Developing Strong, Curved Fingers for Better Cello Tone

Strong, curved left-hand fingers are essential for good cello technique and for developing a beautiful tone. 

By curving your fingers and playing on the very tips of the fingers, you can stop the string completely, which in turn allows the string to vibrate fully when you play it. ​

Some of the cello exercises in  Finger Exercises for the Cello, Book One were written specifically to help cellists develop well-curved fingers through double stops. 

Exercise No. 14 is the first study in the book that works on developing curved fingers. Here's an excerpt:

Although my cello students have almost universally decried these studies as "evil", the Finger Exercises have done SO much to help them play clearly and in tune!

Here is an excerpt from Exercise No. 20:​

I have also found that some students benefit from preparatory studies that allow them to focus on the fingers with easier notes.

​Check out these free preparatory finger exercises that help you curve your fingers, stop the string completely, and get ready to play the essential cello double stop studies in Finger Exercises for the Cello, Book One.

Free Cello Finger Exercise No. 1

Free Cello Finger Exercise No. 2

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Free Cello Finger Exercise No. 3

Free Cello Finger Exercise No. 4

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Free Cello Finger Exercise No. 5

Free Cello Finger Exercise No. 6

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