Things I have learned while learning to play the cello

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  1. I am not enormously aware of where my arms are.
  2. My arms don't like being above my head for long.
  3. My brain rejects all scales other than the major and tries to take over my fingers when necessary.
  4. The side of my thumb isn't happy holding down strings.
  5. Turns out that lines-and-squiggles music notation is reasonably logical and straightforward.
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    In answer to point 1 - have you tried looking above your head.

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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    It's OK if I can see them - but when they're out of sight they tend to do their own thing. One of the exercises I'm doing is moving both arms in circles, either the same way or opposites, getting back to the strings in time with the music. Every so often I can't work out where one or t'other is, which gets confusing.
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23914
    4& 5 - agreed. My brief double bass experience hurt my sensitive thumb. But I'm still learning to read on bass guitar, and it a simple 10 mins per day approach solves almost all problems.
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  • frankusfrankus Frets: 4719
    I used to have trouble holding my arms above my head for long periods of time - like working on ceiling roses for lights or putting up rails for curtains.. but I found olympic lifting or even just kettle bell blasters and swings got rid of that really easily.
    A sig-nat-eur? What am I meant to use this for ffs?! Is this thing recording?
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    Lines and squiggles isn't too bad for cello - three of the strings are on the top, middle and bottom line respectively.
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  • Also - Guitars are cheap
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  • If you think your left hand thumb is hurting, you wait until you graduate onto slap cello....

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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    Also - Guitars are cheap
    Gawd yes - I didn't buy a particularly posh cello but it was more expensive than any of my guitars. The bow was more expensive than some of them!
    If you think your left hand thumb is hurting, you wait until you graduate onto slap cello....
    Please tell me that's not a thing. I'm sleep deprived and have anxiety issues already!
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  • Why are your arms above your head? I don't recal many cellos being played that way...?
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    It's a loosening-up exercise, and making me more aware of where my arms are. I move them in big circles, coming back to the instrument on the beat to twat at one or other string.

    I suspect I need to do some moderate weights work to get that bit going properly.
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  • PlectrumPlectrum Frets: 494
    Sporky said:
    It's a loosening-up exercise, and making me more aware of where my arms are. I move them in big circles, coming back to the instrument on the beat to twat at one or other string.
    You're not being taught cello by Pete Townshend by any chance are you @Sporky? :)
    One day I'm going to make a guitar out of butter to experience just how well it actually plays.
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    No, but the same image had struck me!
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30825
    6. My cello teacher says I need to keep my legs together, rather like my mother should have done.

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4942
    @Sporky, good on you to learn another instrument.  Get yourself a copy of The Inner Game of Music by Barry Green & W. Timothy Gallwey.  Green explains a lot on technique including controlling forearm tension etc. etc.

    Barry Green played Bass in orchestras so he knows what he is trying to describe.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • JayGeeJayGee Frets: 1254
    Plectrum said:
    Sporky said:
    It's a loosening-up exercise, and making me more aware of where my arms are. I move them in big circles, coming back to the instrument on the beat to twat at one or other string.
    You're not being taught cello by Pete Townshend by any chance are you @Sporky? :)
    He could do worse. Townshend is reputed to have bought himself a cello and taught himself to play it well enough to record stringy bits on Quadrophenia in a fortnight... 

    ...and yes, I know that's not what you meant. :-)
    Don't ask me, I just play the damned thing...
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  • Why are your arms above your head? I don't recal many cellos being played that way...?
    It's the Hendrix behind-the-head method. I bet chewing the strings tastes nasty with the bow-rosin as well ...
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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  • IMO the problem with cellos is they are tuned in 5ths so none of your guitar or electric bass scale patterns work. What would happen if you tuned it in 4ths?
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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  • PC_DavePC_Dave Frets: 3396
    edited February 2016
    IMO the problem with cellos is they are tuned in 5ths so none of your guitar or electric bass scale patterns work. What would happen if you tuned it in 4ths?
    The Earth would implode. Fact.
    This week's procrastination forum might be moved to sometime next week.
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    IMO the problem with cellos is they are tuned in 5ths so none of your guitar or electric bass scale patterns work.
    Actually, I like that - it forces me not to use the same patterns and to think everything from scratch. As a result I'm relearning a lot of theory that I knew back in piano playing days but have let slip since.

    My teacher uses Moshi Monsters on a circular stool to help with scales. I think she mostly teaches small children. It does work though!
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  • IMO the problem with cellos is they are tuned in 5ths so none of your guitar or electric bass scale patterns work. What would happen if you tuned it in 4ths?
    You would have a Piccolo bass
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