spelunking
Eigen John T was telling me about a student of his that collapses her left arm when playing on the A string. This is fairly common, and universally destructive, as it causes tension, injury, and unreliable intonation. Try this exercise…
Category archive
for GGP
June=Left Hand Month!
I have a student who I am going to be photographing and modifying in terms of her left hand technique, but I invite you guys to send me your own queries.
real time, part 4: really real
Yesterday, Jen had to take a little break because of a long-standing back issue (which does not benefit from tense cello playing, or any cello playing for that matter). So here’s her 2 cents worth. We have a lesson tomorrow,…
real time, part 3: attack of Alligator Arms
Says Jen: Just as I thought I was beginning to get a handle on playing with complete relaxation……….I tried the thumb position. My left shoulder seems to lag behind in this shift. I spent the majority of my time telling…
real time, part 2: giant steps
Here’s the next entry in Jen’s battle, tentatively named CelloQuest ’08: Today was all about learning to feel the strings. I would not allow myself to squeeze at all with my left thumb and this caused me to change the…
real time
One of my students has agreed to chronicle the progress in her battle with arm tension here on SRCB. A little preface: She has been playing for 2 years, has participated in every recital I have scheduled in that period,…
cleared for takeoff
I have been cleared into the audition process. Now the epic battle with Mr. Juan can truly commence. Ah, the small but relentless tenor of added pressure makes everything just a little bit more…intense. For instance, my day today, which…
Hey, big spender
There are things to spend on, and things to skimp on. Here are my thoughts on getting the most bang for your cello buck. Spend on: initial beginner celloGoing the $200 cello route is like Russian roulette. Sometimes you get…
Maximizing your lesson experience
Nearly everything about the cello is, upon initial inspection, prohibitive. It’s big. It’s low. It’s difficult. It’s expensive. It reads that clef you didn’t really master when you took piano lessons. If you manage to get past all of those…