel very short!
Thanks
Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for your helpful videos. If you have time, would you be able to show how our left hand is supposed to sink in for each of the strings, especially the G and C strings. I find that I wrap my thumb around the neck of the cello too tightly and am now experiencing muscle strain on my left thumb @~@
The pad of the thumb should be touching the neck, but no other part of the thumb. That should get rid of the tension. It just lightly presses.
Thanks! I'll give it a try! I always thought the thumb and fingers both press against the neck of the cello, and I've been practicing like that for a while. Whoops!
Hi Sarah!
Thank you for the video! Do you have any tips for a violinist (40 years) turned cellist who has left hand fingers that are a bit on the short side for cello? I have a pretty good spread and strength from 26 years of playing guitar and very good coordination. I've been working on the cello for about 2 months and I'm learning that it is definitely a different skill set. My left hand has stretched out more but I'm still struggling with thumb placement (I am making sure I keep a "C" form with my thumb and fingers), and still having a hard time reaching everything in first position without tension even with a lot of muscle memory work.
Any help would be much appreciated!
Mary
You might try rolling your hand in order to reach the other notes. So when fourth finger is down, finger one doesn't necessarily have to stay down. I could be wrong, but that's just a thought.
Hello Sarah ! What strings do you use in your cello ? Thanks
+M4RC4TO Top two strings are Larson. Bottom two are Bel Canto. The Bel Canto strings can be very bright at first, but they mellow out after a couple weeks.
Sarah Joy why the 2 different types?
Hi, Sarah! I really apreciate your channel and your tips and tutorials! Thank you very much for making great videos! I'm brasilian and just started studying the cello. I would like to know if you have some tip or exercise to keep the left hand fingers near from fingerboard when they're not pressing the string. I find myself putting them far from the fingerboard and it looks a little bit weird. I'm strugling to change that. Can you help me w/ that? Thanks!
Maintaining a relaxed C-shape with your hand is the starting point. To make sure that you keep it that way, practice slowly and take pauses in order to check frequently.
Sarah Joy thank you very much for answering my question! I'll try that, starting by now! :)
🌹
I thought you were not supposed to pronate your left hand fingers so that the spacing between fingers is equal. I thought you were supposed to keep your fingers more or less straight towards the neck do you have more strength to push down on the string with.
From the professors I’ve studied with, both options are fine. It depends entirely on the person’s build and preference. You should do what is healthiest and most comfortable for you.
Hi Sarah, I'm double jointed in my fingers and thumb and it is making it difficult to hold my bow and making the C shape with my hand, because my fingers lock up and look weird :) any suggestions?
Although I myself am not double jointed, I have heard that building up the finger strength helps to hold them in place without doing that.
At my school they said no one can play left hand cello thank you for this video 😄♥️
I play Cello with my feet