Choosing books for your level
If you are an absolute beginner:
1. Work on open strings and bowing with The Open-String Book for Cello.
2. Work on note-reading with Knowing the Notes for Cello and The First Summer Study Book for Cello. 3. Strengthen your fingers first with Beginning Technique for the Cello and then Finger Exercises for the Cello, Book One. |
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If you have not started shifting yet:
1. Strengthen your fingers with Finger Exercises for the Cello, Book One, and Daily Exercises for the Cello, Book One to get ready for shifting.
2. Practice bowing with String Crossing for the Cello, Book One, and Bowing Variations for the Cello, Book One. 3. Start shifting with Second Position for the Cello, Book One or Fourth Position for the Cello. 4. Practice playing in fourth position using Fourth Position Finger Exercises for the Cello. |
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If you have just started shifting:
1. Review the notes in second and fourth positions using Second Position for the Cello, Book One and Fourth Position for the Cello.
2. Supplement your shifting practice with Fourth Position Finger Exercises for the Cello and Fourth Position Shifting Exercises for the Cello. 3. Strengthen your fingers with Finger Exercises for the Cello, Book Two. 4. Put all four positions together with C Major Shifting for the Cello and C Major Etudes for the Cello. |
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If you are pretty comfortable with shifting:
1. Work on third position, using Third Position for the Cello, Book One.
2. Explore the difficult side of second position in Second Position Technical Studies for the Cello. 3. Use the shifting you have learned in Warming Up for Cello, Book One. |
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If you have finished learning the first four positions and are wondering what is next:
1. The C Major Scale Book for Cello is a wonderful way to add easy seventh position on top of fourth position.
2. Fifth Position for the Cello is an in-depth study of fifth position. 3. Tenor Clef for the Cello (needed to read many intermediate pieces for the cello) is a great, step-by-step method for learning tenor clef . 4. Finger Exercises for the Cello, Book Three uses first through seventh positions. |
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If you are ready to try thumb position:
1. Thumb Position for the Cello, Book One is an easy way to start thumb position on the cello, and Thumb Position Duets for the Cello, Book One can be used along with it. Thumb Position School for Cello is a great all-around method for learning the notes in thumb position.
2. Finger Exercises for the Cello, Book Four, has some basic finger exercises in thumb position. |
 Thumb Position for the Cello, Book One |
Thumb Position School for Cello
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