September 25, 2009 Cello Lesson

September 25, 2009

Scales:

Didn't play scales today. Will continue to work on 1/3 of scales every day. Will also play scales very slow and try to get good tone.

For October 9, do E major and C# minor

Schroeder:

Revisit #28 and use all of the upper bow. Concentrate on tone and intonation.

Was usually playing on the tips of my fingers; make sure I concentrate on this.

Also do #29 for next lesson: Is in mid-bow but make sure to use more of the bow; 1/3 of the middle is OK. Make sure extensions are extensions and not shifts.

Bourree:

Some of the stuff I did OK last week, didn't do OK this week. Gliss was not as good. I continue to compress my fingers (BAD)

In measures 6, 14, and 43 work on finger placement and having the thumb move up the fingerboard.

Practice: shifting from B to G and from B to D and then to G. Make smooth, move thumb, good intonation. Separate fingers. DON'T CRICK FINGERS!!

Tempo was better this week. Continue to play with metronome; 112 is an OK setting. Play once with metronome and then without.

Ready to begin Page 2!!!!!!!

B played most of page 2.

First run starts P and then gets F. When P, mainly use fingers. As it gets louder use more of arm. Make sure to use arm and not shoulder. Not spiccato but on the string.

Measure # 61 the 5 note run is just an ornament.

In measures 66, 67 and 68 have harmonics.

66 is an open string chord, not harmonic

67 is regular harmonic on A and D

68 can be played two different places on fingerboard; way up high (try to find spot) or on the tuning harmonic area (will be easier to find, but less showy)

Run starting at measure 69 get played close to the bridge until music indicated "natural" then you can play normal.

Once music is back to original melody it is tons faster, Vivo than played initially.

Starting in measure #87, Chords (strum with thumb) are:

4 2 4 1

3 1 3 0

1 1 1 0

1 1

Pits following chords are accented.

Last measure chords:

4 4

3 3

1 1

1 1

Exercise for Next Week:

Hand/finger compression (look in Potter book for good example); make sure thumb is bent.

Use whole bow for scales; concentrate on sound; can use vibrato; do a 4 or 6 count

Keep using the metronome.

Next Lesson is Friday, October 9th at 2:15 p.m.

September 18, 2009 Cello Lesson

Friday, September 18, 2009

Overall:

Did better overall than last two weeks. Got by scales and can work on next two for next week.

Need to work on musicality and tones; notes are there, just not very musical. Will work on duets. Ordered Lee, Three Duets, Opus 36.

Was sticking cello out from neck too much today; this may have been why I was out of tune a lot on B. Watch this!!!!! I usually pick this up and correct, but did not do so in Schroeder piece.

EVERY DAY: Work on at least a third of scales; next group of thirds on the next day. This will help in playing in 4th position.

Scales:

Watch extensions. Intonation problems caused by too much space between fingers.

Schroeder:

Work on Schroeder #28 for next week. B likes this one and says I will also.

Bourree:

Better than last week. B liked that chords were better. Said gliss from harmonic D to open D was good.

Problems:

Inconsistent tempo; practice with metronome. Set it at 120 (Sousa March tempo) Play with metronome and then without (This seems to fast for me and I put it down to 105)

Still more bow

Staccatto Sections: in slurred stacato travel and bounce at the same time

Don't use shoulder and arm so much with these stacattos. Let them have their own momentum

In shift from B to G, move thumb with rest of hand.
Drop the ornaments in practice until I play better; this is in 21, 22, and 23
Make sure I move thumb when going from B to E in above measures.

Next Lesson: Friday, September 25, 2009

Scroeder #28

E major (4 sharps) and C sharp minor, 4 sharps)

Bourree, first page (could of gone on the next page, but will wait till after Lois and Judi concert)

September 11, 2009 Cello Lesson

September 11, 2009 (Friday)

Overall:

Bad tone is due in part to tightness and really short strokes of bow; too jerky

Unfold elbow, but keep on same plane; don't raise elbow, just extend it when appropriate

Need to take longer bow strokes overall

Play closer to the fingerboard without playing on top of it; can't get a good tone and a solid tone when playing on top of the bridge

Play more on tips of fingers!!

Don't SAW

Don't compress fingers

Moves to practice:

Windshield Wiper: Hold bow with thumb, first finger and baby (4) finger and move back and forth like a windshield wiper

Something about this being good practice for spiccatto????

Press the hair on bow to the string

Fly casting

Very stingy with the bow; leads to squeaks and bad tones

Schroeder:

Not real bad; should have played better. Seemed to make mistakes that I never made at home. Last section, which was the part I was worried about, was much better than the first section.

Messed up the first part, compared to how I was playing at home

Note all comments above as they apply to #26

For next lesson, #27: Use upper half of bow, watch dynamics, note starred passage (something about this being a classic move???)

Squire, Bourree:

Was slightly better than last week, but still not very good (in my opinion, sort of stunk again). The notes are there but that is about it.

MORE BOW!!!!!!

Supposed to be a commanding performace, forceful

Smoother, don't separate unless indicated.

Thumb in crook in various measure throughout.

The G at the end of every 16th note run is upbow and last note of phrase.

1. Thumb in crook!! Smooth move from B to G; up and then down bow; start about in the middle of the bow and end at the end. Don't skimp on the bow. Start in mid point of bow; bow to point.

2. F# is long; by holding it the E and D will be easier to play; This repeats throughout piece

3. And other measures; play staccato, but is like a paintbrush staccato. Is this the spicatto?? Bounce and find the bouncy point. A slurred spicatto is a travel and bounce move.

6. This is a nugget; practice a smooth move from 4 to 1; also other measures

8, 16, 45. Gliss from harmonic D to regular D; make sure hold harmonic for full 1 and a half beats

14, 15 , 43, 44, Play the double stops as 4/3 and then 3/x1 Use the windshield technique here. Make sure these chords play well. In first chord get first finger down and in position for second chord.

19. Not a gliss; is animato.

21, 22, 23. E must be the same all three times and perfect pitch

21 and 22. Don't break between the E and B; smooth; practice without the ornament/trill

29. Don't rush the eigth notes; try to play with some feeling

36. Start pp so can show a difference when crescendoing to F

39. Keep tempo; don't rush after finishing the 16th notes

Next Lesson: Friday, September 18, 2009 at 11:30

Shroeder #27

Same scales (make sure I play them so I can get over them and move on)

Keep working on the Bourree

Lightbulb: With thumb in crook (firmly), use whatever fingering works on upper notes (4th position)

September 2, 2009 Cello Lesson

September 2, 2009

Scales:

Work more on the B Major and G Sharp Minor for next lesson (9/11)

Don't compress fingers; watch spacing

Let thumb lead the way

Watch elbow height

Was somewhat smoother; keep trying for smooth transitions

Schroeder:

#25 was good

Use more bow in 4 slurs

Make sure the bow stays parallel; when I angle the bow it leads to bad sound

For 9/11 work on #26; pay attention to dynamics and up and down bow; use whole bow throughout exercise

Squirre: Bouree:

DID NOT PLAY AS WELL AT LESSON AS I HAVE BEEN AT HOME!!!!! Really stunk!!

Bouree is a dance so make sure tempo is consistent and steady (problems with this throughout piece, but especially in eighth note "runs"

First measure: make sure is down and then up bow

Stacatto notes should be played close to the frog; about 3 inches from the frog (on bow)

Make sure the shifts are smooth; practice the nugget of shifting from 4 to 1 (many places in the piece)

Double stops: can keep first finger down on A (on the D string); use 4/3 for first chord and 3/1 for second. Don't need to move hand; just shift to other string. Use a fly casting technique for those chords

Use more bow throughout

Make sure the 16th note runs are smooth; how fast I play the piece will depend on how well and how fast these notes can be played

In the gliss. from the harmonic D to the open D, make sure the top D is held for the full 1 1/2 beats.

In slow section , make sure the E is hit perfectly each time

Go into second position in the eighth note run (DCCB/////BAAG#); can either make the switch at the B or at the A (on the D String); NO OPEN A!!

Pay attention to all dynamics

Continue with this first page only.

NEXT LESSON IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 AT 11:30. Brian will have lesson before me. This will be my new time.