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Free Sousa Duet for Strings to Celebrate the Release of Fiddles on the Bandstand, Book One!

7/2/2020

Free Liberty Bell March for Violins, Violas, Cellos but Sousa

So we're a little over halfway through 2020 and it's been quite a year! We hope that all of you are healthy and safe and able to still make music.

About a month ago, just as the weather was turning warmer, Myanna realized we all could all use some light-hearted, earnest, outdoor-belonging, inspiring, beautiful, rhythmic, toe-tapping, nostalgic, FUN music!

As usual, Myanna told me nothing about what she was writing, but as I walked out of the studio to my car one day, I passed Myanna and our mother playing some Sousa on two violins and I just had to stop and listen.

They kept playing through the book and somehow I couldn't leave. And that's how the Fiddles on the Bandstand books were born!

Fiddles on the Bandstand Duets: Fully Compatible Between Instruments

Fiddles on the Bandstand: Fun Duets for Two Violins

Fiddles on the Bandstand: Fun Duets for Two Violas

Fiddles on the Bandstand: Fun Duets for Two Cellos

Here's What's In the Books:

Fiddles on the Bandstand: Fun Duets for Strings

These are the tunes people hum, the tunes we remember from "somewhere", the tunes we might even want to share with our neighbors in an impromptu outdoor concert!

Some years ago, Myanna and I ran a youth orchestra and when they were asked to play outside after a parade, we quickly realized that there is an entire genre of lighthearted music that is perfect for that situation. Some of the tunes that inspired us back then have made an appearance in this book.

In the past week, as the books have arrived from the printer, I have started to play the duets in outdoor lessons with my students. And I can say that there's nothing quite like the beauty of these cello duets gently floating out in the breeze.

To Celebrate the New Books,
Here's a Brand New Arrangement of
Sousa's Liberty Bell March!

John Philip Sousa

Did you know that Sousa began his career playing violin?

Sample Pages from the Free March:
(Full March Available Through the Contact Form Below.)

The violin duet is mainly in first position with a small amount of third position.
The viola duet is in first and third positions.
The cello part is in first through fourth positions and is all in bass clef.
The duets are compatible between instruments.

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Free Christmas Duets to Celebrate New Book Releases!

12/10/2019

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How three new duet books made it to press in the middle of a super busy fall...

In the middle of way too many scheduled performances and tons of teaching, Myanna was writing the books in the Dancing Into Bethlehem series.

Now, I just have to say that Myanna is wonderfully secretive. She never reveals what books she'll write next; no group-think or input from anyone ever inspires what will be written.

However, I can tell something new is coming when I hear strains of her duets wafting up from the studio below mine. Myanna's music is just so inventive, evoking film scores and folk dances, that I always know when I'm hearing her arrangements.

Writing is just the first part. After that she figures out bowings, edits the books, plays through the books many times, tries the duets out with her many students, and finally sends the books to me. Yay.

Although I've figured out that new books are coming, I can only prepare so much. Most of the work I do can't start until I actually have the manuscripts.

I pick the titles, design the covers, set up the layouts, do more proofreading, register the ISBNs, send the books to our various printers, make book cover and sample page images for the website, write the book descriptions, design the webpages, order the books, and finally start letting everyone know.

Let's just say that Black Friday shopping didn't happen. I didn't even have time to do Cyber Monday shopping! Instead, I caught a few of those "Cyber Monday Extended" sales. Yep, those extended sales are just about perfect for us.

As an aside, I'd like to thank our wonderful UPS, USPS, and Fedex, and AmazonFresh delivery people, without whom this company (and these hungry musicians) would not be able to run!

Here's a little bit about the new books:

All duets are compatible between instruments (violin and viola, violin and cello, and viola and cello can play together!)
All duets are intermediate. The violin and viola books are all in first position but are musically and technically challenging. The cello book uses first through fourth positions (but no tenor clef.)
Myanna picked a really neat selection of carols and Christmas music! I love her other Christmas duet book, Sailing Into Bethlehem, and I'm excited to have new music to play with my students this year.
These duets can be played for gigs, in lessons, or just for fun. They bring an enchanting, lively warmth to the Christmas season!

And to Celebrate the Release,

Here Are Some Free Mini Books of Carols!

These free violin, viola, and cello duets are compatible between instruments, just like the duets in Sailing Into Bethlehem and Dancing Into Bethlehem.
These duets are not included in either of the two Christmas duet books; they're only available here!

Christmas Duets for Two Violins - A Mini Ebook

Christmas Duets for Two Violins -Free Sheet Music

Manger Lullaby - a Free Violin Christmas Duet

Masters In This Hall - a Free Violin Christmas Duet

Masters in the Hall - a Free Violin Christmas Duet by Myanna Harvey

O Tannenbaum - a Free Violin Christmas Duet

Christmas Duets for Two Violas - A Mini Ebook

Christmas Duets for Two Violas -Free Sheet Music

Manger Lullaby - a Free Viola Christmas Duet

Masters In This Hall - a Free Viola Christmas Duet

Masters in the Hall - a Free Viola Christmas Duet by Myanna Harvey

O Tannenbaum - a Free Viola Christmas Duet

Christmas Duets for Two Cellos - A Mini Ebook

Christmas Duets for Two Cellos -Free Sheet Music

Manger Lullaby - a Free Cello Christmas Duet

Masters In This Hall - a Free Cello Christmas Duet

Masters in the Hall - a Free Cello Christmas Duet by Myanna Harvey

O Tannenbaum - a Free Cello Christmas Duet

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Learning Three-Octave Arpeggios - Free Preparatory Studies!

11/1/2019

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Figuring Out How to Teach Cello Arpeggios

As long as I have been studying or teaching cello, learning arpeggios consisted of seeing an arpeggio and trying to play it. This was fine; even workable, but as I came to discover, not the best way to learn or teach cello arpeggios that would be consistently in tune.

Three-Octave Arpeggios on the Cello: Preparatory Studies

Some students struggled mightily with the larger spaces. Other students didn't understand the concepts behind the fingerings. All in all, even the most talented and advanced students only played a perfect arpeggio about 1/3 of the time, which wasn't great for auditions!

I became acutely aware of the lack of an actual cello method for teaching arpeggios when Theresa Villani (a wonderful cellist and teacher) reached out to ask if I had one. Since I had no idea where to start, I did quite a bit of brain-storming... and wrote a scale method instead!

After Learning Three-Octave Scales on the Cello was published at the end of August 2019, I still didn't quite know which arpeggio fingerings to pick for the book but at least I had a blueprint for how to teach notes and spaces.

I finally settled on three distinct fingerings for Learning Three-Octave Arpeggios on the Cello. The first fingering, used in the Galamian Scale System for Cello (among other books) is a little like a staircase; you go up the C string, then over to the G, then up the G, then over to the D, then up the D, then over to the A.

The second fingering is very straightforward: you go across to the A string and shift up the A string.

The third fingering, used in Klengel Technical Studies for Cello, Volume One, shifts up to the thumb on the D string and then has you play the top octave of the arpeggio in thumb position.

Each of these three fingerings has something to teach cellists. A study of all three fingerings will give you a comprehensive knowledge of fingerboard geography and larger shifts on the cello.

Free Cello Arpeggio Preparatory Studies!

To celebrate the release of this new book, we are offering free preparatory studies for Three Octave Arpeggios on the Cello. Click on each picture to see the image enlarged. If you would like the file as a free PDF, fill out the form below and your download will be on the next page.

Cello Arpeggios
Shifting Study

Cello Arpeggios
Fifth Position Study

Cello Arpeggios
Spacing Across Strings

Three-Octave Arpeggios on the Cello: Preparatory StudiesPicture

Fingering No. 1
Putting the Arpeggio Together

Cello Arpeggios
Note Spaces
for Fingering No. 2

Cello Arpeggios
Playing Across Strings
for Fingering No. 2

Cello Arpeggios
Putting the Notes Together for Fingering No. 2

Cello Arpeggios
Shifting to the Thumb for Fingering No. 3

Cello Arpeggios
Learning More Thumb Position Notes for Fingering No. 3

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Learn Cello Scale Spaces - Free Sheet Music!

9/2/2019

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One of the best ways to map the fingerboard for your mind and fingers is by learning scales. Three-octave scales, in particular, can be used to teach nearly all of the notes on the cello.

Learn Cello Scale Spaces - Free Sheet Music!

As I watched over the years while some of my students struggled with knowing how far to shift in three-octave scales, I knew that there had to be a solution.

Surprisingly, the answer came while I was writing a scale book for the violin!

Because violinists typically play with four fingers in each position (1-2-3-4), instead of three (1-2-4 or 1-3-4), I was able to write exercises that used notes they already knew to teach notes in the next position.

When I saw how well the exercises worked, I just knew that I had to find a way to use that same concept to teach cello scales.

I started writing studies for a three-octave G major cello scale and tried them with several students who had never played a three-octave scale before.

I wasn't surprised when they figured out the exercises; it was a pretty easy concept. But I was absolutely shocked when, at the end of playing the 4 pages of G scale exercises, those same students were able to play the scale straight through, without stopping, and in tune!

New Release!

Before this, I had wheedled and cajoled and talked my students through their initial 3-octave scales. And, after they finally learned the scales, some of them played scales in tune but some just didn't.

This book was a game-changer for me and my students, cutting out months and years of frustration, and helping them master entire three-octave scales in all of the major and minor keys.

If we take time to think about the steps in scales and teach them to our fingers, it is possible to truly learn scales, play more in tune, and play in tune more consistently.

To celebrate the release of Learning Three-Octave Scales on the Cello, this post gives you the major scales written out with all of the whole and half steps so you can think about and remember each space.

And if this whets your appetite for scale mastery, check out the new cello scale book!

Tips for Playing Cello Three-Octave Scale Steps

Play these exercises slowly.
Think about each space as you play it.
As your mind sees the words "half step" or "whole step", try to remember how that space feels in your fingers.
Roman numerals refer to strings, not positions.

I = A string
II = D string
III = G string
IV = C string

If you have trouble playing scales in tune, or just want to improve your scale intonation, study the scale exercises in Learning Three-Octave Scales on the Cello.

C Major
Cello Scale Spaces

D-flat Major
Cello Scale Spaces

D Major
Cello Scale Spaces

E-flat Major
Cello Scale Spaces

E Major
Cello Scale Spaces

F Major
Cello Scale Spaces

F-sharp Major
Cello Scale Spaces

G Major
Cello Scale Spaces

A-flat Major
Cello Scale Spaces

A Major
Cello Scale Spaces

B-flat Major
Cello Scale Spaces

B Major
Cello Scale Spaces

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Learn Violin Scale Spaces - Free Sheet Music!

8/28/2019

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One of the best ways to map the fingerboard for your mind and fingers is by learning scales.

Three-octave scales, in particular, can be used to teach nearly all of the notes on the violin.

When people started asking me to write a three-octave scale book for violin, I knew I didn't want to just list the scales (or needlessly put another book out in the world.)

I only wanted write the book if it could solve a problem, or if it could help people learn scales in a new way.

So, the latest violin book we've published (see below) has been more than 5 years in the making!

In the process of writing and editing, I realized that by focusing on whole and half steps (not just half steps), we could clearly map fingerboard distances in our minds.

If we take time to think about the steps in scales and teach them to our fingers, it is possible to truly learn scales, play more in tune, and play in tune more consistently.

(When I saw how it worked, I actually got so excited by the violin book that I wrote a cello scale book that teaches scales the same way; I couldn't let violinists have all the fun!)

Three-Octave Scales for the Violin, Book One: Learning the Scales

New Release!

To celebrate the release of Three-Octave Scales for Violin, Book One: Learning the Scales, this post gives you the major scales written out with all of the whole and half steps so you can think about and remember each space.

And if this whets your appetite for scale mastery, check out the new violin scale book!

Tips for Playing Violin Three-Octave Scale Steps

Play these exercises slowly.
Think about each space as you play it.
As your mind sees the words "half step" or "whole step", try to remember how that space feels in your fingers.
Roman numerals refer to strings, not positions.

I = E string
II = A string
III = D string
IV = G string

If you have trouble playing scales in tune, study the scale exercises in Three-Octave Scales for the Violin, Book One: Learning the Scales.

G Major
Violin Scale Spaces

A-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

A Major
Violin Scale Spaces

B-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

B Major
Violin Scale Spaces

C Major
Violin Scale Spaces

D-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

D Major
Violin Scale Spaces

E-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

E Major
Violin Scale Spaces

F Major
Violin Scale Spaces

F-sharp Major
Violin Scale Spaces

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Improve Your Viola Bowing: Free Mini Open String Workouts

4/1/2019

1 Comment

This past year Theresa Villani, a wonderful cellist and cello teacher, wrote and asked if I had any exercises for bowing on open strings for one of her students. I had a few pages of an incomplete book, which I was happy to share. She wrote right back and said "Please make a book out of these!" (Incidentally, that's how a lot of books get started; share your ideas on this page.) Then, another teacher wrote and asked for a book of open string studies for violin and viola and here we are!

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 1

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 2

A few thoughts on how to use both these exercises and the studies in Open String Bow Workouts for the Viola, Book One:

1. Playing open strings really well is hard! They look easy (at least at the beginning of the book) but this is deceptive. Because the sound is so exposed, I found myself getting super picky with the sound I was producing.

When you play these exercises, work on fluidity in bow changes, relaxed wrist and fingers, and getting the string vibrating with the least possible motion from my hand.

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 3

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 4

2. Playing open string bow studies is a great way to isolate the bow, especially when you are struggling with note-reading. Myanna has been using Open-String Bow Workouts with some students who have trouble reading notes. Since there are just four notes in the entire book, the students could work on bowing without worrying about reading notes (and as an added bonus, their reading improved!)

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 5

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 6

3. Playing open string bow studies can help violists at every level. We've used this book with students who had just started playing a few months earlier and also with intermediate and very advanced students. It helped them all, in different ways.

The beginning students used the book to discover what the bow can do. Pure bow technique, such as string crossing, rhythm, and slurs can be taught using this book.

The intermediate students used the book to listen more and improve their tone. At an intermediate level, it's easy to focus on the left hand and forget about the bow. Playing an Open String Bow Workout at the beginning of every lesson has helped our intermediate students build better bow control and tone.

And the advanced students played the slow exercises at an Adagio tempo and the fast exercises as fast as possible to expand the range of their bow technique.

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 7

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 8

4. Playing open string studies can really help your tone improve! When I started playing open string studies myself, I was skeptical; how much could it help? But the difference I heard in my playing and felt in my bow hand convinced me that open strings can be one of the most effective ways to practice bowing. And adding just one page a day to your studies can make a difference over time.

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 9

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 10

To celebrate the release of the new book of Open String Bow Workouts, we are offering the above mini set of (all-new) viola open string studies for free!

When you play these, focus on correct form and how you're holding the bow.

Keep the bow arm shoulder, wrist, and fingers as loose and relaxed as possible. The thumb should be gently balanced on the bow; never squeezing.

Listen for the smoothest, most even sound during each note and keep the bow moving at the same speed while you change bows so there is no variation in sound.

For more viola studies that help you play with better tone, check out this book:

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Improve Your Violin Bowing: Free Mini Open String Workouts

3/30/2019

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Free Violin Sheet Music: Open String Bowing Exercises!

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 1

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 2

Here are a few observations Myanna and I have made while playing and teaching with these studies:

1. Playing open strings is hard! They look easy (at least at the beginning of the book) but this is deceptive. Because the sound is so exposed, I found myself getting super picky with the sound I was producing. This in turn led me to work on fluidity in bow changes, relaxed wrist and fingers, and getting the string vibrating with the least possible motion from my hand.

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 3

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 4

2. Playing open string bow studies is a great way to isolate the bow, especially when you are struggling with note-reading. Myanna has been using Open-String Bow Workouts with some students who have trouble reading notes. Since there are just four notes in the entire book, the students could work on bowing without worrying about reading notes (and as an added bonus, their reading improved!)

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 5

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 6

3. Playing open string bow studies can help violinists at every level. We've used this book with students who had just started playing a few months earlier and also with intermediate and very advanced students. It helped them all, in different ways.

The beginning students used the book to discover what the bow can do. Pure bow technique, such as string crossing, rhythm, and slurs can be taught using this book.

The intermediate students used the book to listen more and improve their tone. At an intermediate level, it's easy to focus on the left hand and forget about the bow. Playing an Open String Bow Workout at the beginning of every lesson has helped our intermediate students build better bow control and tone.

And the advanced students played the slow exercises at an Adagio tempo and the fast exercises as fast as possible to expand the range of their bow technique.

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 7

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 8

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 9

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 10

To celebrate the release of the new book of Open String Bow Workouts, we are offering the above mini set of (all-new) violin open string studies for free!

When you play these, focus on correct form and how you're holding the bow.

Keep the bow arm shoulder, wrist, and fingers as loose and relaxed as possible. The thumb should be gently balanced on the bow; never squeezing.

Listen for the smoothest, most even sound during each note and keep the bow moving at the same speed while you change bows so there is no variation in sound.

For more violin studies that help you play with better tone, check out this book:

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Cello Positions: Free Cello Note Charts and Shifting Exercises

2/28/2019

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Starting to play in positions on the cello can be daunting!

However, after you have played in first position for awhile, the other notes on the cello are begging to be learned! So many great cello repertoire pieces use positions and learning shifting can help you reach more notes, make playing across strings easier, and even avoid open strings if you want to.

1. Learn Cello Fourth Position

This method was written for adult learners and includes pictures and diagrams that help explain where fourth position is. Exercises and short pieces on each page work together to teach a skill. This book is available as a PDF ebook on www.learnstrings.com and as a print book on www.amazon.com.

2. Learn Cello Positions in Depth

A great way to learn cello positions is by studying each position. Here are a few position method books:

Are your shifting books too hard?

Try the Preparatory Study Books

(great for fearful shifters)

These books have very easy studies that can make shifting an easier, more gradual process. Each study focuses on a single shift and the exercises progress slowly to allow you to get comfortable with shifting.

3. Free Preparatory Exercises for Pattern Shifting and Serial Shifting for the Cello

Half and Whole Steps

Free Note Chart:
Cello Positions
on the A String

Free Cello Position Exercises
on the
A String

Free Note Chart:
Cello Positions
on the D String

Free Cello Position Exercises
on the
D String

Free Note Chart:
Cello Positions
on the G String

Free Cello Position Exercises
on the
G String

Free Note Chart:
Cello Positions
on the C String

Free Cello Position Exercises
on the
C String

Free Cello Position Exercise
for Muscle Memory

Free Cello Position Exercise: Cello Positions Across Strings

4. Study the Position Exercise Books

Ever-so-slightly easier than Serial Shifting, Pattern Shifting for Cello has exercises in rows and patterns. The exercises progress more slowly than those in Serial Shifting and this book could be studied along with other position methods.

The first half of the book has studies in 1st through 4th positions while the second half of the book has studies in 1st through 8th positions.

All of the exercises are in C major to allow you to fully learn the basic cello positions and spacing.

Pattern Shifting for the Cello is available as a PDF ebook on www.learnstrings.com.

A little bit more difficult than Pattern Shifting, Serial Shifting for the Cello has similar exercises in rows and patterns. The exercises progress more quickly than those in Pattern Shifting and having a prior knowledge of positions is advised.

The first half of the book has studies in 1st through 4th positions while the second half of the book has studies in 1st through 8th positions.

All of the exercises are in C major to allow you to fully learn the basic cello positions and spacing.

Serial Shifting for the Cello is available as a print book here on www.charveypublications.com and on Amazon.com and Sheet Music Plus.

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Prepare to play the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto in A minor!

2/20/2019

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Preparing for Saint-Saens

The Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor is a work for cello and orchestra (or piano), written at an advanced level. Studying this Concerto often takes a year or more; it's a major work!

While there are no clearly marked or numbered movements, the Concerto does have three fairly distinct sections that might correlate with our idea of typical concerto movements.

Some techniques used in the first two movements are octave shifts, fast shifting (sometimes called "runs") into the high positions, double stop fifths and sixths, spiccato, and thumb position.

Free Saint-Saens Preparatory Exercises

These free preparatory exercises can help you get ready to start studying the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto. They work on some of the basic techniques needed to play the first few pages of the Concerto: bowing, octave shifts, chromatic scales, and more.

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Bowing I

Saint-Saens Cello Concerto Preparatory Study

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Bowing II

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Scale Shifting Exercise

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Rhythm & Staccato

Note: These free exercises are not a substitute for a full study of the Concerto like the one in The Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 Study Book. Instead, they help prepare you for the study book and show exercises can make learning more efficient.

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Rhythm I

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Rhythm II

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Octave Shifts I

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Octave Shifts II

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Chromatic Scale

Free Preparatory Cello Exercise: Shifting and Bowing Study

Books to study in preparation

The Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto is much easier to learn if you have acquired a solid grasp intermediate and advanced cello technique. You should be able to read bass, tenor, and treble clef and play in thumb position. You should have learned three-octave scales and it would be helpful if you have also studied octave shifts, double stop sixths, and double stop octaves.

Three-Octave Scales for the Cello, Book One: The Basics

Like these exercises? Now, you can learn the rest of the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto using a Study Book!

We are very excited to present this new release:
The Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No. 1 Study Book for Cello, Volume One!

Live outside the US? All of our books are on Amazon around the world and many of our books are available as PDF downloads on Learnstrings:

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Improve Your Cello Bowing: Free Mini Open String Workouts

2/14/2019

1 Comment

Over the next few months, in between writing The Romberg Sonata in C Major Study Book and The Saint-Saens Concerto No. 1 Study Book for Cello, I got to work on the open string book.

After I had written about half of the book, I sat down play through it, rather reluctantly. It seemed almost a waste of time to sit and play through so many pages of just plain open strings.

But then I made some discoveries and found myself really excited about open strings!

1. Playing open strings really well is hard! They look easy (at least at the beginning of the book) but this is deceptive. Because the sound is so exposed, I found myself getting super picky with the sound I was producing. This in turn led me to work on fluidity in bow changes, relaxed wrist and fingers, and getting the string vibrating with the least possible motion from my hand.

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 1

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 2

2. Playing open string bow studies is a great way to isolate the bow, especially when you are struggling with note-reading. I have a student who started lessons a few months ago and was unable to adapt to note-reading. We started playing Open-String Bow Workouts and just a month later, he was reading all of his music much more easily.

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 3

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 4

3. Playing open string bow studies can help cellists at every level. I've used this book with a student who had just started playing a few months earlier and also with some of my intermediate and very advanced students. It helped them all, in different ways.

The beginning students used the book to discover what the bow can do. The intermediate students used it to listen more and improve their tone. And the advanced students played the slow exercises very slow and the fast exercises very fast to expand the range of their bow technique.

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 5

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 6

4. Playing so many open string studies gave me an incredibly smooth bow motion! I mean, wow. I was surprised and rather rueful; it was humbling to realize how much my bow can still use work.

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 7

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 8

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 9

Free Mini Cello Bowing Workout No. 10

To celebrate the release of the new book of Open String Bow Workouts, we are offering the above mini set of (all-new) cello open string studies for free!

When you play these, focus on correct form and how you're holding the bow. Keep the bow arm shoulder, wrist, and fingers as loose and relaxed as possible. The thumb should be gently balanced on the bow; never squeezing.

Listen for the smoothest, most even sound during each note and keep the bow moving at the same speed while you change bows so there is no variation in sound.

If you want even more help for your bow, check out the book that started it all!

Interested in Developing Better Tone?

Live outside the US? All of our books are on Amazon around the world and many of our books are available as PDF downloads on Learnstrings:

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Fiddles on the Bandstand Duets: Fully Compatible Between Instruments

Here's What's In the Books:

To Celebrate the New Books,Here's a Brand New Arrangement of​Sousa's Liberty Bell March!

Sign Up Here to Receive Your Free PDFs of the​Sousa Liberty Bell duet!

How three new duet books made it to press in the middle of a super busy fall...

Here's a little bit about the new books:

And to Celebrate the Release,​​Here Are Some Free Mini Books of Carols!

Christmas Duets for Two Violins - A Mini Ebook

Manger Lullaby - a Free Violin Christmas Duet

Masters In This Hall - a Free Violin Christmas Duet

O Tannenbaum - a Free Violin Christmas Duet

Christmas Duets for Two Violas - A Mini Ebook

Manger Lullaby - a Free Viola Christmas Duet

Masters In This Hall - a Free Viola Christmas Duet

O Tannenbaum - a Free Viola Christmas Duet

​Christmas Duets for Two Cellos - A Mini Ebook

Manger Lullaby - a Free Cello Christmas Duet

Masters In This Hall - a Free Cello Christmas Duet

O Tannenbaum - a Free Cello Christmas Duet

Would You Like Free Printable PDFs of These Duet Books?

Figuring Out How to Teach Cello Arpeggios

Free Cello Arpeggio Preparatory Studies!

Cello ArpeggiosShifting Study

Cello ArpeggiosFifth Position Study

Cello ArpeggiosSpacing Across Strings

Fingering No. 1Putting the Arpeggio Together

Cello ArpeggiosNote Spaces​for Fingering No. 2

Cello ArpeggiosPlaying Across Strings​for Fingering No. 2

Cello ArpeggiosPutting the Notes Together for Fingering No. 2

Cello ArpeggiosShifting to the Thumb for Fingering No. 3

Cello ArpeggiosLearning More Thumb Position Notes for Fingering No. 3

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​​Tips for Playing Cello Three-Octave Scale Steps

C Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

D-flat Major Cello Scale Spaces

D Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

E-flat Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

E Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

F Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

F-sharp Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

G Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

A-flat Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

A Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

B-flat Major​Cello Scale Spaces

B Major ​Cello Scale Spaces

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Tips for Playing Violin Three-Octave Scale Steps

G Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

A-flat Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

A Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

B-flat Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

B Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

C Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

D-flat Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

D Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

E-flat Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

E Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

F Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

F-sharp Major ​Violin Scale Spaces

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Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 1

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 2

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 3

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 4

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 5

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 6

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 7

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 8

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 9

Free Mini Viola Bowing Workout No. 10

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For more viola studies that help you play with better tone, check out this book:

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 1

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 2

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 3

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 4

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 5

Free Mini Violin Bowing Workout No. 6

To Celebrate the New Books,
Here's a Brand New Arrangement of
Sousa's Liberty Bell March!

Sign Up Here to Receive Your Free PDFs of the
Sousa Liberty Bell duet!

And to Celebrate the Release,

Here Are Some Free Mini Books of Carols!

Christmas Duets for Two Cellos - A Mini Ebook

Cello Arpeggios
Shifting Study

Cello Arpeggios
Fifth Position Study

Cello Arpeggios
Spacing Across Strings

Fingering No. 1
Putting the Arpeggio Together

Cello Arpeggios
Note Spaces
for Fingering No. 2

Cello Arpeggios
Playing Across Strings
for Fingering No. 2

Cello Arpeggios
Putting the Notes Together for Fingering No. 2

Cello Arpeggios
Shifting to the Thumb for Fingering No. 3

Cello Arpeggios
Learning More Thumb Position Notes for Fingering No. 3

Tips for Playing Cello Three-Octave Scale Steps

C Major
Cello Scale Spaces

D-flat Major
Cello Scale Spaces

D Major
Cello Scale Spaces

E-flat Major
Cello Scale Spaces

E Major
Cello Scale Spaces

F Major
Cello Scale Spaces

F-sharp Major
Cello Scale Spaces

G Major
Cello Scale Spaces

A-flat Major
Cello Scale Spaces

A Major
Cello Scale Spaces

B-flat Major
Cello Scale Spaces

B Major
Cello Scale Spaces

G Major
Violin Scale Spaces

A-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

A Major
Violin Scale Spaces

B-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

B Major
Violin Scale Spaces

C Major
Violin Scale Spaces

D-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

D Major
Violin Scale Spaces

E-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

E Major
Violin Scale Spaces

F Major
Violin Scale Spaces

F-sharp Major
Violin Scale Spaces

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Want to print these exercises out and play them?

Sign up to get a free PDF of these exercises in Ebook form and learn about sales, discounts, and free book offers through our newsletter!

Are your shifting books too hard?

Try the Preparatory Study Books

(great for fearful shifters)

Free Note Chart:
Cello Positions
on the A String

Free Cello Position Exercises
on the
A String

Free Note Chart:
Cello Positions
on the D String

Free Cello Position Exercises
on the
D String

Free Note Chart:
Cello Positions
on the G String

Free Cello Position Exercises
on the
G String

Free Note Chart:
Cello Positions
on the C String

Free Cello Position Exercises
on the
C String

Free Cello Position Exercise
for Muscle Memory

Free Cello Position Exercise
for Muscle Memory

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