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Cello, Teaching myself

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poppys	Mar 24 2007, 09:55 AM Post #1
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 171 Joined: 12-June 04 Member No.: 1495	I have been trying to teach myself cello for a few weeks -is there anybody who could give me advice?

cellocase	Mar 24 2007, 10:06 AM Post #2
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 748 Joined: 17-June 06 Member No.: 7181	The advice I will always give is go get some lessons, even if you're only going to get a couple and then stop - it's so easy to slip into bad habits, and the cello has many things you have to think about posture-wise at the start. Ask a cello-playing friend if you can't get lessons for some reason, but there's no substitute for a teacher =) Enjoy!!

elisabeth_rb	Mar 24 2007, 10:51 PM Post #3
Prodigy Group: Members Posts: 1383 Joined: 27-March 05 From: Sheffield, UK Member No.: 3400	Yup, that's exactly what I would have said. You have an advantage in already knowing some violin, but don't try to go it completely alone. It's hard to learn anything with no teacher, but music has to come close to the top of the list!

Lexa	Mar 26 2007, 08:23 PM Post #4
Member Group: Members Posts: 70 Joined: 10-June 06 Member No.: 7124	QUOTE(poppys @ Mar 24 2007, 10:55 AM) I have been trying to teach myself cello for a few weeks -is there anybody who could give me advice? I thought I'd get myself going with the violin too...... a few days later it was badly out of tune adn I didn't know how to tune it. So I got myself some lessons and I have a fantastic teacher. After only 2 lessons I was playing simple tunes and I love it. Bottom line, you just CAN'T teach yourself a string instrument. Get some lessons.

elisabeth_rb	Mar 28 2007, 09:05 PM Post #5
Prodigy Group: Members Posts: 1383 Joined: 27-March 05 From: Sheffield, UK Member No.: 3400	QUOTE(Lexa @ Mar 26 2007, 09:23 PM) I thought I'd get myself going with the violin too...... a few days later it was badly out of tune adn I didn't know how to tune it. Yeah, I have the same problem - no idea how to tune Vicki without the pegs going mad and, when I told my teacher she must show me how to do it, she said (get this ) 'Grade 5'!!!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Like, just 'cos it says you must be able to tune your own instrument by then, you can't do it earlier!!!

Jake	Mar 28 2007, 09:12 PM Post #6
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 22 Joined: 28-January 07 Member No.: 9263	QUOTE(elisabeth_rb @ Mar 28 2007, 09:05 PM) Yeah, I have the same problem - no idea how to tune Vicki without the pegs going mad and, when I told my teacher she must show me how to do it, she said (get this ) 'Grade 5'!!!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Like, just 'cos it says you must be able to tune your own instrument by then, you can't do it earlier!!! That's absurd. How can you practise getting your intonation right (or better, at least) if you don't tune your instrument before you practise? Do you have fine tuners on all strings? If so, it's easy - you just need one of those electronic thingies.

Exen	Mar 28 2007, 09:15 PM Post #7
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 9 Joined: 17-March 07 From: Texas Member No.: 10125	QUOTE(Jake @ Mar 28 2007, 04:12 PM) QUOTE(elisabeth_rb @ Mar 28 2007, 09:05 PM) Yeah, I have the same problem - no idea how to tune Vicki without the pegs going mad and, when I told my teacher she must show me how to do it, she said (get this ) 'Grade 5'!!!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Like, just 'cos it says you must be able to tune your own instrument by then, you can't do it earlier!!! That's absurd. How can you practise getting your intonation right (or better, at least) if you don't tune your instrument before you practise? Do you have fine tuners on all strings? If so, it's easy - you just need one of those electronic thingies. I would have to say the same thing, the first lesson I had for violin, my instructor taught me how to tune it, even though it was rather straight forward from the start.

Lexa	Mar 29 2007, 08:52 AM Post #8
Member Group: Members Posts: 70 Joined: 10-June 06 Member No.: 7124	Well my teacher has show me several times how to tune my violin and I just can't get it right. Whenever one of the pegs has slipped etc whenever I try to tune it, I make it sound worse. I guess it'll come with practice but it is frustrating.

littlelady87	Mar 29 2007, 03:40 PM Post #9
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 447 Joined: 10-October 06 From: Kent Member No.: 7932	I can FINALLY tune my violin; my teacher showed me after two or three lessons but I had to get used to twisting the pegs with enough controlled force. I use the pegs for G and D, and the fine tuner for E and A. (The E string snapped in my face when I used the peg before so I don't dare now.)

elisabeth_rb	Mar 29 2007, 06:15 PM Post #10
Prodigy Group: Members Posts: 1383 Joined: 27-March 05 From: Sheffield, UK Member No.: 3400	Yeah, I think my teacher's 'Grade 5' response was possibly a 'don't worry about it' rather than a 'I'm not telling you'. I get my new Conservatoire viola in about a month and I will ask the shop to show me how to tune it, then just get more tips from my teacher later on. I doubt she really meant that I wasn't allowed to know just yet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Also, Vicki's pegs were BAD when I first got her and my teacher had to fight with them for a while every lesson. Now that I've had them seen to, the tuning remains intact longer and only needs a few tweaks at the beginning of each lesson. Yes, I have those little fine tuning pegs below the string.

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