January 29, 2010 Cello Lesson

Played Schroeder #38. As expected, I will take one more week to tweak this piece. Following comments from B:

Intonation not the greatest; many of the low D's were out of tune

Slow down

Use the thumb to help hit the correct notes; second page, top line and third line where I was having problems. Line 1: 3rd measure E flat; Line 3: first measure D

When playing on the C and G string, the thumb can be more under the A and D strings

In line 4 (second page) use a D drone from the metronome to make sure the low D is in tune; also use flycasting technique for the low D in order to get the rest of the notes in

Need to apply more weight when playing the low D

Play at the tip for the 8 notes in order to have enough bow for the 16th notes

Make the 16th notes smoother

TRY THIS: Start upbow and see if the bowing is easier.

Make sure my fingers are not flat; should be slightly bowed

Use the thumb to hit correct notes.

Also played Bach Suite III, Bouree I and II

In I, still not watching the dynamics; also played too fast

In II, play pianissimo throughout. Make sure the bow travels and make sure to use the whole bow. Make sure that Bouree I and Bouree II are very different in style. Be more confident.

Put fingers down firmly when playing.

For next week, will continue to work on Bouree I and II but will also work on the first part of the Gigue. B wrote in fingerings, bowings, etc. No staccato where she slurred the bowing.

Practice

I've almost memorized Bouree II and that combined with the slower tempo (60) has seemed to really help. I'm able to concentrate on tone quality, fingerings, dynamics (though most of the piece is pianissimo) and bowing. The squeaking in Bouree I is still driving me nuts; it is always in the same place(s) so it seems like I should be able to correct myself. Will keep working on this. The fly casting exercise seems to help as I am hearing many of the notes "ring."

Schroeder #38 is going OK. I like the piece and will work to get it up to tempo as soon as I get more comfortable with the notes.

I plan to take Schroeder with me to HBO treatment tomorrow and try to visualize myself playing it well. Maybe if I do this every morning I will see a difference. I can also use the time to pencil in the notes for the upcoming pieces which are in tenor and treble clef, though I've noticed that my eyesight is starting to get worse (they warned me about this and it is temporary).

January 22, 2010 Cello Lesson

Played Schroeder #37 for the last time for a lesson. Started out OK, but then went back to previous bad habits.

Played Schroeder #38 for the first time (up to the fermata). Instead of playing at the point, B said to play between point and mid bow. This should make #38 more manageable. Play attention to the dynamics in the piece. In the long crescendo at the top of the second page, subdivide the measures from p to ff in order to gradually play louder. Make sure to leave enough bow to play the 16th notes. Let the bow continue through the air.

Bouree I and II

As expected, played both horribly. Earlier in the week I was doing OK with them, but as of late Wed. I noticed a definite decline in the quality.

In addition to every other comment about I and II:

I am playing too fast; set tempo at 60 and see if that helps. Use fly casting techniques, which we went over during the lesson, to help keep the bow moving and make the notes ring. The bow needs to keep traveling in the air. Start I closer to the frog (about 4 to 5 inches). In measures 4 and 5, play the C/G part of the chord almost as part of the G in measure 4.

Bouree II was especially terrible. Hopefully the slower tempo will help me.

Exercises to work on this week:

Flycasting: (straighten my elbow)

Vibrato: (fast, barely touching the string between first and fourth positions and then gradually slowing down)

Dynamics: On an open string, play softest up to loudest

Hopefully when I start feeling better my lessons will improve as will my overall practicing and playing in general.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy "Things They Don't Tell You"

Though this is a blog detailing my cello lessons, a big part of my cello playing lately has revolved around my health and my daily hyperbaric oxygen treatments.

While talking with my fellow divers this morning it occurred to me that no one really told me what to expect during the actual dives. Other divers concurred with this. So during the dive today, I decided to jot down everything I could think of that might be helpful to someone going through this therapy.

You need to be ready to go about 30 minutes before the dive begins so that vital signs, etc. can be taken. It is very annoying to be on time and have the same divers show up "late" every morning and hold up the beginning of the dive.

The nurses tend to downplay the importance of nose spray, but use it. It can't hurt and it beats having problems pressurizing.

During the first 10 minutes make sure you yawn, swallow, blow through your ears, whatever it takes to clear your ears. If you can't clear they have to take the chamber back to regular oxygen levels (like they did this morning) and it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to cycle through this again. A real pain.

The first dive is 45 minutes. If you are going to have any nausea, it will be during the first dive. I haven't had problems, but others have thrown up. It is a good idea to have a dry, dull breakfast before the dive. I've even noticed the difference in mornings when I had oatmeal for breakfast compared with mornings I had scramble eggs. This dive seems to last forever.

After 45 minutes we have a 10 minute snack break. I have 2 saltine packets and drink lots of water. It is still very loud in the chamber so no one talks except the technician (we have either Ernesto or David).

The final 45 minute dive seems to go by quicker than the first. During the last 10 minutes of this dive the technician breathes oxygen through some kind of regulator so that is a good indicator of how much time is left. Then comes the freezing time. The final 10 minutes or so in the chamber is freezing cold. At least the helmets and neck gadgets come off, but I need two blankets wrapped tightly to keep from freezing to death. It seems to take me a couple of hours to get my body back to a normal temperature.

The whole experience takes about 2 to 3 hours. I arrive at 7 am (or usually about 6:50). If we're lucky, we get the dive started on time at 7:30. This morning it was 8:00 am because the one new lady couldn't clear her ears and we had to start over. I'm usually in my car in the parking garage by 10 a.m. Of course, on days I have appts. or my cello lesson, we seem to go overtime.

You are told you can read; not actually true. You can read but it is very difficult to maintain reading due to the ripply plastic of the dive hood. I read a book with fairly large type size, but it is very tiring after awhile. It is easier to work on Suduko; my pages are large print. I also find it helps to pass the time if I write; almost anything will work.

It is hard to talk as the air pressure is really loud.

You can wear a watch and wedding band. The watch helps pass the time.

I find it helps to move around in the chair. The chair is not the most comfortable in the world; there is also a crate with a pillow you can prop your legs on. I find I am less nauseous if I keep my feet flat on the floor during dive 1. I'm afraid to nod off as I might fall out of the chair.

The other divers indicated that initially their wounds (diabetic) seemed to feel worse. This seemed to be my experience. I am on diver 13 as of today and am hopeful that in a couple of days I might feel some improvement (this is based on another divers experience; similar type of wound and she didn't feel any change until about diver 15; I've been told not to expect improvement until dive 20).

Make sure to go to the bathroom prior to entering the chamber. Sounds like common sense, but I've been told there have been occasions when divers have had to use either a tube (for the men) or a bed pan. Would not want to have that happen to me.

After two days I got my hair cut as it was always getting in the way of the neck ring. It still gets caught somewhat, but not as bad as before. Long hair also looks HORRIBLE coming out of the dive hood.

This may just be me, but I am usually somewhat exhausted for a couple of hours after each session. Don't know if it is the early morning sneaking up on me, or something in the extra oxygen. Another diver indicated she was nauseous for about 3 hours after each dive. The nurses indicated that everyone reacts differently to the treatment.

Notes on Bouree I and II During Hyperbaric Therapy

To help pass the 2 hours spent in the hyperbaric chamber every morning, this morning I jotted down everything I could think of related to Bouree I and II.

Bouree I

Overall: Keep the bow moving; use more bow, be fluid, place finger pads firmly on strings to avoid squeks. Bear down with the index finger when more pressure is needed.

Start mid bow, up bow, loud enough so the upcoming P is different. Combination of slurs and spicatto. Nail the C and the trill, F. Upbow again, MF followed by P, nail the G and all following. Make sure 6-9 is even and F. Repeat.

In the second section of Bouree I, start upbow, MF. In measures 12-14, make sure to hit the A,G#, F#. Bar the B and E which are played P. The next two measures are P, followed by F for two measures and then back to P. Make sure to play these dynamics as B indicated there was no difference in my dynamics last week. Make sure the repeat of 6 to 9 is played evenly; this time it is P, rather than F as it is in the first part. Watch the accents in the middle of this section. Think of Bouree I as a lively dance.

Bouree II

This is a dreamy, lazy dance. Even if the music indicates it, there is NO spicatto. I changed the 8 note slurs to 4 and 4, based on what some of the other copies of this music indicated. Hope this will be OK with B. The entire piece is mainly P and PP. Use the entire bow. Still need a lot of work on the fingerings. Try to remember to vibrato the quarter, half and doted half notes. The final chord can be played separate, but must be in tune; it is also P.

January 15, 2010 Cello Lesson

Schroeder #37

Prior to my lesson I watched this exercise on YouTube. Very impressive, though cellist's mannerisms were very annoying and detracted from the performance.

Watch intonation; if I suspect I am out-of-tune, fix immediately. Can play the notes separately to make sure each note is in tune.

Measures 18 and 33 are harmonics.

Can remove thumb from fingerboard to accurately play some of the more difficult extensions.

Overall, use the entire bow and make sure it is as smooth as possible!!!!!

B didn't mention, but when I practice this week, pay attention to the dynamics.

Did better in the second section than the first.

Will work on this for one more week. Will concentrate on the first two lines, memorize them in order to really pay attention to bowing and smooth transitions.

Bouree I

There is not enough difference in the dynamics. Keep the bow moving. Use index finger to help control the bow especially in 6-9 and 27-29. Make sure those sections are even and not skippy.

Overall, I is still too punchy; needs to be more fluid. Lots of squeaking; make sure fingers are firmly on the strings.

Bouree II

Recheck fingerings; should not be any fourth fingers played above the D on the D string.

Overall, use more bow.

Will stay in 2nd position throughout II.

Goals for 2010

Technical Issues

1. Vibrato: make vibrato a natural part of everything I play and continue to practice separate from any specific piece of music

2. Extensions: work on forward extensions and consistently play them as an extension and not as a shift

3. Use More Bow: pay attention to bow distribution

4. Smoother Bowing: become more fluid especially when changing strings

5. Fingers: Keep separate, don't bunch up; play slower music more on pad, faster music more on tips

6. Dynamics: Be aware and play accordingly

7. Tempo: Aim for consistency and use the metronome when practicing

8. Get rid of all pre-B bad habits: looking at fingerboard, playing on top of the fingerboard, stretching the cello away from body, pinky up in the air, bow not straight,etc. etc. etc.

Practice Issues

1. Aim for a minimum of 1 hour per day of practice.

2. At the beginning of every practice work on 8 scales.

3. Every practice will consist of scales, Schroeder and music.

4. Set up video camera and film snippets of music; critique.

Music Issues

Subject to B's approval, these are some pieces of music I would like to work on in 2010. In addition to these, anything assigned by B. Goal is to be open minded about all music and at least give it a chance.

1. Bach Suite III

2. Bach Suite I

3. Bach Arioso

4. Faure Sicilienne

5. Faure Elegy

6. Mendelssohn Song Without Words

7. Paradis Sicilienne

8. Squire Bouree (revisist)

Overall, play more in the tenor clef.

Get close to the end of Schroeder Book 1. This may be long term.

Miscellaneous Issues

1. cellistjournal.blogspot.com Maintain at least weekly updates to the blog. Make the blog an accurate record of my progress and lack thereof.

2. Become a "follower" on some of the cello blogs I frequently visit and begin interacting with some of the amateur cellists who appear to be close to me in skill.

3. Look into starting an amateur cellist organization in the Orlando area; look into using MeetUp format or other online way of communicating with other area cellists to enhance education opportunities. This may be long term and will probably have to wait until I recover from upcoming surgeries.

January 8, 2010 Cello Lesson

Today's lesson was the first in about a month (due to my surgery, recovery, etc.). Overall, it went better than I expected.

Played Schroeder, #37, Emily's Song. For next week I need to slur the measures and use MORE BOW throughout. Will need to work on smooth chord changes in each measure.

Also played the Bouree I and II from Bach's Suite III.

Bouree I: Make sure to show a difference in the dynamics. In measure 2, really hit the C and following chord. In measure 6 make sure to play evenly, and not like skipping. Overall, the dynamics need to reflect the importance of that portion of the music (this may not correspond to the dynamics listed on the music.)

In the second section of I there are a couple of measure that can be bracketed. In measure 27, play evenly. Make sure the final chord is in tune.

The Bouree II is very different from I. There should be no staccato (even if indicated in music). Should be seemless, a dream sequence, hazy, pastel tones, muted tones. Will be pianissimo throughout the piece. First time played, play in first position. In the repeat play in 2nd posistion. Will probably need to make, or get,a clean copy of this and write out the fingerings forthe repeat.