PRIVATE CELLO GOES PUBLIC

Tried-and-True Studio Fundamentals for Your Orchestra Class

ASTA National ConferenceAlbuquerque, NM
Presented b Cornelia !at"ins
Februar #$, #%%&
HOLDING THE CELLO
o SeatingStudent sits on flat-bottomed chair, 'ertebrae stac"ed and balanced o'er (el'is, )ith
a sli*ht tilt for)ard from the (el'is+ Chair hei*ht should allo) "nees to be le'el )ith the seat of
the chair or sli*htl lo)er,"nees should not be hi*her+
o Cello Height,-.tended end(in should brin* the corner of the cello to the inside of the
student/s left "nee, and ri*ht "nee brou*ht in to comfortabl su((ort cello from the other side+
0ac" of cello should come to the middle of student/s breastbone+
o Scroll and fingerboard positionNec" of cello (asses o'er left shoulder, and (e* bo. and
scroll should be behind the student/s head+ Fin*erboard should be strai*ht to bod 1not an*led
across bod2 for ease of left arm mo'ement+
o Hug-a-celloStudent should be able to (ut arms comfortabl around cello in this (osition 1li"e
s3he is hu**in* it2,if the bod of the cello is too far a)a, lo)er end(in and brin* cello in
closer to the student+
o Finding positioning height for both arms4 start )ith u((er arms touchin* torso, forearms
e.tended )ith (alms u(+ 5Pi'ot6 arms, so that elbo)s mo'e a)a from bod, and hands mo'e
to)ard center in front of bod (alms do)n+ !hen (lain*, chec" that elbo)s do not *et hi*her
b doin* this (ositionin* chec" in re'erse+
THE BOW
BOW HANDshape and position
o 0e sure to ha'e student support upper half of bow with left hand )hile settin* bo) hold+
o Positioning of fingers Note that (in" is on side of the stic", not on to( of the stic" 'iolin-
stle+
o Position thumb on bo) o((osite #
nd
fin*er+ Side
of thumb touches the bo) at the corner of the thumb
nail+ Placin* thumb flat causes undo tension in bo)
hand+
o PronationOnce fin*ers are (ositioned on bo), ad7ust hand an*le b *entl rotatin* the
forearm so that the outer bone of forearm is 5abo'e6 the inner bone+ The more the arm is
turned 1(ronated2 the more (otential (ressure is mo'ed to the u((er (arts of the bo)+ 10e sure
students do not chan*e (lacement of hand or fin*ers on bo) )hile turnin* arm+2
o Tr dra)in* eyeballs on first t)o "nuc"les so the can 5)atch6 )hat/s *oin* on 1the eeballs
)on/t be able to 5see6 the bo) on the strin* if the hand slum(s bac")ards+2
o Flicking Water!hile maintainin* bo) hold and continuin* to su((ort bo) )ith left hand,
ha'e student sha"e ri*ht arm as thou*h flic"in* )ater off his hand,student/s fin*er (ads
should clin* to stic", but 7oints of hand and )rist should be free enou*h to mo'e easil+
o Push and Pull!hile left hand resists, student (ushes and (ulls bo) in u(- and do)n-bo)
directions,7oints of hand and )rist should fle. and *i'e, but clin* to their s(ots, and the hand
should ne'er fall bac")ards+
BOW ARM freedomthe MARIONETTE IMAGE
o First )ithout cello, ha'e student ima*ine s3he is a marionette, )ith ri*ht arm han*in* loosel b
side+ 18emember4 marionettes are made of onl (ieces of )ood and )ire for 7oints,no
muscles92
o :ma*ine there is a strin* attached to bac" of our elbo), and ha'e our 5(u((eteer6 raise our
elbo) about half-)a u( to shoulder hei*ht+ ;i'e our
forearm a sho'e )ith the left hand and see if it )ill s)in*
loosel li"e it reall is attached b )ires+
o No) ima*ine there is a strin* attached to the to( of the )rist, and
ha'e our (u((eteer raise that almost to elbo) hei*ht+ S)in* the
forearm a*ain,this is the basic d<tach< stro"e+
o No) *i'e this a tr holdin* the cello, (lacin* bo) in hand 7ust before
the last ste( 1d<tach< stro"e2+ 0e sure arm is (ronated before trin*
stro"e on cello+
o :f durin* an of this e.ercise the shoulder lifts u( or stiffens, sni(
that shoulder strin* 1it shouldn/t be there in the first (lace92 and let the
shoulder dro( and rela.+
STRING LEVELSTHE ELBOW SHELF:ma*ine four 5shel'es6 b our elbo), one
for each strin*+ -ach time ou chan*e strin*s, let the elbo) rest on the a((ro(riate 5shelf+6 :t hel(s
to 5(lo(6 the elbo) onto each 5shelf6 and ma"e it seem li"e it is reall restin* there 1mime-stle2 to
disco'er ho) to use as fe) muscles as (ossible to su((ort the elbo)+
BASIC ARTICULATIONS & BOW STROKES
o Dtach,smooth bac"-and-forth stro"e+ Motion is from elbo) onl, u((er half of the bo),
strai*ht bac" and forth stro"e on the strin*+ Forearm s)in*s li"e a door on a hin*e, shoulder
do)n and rela.ed+ 1See marionette ima*e, abo'e+2
o !"ubber band# stroke,a faster 'ersion of the d<tach< motion+ :ma*ine a lar*e rubber band
loo(ed from the fin*erboard to the bo) 1or tr usin* one92+ Ma"e the do)n-bo) motion acti'e
b (ushin* a*ainst the rubber band, then let the bo) arm *o (assi'e, allo)in* the rubber band
2
to brin* the bo) bac" to the startin* (osition+
o $rticulated Strokes 1Sto(-Sto(, 5Ta-Ta62,t)o-(art stro"e4 =2 catch strin* firml )ith bo),
(ut (ressure on bo) in an u(- or do)n-bo) direction, and #2 let bo) release in that direction+
0o) mo'es across the strin* but not pressing into the strin* durin* the 5aaah6 (art of the
stro"e+
o %arying $rticulationsSounds that )e use for 'ocal articulation contributes directl to
musical e.(ression+ Sin* a (assa*e )ith sllables that seem li"e a natural choice for the "ind
of music it is, and notice )hether ou are usin* a hard consonant li"e 5T6, softer ones li"e 5>6
or 5P6, or the softest ones such as 5?6, 5M6 or 5Y6+ @se that as our choice for articulatin* )ith
the bo)+
o Dance strokes &lifted or scooped strokes'ha'e student 5dance6 their ri*ht hand in the air
,this natural liftin* motion is the same motion that ma"es beautiful articulation for most dance
(ieces li"e minuets, *a'ottes, etc+
o (egato,stead, consistent sound durin* each stro"e )ith smooth, connected bo) chan*es+
:ma*e of con)eyor belt )or"s )ell4 belt mo'es at one s(eed, and sli(s around a little )heel at
end of run )ithout chan*in* (ressure or s(eed+ Student can ma"e small circular motion at end
of each stro"e )ith fin*ers and )rist+ :t is not necessar to use entire bo) for le*ato,it/s often
better to sta in one (art of the bo) to (ractice u(-and do)n-bo) chan*es+
shaping a beautiful legato phrase
Fine masonry*:ma*ine that each bo) stro"e is a bric", and )e tr to la the bric"s so close
to*ether 1smooth bo) chan*es2 that it is hard to see )here one ends and the ne.t be*ins+ The
hei*ht of the bric"s 1consistenc of sound )ith (ressure3s(eed of bo)2 needs to be e.actl the
same, so that )hen )e stand bac" the cumulati'e affect is of one 'er lon* bric"+
*becomes $"+, No) ima*ine those bric"s are malleable, so ou can sha(e them lar*er and
smaller+ Ma"e the first bloc" start small and *et bi**er, then sha(e the ne.t bloc" to the e.act
hei*ht of the (re'ious and continue the line, and so forth+ The idea a*ain is that )hen ou stand
bac", it creates the illusion of one continuous line rather than se'eral bloc"s stac"ed alon* side
one another+
3
PRESSURE/SPEED/PLACEMENTThese are the three 'ariables of the bo) that create
a (alette of sounds and dnamics+ Aa'e students describe them usin* colorful ad7ecti'es rather than
loud3soft or *ood3bad+ 1See chart belo) for possibilities,there are no ri*ht or )ron* ans)ers9 ?et
students ha'e fun describin* the sounds in their o)n )ords+2
Placement- near fingerboard
Pressure li*ht medium
hea'
S(eed
slo)
medium
fast
Placement- middle &between fingerboard and bridge'
Pressure li*ht medium
hea'
S(eed slo)
medium
fast

Placement- near bridge
Pressure li*ht medium
hea'
S(eed
slo)
medium
fast

+ranslating an emotional gesture into a soundAo) )ould ou use our hands if ou )ere
trin* to sooth someone )ho is u(setB :f ou )ere bein* em(hatic about a somethin* im(ortantB
Cautious, distant strained Strangled
Feathery Pushed Choked
Breezy, silky Rushing ripping
gentle thick dense
flowing Warm, generous Strong, proud
free Lush, old stri!ing
"lectronic, glassy Sharply focused intense
edgy gritty grating
metallic coarse scraping
4
:f ou )ere the "in* and bein* re*alB Or ima*ine a scene4 Ao) )ould ou *esture to sho) a
*rand, e.(ansi'e sceneB Or )hat lo) fo* on a la"e loo"s li"eB Transfer that *esture into a bo)
stro"e,it often translates directl into the e.(ressi'e sound ou/re loo"in* for+
THE LEFT HAND
BASIC HAND SHAPE
o Create an o(en C sha(e )ith left hand+
o Place fin*ers on strin*s,"ee( the o(en sha(e rather than curlin* fin*ers u( more,ou )ill be
(lain* our on fin*er (ads rather than fin*er ti(s+
o Thumb is o((osite #
nd
fin*er,touchin* bac" of nec" li*htl or not at all,definitel not
squeeCin*9
o Fin*ers should an*le slightly do)n the strin*, rather than (er(endicular to the stin*s,it )ill
be easier for students to ma"e measurements+
Coat hanger image,to "ee( thumb from squeeCin*+ -lbo) should be raised, )rist sli*htl
de(ressed, and )ei*ht added to forearm, li"e the feelin* of han*in* a hea' coat on our han*er+
Careful4 :f )rist is raised and elbo) lo)ered, )ei*ht cannot be a((lied efficientl, and thumb )ill start
to squeeCe a*ain+
The dead arm exercise to disco)er how to use only the muscles needed
=+ Student han*s arm lim(l at side li"e it is dead+
#+ Assistant 1teacher or fello) student2 (ic"s u( the dead arm b holdin* on to one fin*er, and
sha"es it to be sure the arm is still lim(+ 1This ste( ma ha'e to be re(eated until student can
*et used to not hel(in*+2
D+ A tin bit of life comes bac" into the 5dead arm,6 but onl in the one fin*er bein* held b the
assistant,enou*h that it can sta hoo"ed on to the assistant/s fin*er on its o)n+ The rest of
the student/s hand and arm should sta hea', lim(, and 5s(on*+6 The assistant should be
able to 5squish6 the student/s hand easil, and should still feel the student/s full arm )ei*ht+
E+ Assistant tries to sha"e off the 5dead arm6 but it stas clin*in* b the one 5li'e fin*er+6 1This
motion is )hat 'ibrato )ill feel li"e+2
F+ This 5li'e fin*er6 attached to the 5dead arm6 can be hun* on the cello fin*erboard 5coat han*er6
stle+
5
Hand shape/intonation
o Natural fin*er s(acin* )on/t be bi* enou*h for first (osition, so students need to find )as to
e.(and hand sha(e without tensing hand,the s(acin* )ill be strained and difficult if
muscles are too ti*ht+
o Find spacing. then rela/ as man muscles as (ossible )hile retainin* the basic sha(e+
Students can e.(eriment )ith fin*er s(acin* a)a from the cello to disco'er )as to o(en the
s(acin* of the fin*ers )ithout )orrin* about also (ushin* do)n strin*s+
o Consider usin* onl one tape for the first fin*er, rather than one at e'er half-ste(+ Fourth
fin*er (itch is eas to test )ith half-harmonics+ Sho) students ho) to use =
st
, #
nd
, and D
rd

(artials and sympathetic )ibrations to test notes for the best intonation,let those cellos rin*9
o 0nternali1e finger spacing,Aa'e students define for themsel'es ho) bi* the s(acin* is
bet)een their fin*ers 1i+e+, 5As )ide as : can stretch m fin*ers,6 or 50i*, but not quite as far
a(art as : can stretch them+62 Students should be as"ed to feel measurements first before
loo"in*+
o 2easurementsTeach students to measure )here'er the *o in one (osition,no hand-
ho((in*+ + Measurements across the strin*s )ill al)as be lar*er because of the added
distance from one strin* to another+
o +endency 0ntonation4 #
nd
and D
rd
fin*ers tend to drift to)ard each other, resultin* in intonation
(roblems such as a shar( #
nd
fin*er C natural or a flat Drd fin*er F G+ Aa'e students (ractice
fin*erin* combinations of =DE and =#E, "ee(in* the half-ste( small, and ma"in* an e.tra
)ide stretch bet)een the fin*ers for the )hole ste(+
o Fourth Position- An eas and comfortable )a for students to e.(and ran*e on cello+ 0e
sure student dro(s thumb as far as it )ill *o 1to the croo" of the nec"2 and then finds first fin*er
in relation to the thumb 1usuall sli*htl 5flat6 to the thumb, thou*h sometimes directl o((osite
it,this 'aries from cello to cello2+ The s(acin* of the fin*ers to reach the other notes are
*enerall )ell in tune if the student can sli( a fin*er on his ri*ht hand side)as in the s(aces+
o +arget practicean e/cellent and easy way for students to practice their intonation3
Pic" one note that is re(eated se'eral times o'er a short (hrase+ Find the e.act (itch ou
)ant to hear for this note, and (la it for a lon* time, stron* and clear+ Pla the (assa*e )ith a
*enerall soft dnamic, e.ce(t for this note )hich is (laed stron*, lon*, and clear e.actl (itch
e'er time+
Extensions0e sure students understand that an e/tension affects the spacing between first
and second fingers only3 >ra) it on the board,be sure the reall can see it9
o Can you point4 For 5do)n)ards6 or 5bac")ards6 e.tensions 1to reach 0b/s, -b/s etc+2, (oint
first fin*er, and be sure thumb stas )ith second fin*er+
o For 5u()ards6 e.tensions 1to
reach FG/s, CG/s, etc+2 (i'ot on
first fin*er and drop the rest of
6
the hand+ Tr the e.ercise (ictured here to *et comfortable )ith the 5dro(6 feelin* of an eas
e.tension+
o Tr it on the cello, at first )ith the first fin*er touchin* the side of the nec", then on the A strin*+
!hen hand dro(s, fin*er can la strai*ht a*ainst nec" 1a hel(ful e.a**eration of the motion92
o Hand should end up in the same shape, )hether motion came from the 5(oint6 or the 5dro(+6
o -.tensions are easier to learn startin* from the A and *raduall )or"in* across to the lo)er
strin*s, since the on the lo)er strin* side the fin*erboard slo(es a)a from the hand, ma"in* it
more a)")ard to reach+
Shifts
o 5now where you6re going, Student should first familiariCe him3her self )ith the note or
(osition b s(endin* time hearin* the note, sin*in* the (itch, *ettin* familiar )ith the feel of
the (osition, hand sha(e, etc+
o Short shifts should happen in one 7uick motion,a li*ht sna( or clic" in the hand+
7
o (onger shifts should be thought of as a cur)ed line, )ith a hand or fin*er *lidin* li*htl
alon* the strin*, then arri'in* firml on the note+ Tr usin* the ima*e of an airline flight map,
)ith cur'ed lines to (recise destinations+
o Practice shifts with confidence, e'en if the shift is missed,sim(l re-e'aluate ho) far the
hand needs to mo'e and tr a*ain+
o Hand preparation3 Aa'e student (la current note )hile ma"in* sure the hand is read to
mo'e to ne) (osition4 shift fin*er is as close to arri'al s(ot as (ossible, thumb is free, ener*
is to)ard the ne) (osition,then release hand9
VibratoMotion for cello 'ibrato is from the elbo), li"e the motion that ou use to sha"e a can of
s(ra (aint or a bottle of salad dressin*+
=+ ShakeStudent (ractices the sha"in* 1'ibrato2 motion )ithout the cello
#+ Slide,motion is (laced on the celloH hand should slide li*htl from first to fourth (osition,
'er fast but as freel as (ossible+
D+ Choose fingerStudent chooses one fin*er 1usuall easiest )ith #
nd
or D
rd
2 and be*ins to
add arm )ei*ht to that fin*er, usin* the coat han*er ima*e+
E+ $dd full weight!hen fin*er (ad starts to burn, let it stic" do)n to the fin*erboard, but be
sure not to chan*e the s(eed and )idth in the arm motion+ To continue freest motion, be
sure thumb doesn/t start to *rab+ Fin*er (ad should squish, not roll, on strin*3fin*erboard+
F+ Stay wide and free, 0e sure student realiCes that the fin*er stas (ut because it is stuc"
do)n on the fin*erboard, not because the motion of the arm *ets smaller+ This 'ibrato )ill
be )ild-and-)ool soundin*, but that is o"a,it/s much easier to tame this 'ibrato than to
o(en u( a ti*ht 'ibrato+
I+ 2onkey %ibratofor lo)-(osition 'ibratin* that tends to feel a)")ard4 Put fin*erti(s on
shoulder, and folded-u( arm e'en )ith our bac"+ 8oc" the forearm and hand for)ard, then
bac" to startin* (osition, as if it )ere rotatin* on a rod throu*h the u((er arm+ -lbo) can be
braced a*ainst )all if it mo'es too much+
%ibrato one of the most directly e/pressi)e techni7ues a student learns,and the usuall can/t
)ait to do it9 :ntroduce it as earl as (ossible since it/s one of the best reasons for students not to
squeeCe thumbs+
o +he 8lbow SwitchAs students *et more familiar )ith 'ibrato, be sure to remind them
that the motion is comin* from the elbo) and arm, not the fin*ers, so it is not necessar
to sto( 'ibrato from fin*er to fin*er+ Turn on the 5elbo) s)itch6 and "ee( it runnin* )hile
fin*ers chan*e+
o Also *ood to install a !dimmer switch# for 'aried 'ibrato9
SPEED and WIDTH are the # 'ariable dimensions of 'ibrato,culti'ate each as(ect se(aratel
and to*ether+ To be*in, tr )ide3slo) and )ide3fast, narro)3slo) and narro)3fast )ithout the bo)+
Then e.(lore each )ith a loud, medium and soft dnamics+ >isco'er )hat combinations )or" the
best, and the amaCin* 'ariet of sounds that are (ossible )hen ou combine colorful 'ibrato )ith our
(alette of sounds )ith the bo)9
Clinic (resented b Cornelia !at"ins
$JDE 8ailton
Aouston, TK JJ%&%
J=D-&$F-JJF&
rosindustLearthlin"+net
)))+rosindust+com

8
NOTES
9