How to use technique
Use exercises to train your left and right hands:
First use a book like Daily Exercises for the Cello, Book One, to practice easy bowings on scale patterns. Then, use scale study in The Two Octaves Book for Cello and bowing practice in String Crossing for the Cello, Book Two to give your left and right hands better coordination.
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Use exercises to train your mind:
Learn notes in Tenor Clef, or practice reading bass, tenor, and treble clefs in Octave Shifts for the Cello, Book One.
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Use exercises to supplement the pieces you are working on:
1. Shifting in the Romberg E minor Sonata for Cello and Piano and the Breval C Major Sonata for Cello and Piano can be worked on in Fourth Position for the Cello, Third Position for the Cello, and Second Position for the Cello.
2. Shifting for the Squire Tarantella can be worked on using Third Position for the Cello, Book One, Second Position Book One, and The D Major Scale Book for Cello (even though the piece is in the key of D minor, the shifts are very similar). 3. For more suggestions, email us or contact us with the name of the piece you are working on and we will be happy to suggest appropriate technique. |
Use exercises to advance more efficiently:
1. Finger strength will also help shifting, tone, and vibrato. Use the Finger Exercises, Books One, Two, Three, Four, and Five, and Fourth Position Finger Exercises, to develop finger strength. Also try Double Stop Beginnings for the Cello and Double Stop Etudes, Book One to build finger strength.
2. Never stop practicing shifting. Use the C Major Shifting book to warm up as an easy way to go through all four positions in just 1-2 minutes.Serial Shifting; Exercises for the Cello, also has short, intense shifting exercises that can accomplish a lot in a short time. |