Is it necessary to use two text books to learn the cello?, Choosing cello text books Options

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There are two text books for me to choose learn a cello, the Suzuki Cello School and Essential Elements 2000 for Strings Cello Book. Have you heard about those two cello text books? Is it necessary to use two cello text books or the Suzuki Cello School text book is sufficient? What text books does a Suzuki teacher usually use to teach the cello? Thank you for your answer.

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[quote name='pop' date='Mar 7 2012, 02:42 AM' post%

[Roseau]

The Susuki cello book would be no use for self study - it doesn't contain any technical information at all.
Although that said, I don't think it would be very easy to teach yourself the cello anyway and if you have/are going to get a teacher, surely it would be better to ask them what they recommend as a book.

[pop]

Hi, I did not say self study. If you are a teacher or expert, just provide your opinion. Is it necessary to use two text books to teach cello?

[Maizie]

Yes - and then some! You will not find everything to learn about playing the cello in one book!
If you mean simultaneously, then it is probably not necessary but it might be the choice of the teacher to have different styles of music or learning available. I had A Tune A Day and the Contemporary Cellist as s child, as well as a scale book, and other music that the school and teacher had available to share. Plodding through one book only can be boring.

[linda.ff]

There are two text books for me to choose learn a cello, the Suzuki Cello School and Essential Elements 2000 for Strings Cello Book. Have you heard about those two cello text books? Is it necessary to use two cello text books or the Suzuki Cello School text book is sufficient? What text books does a Suzuki teacher usually use to teach the cello? Thank you for your answer.

A Suzuki teacher would normally teach you to play it by ear, surely? At least for the first couple of years.

[sbhoa]

I don't teach cello but for the two instruments I do teach I find using one book only rather restrictive. I don't see why cello would be any different. Do you have an objection to having more music?

[Roseau]

Hi, I did not say self study. If you are a teacher or expert, just provide your opinion. Is it necessary to use two text books to teach cello?

I know you didn't but it seemed a strange question - if you have a teacher and the teacher asked for the two books it suggested that you didn't altogether trust your teacher, and to me that seemed a more damning assumption than the idea that you might be teaching yourself.

As others have said, having more than one book provides some variety. I'm not overly familiar with Essential Elements (and might possibly be confusing it with a different book) but (if it is the book I think it is)then it has more "traditional" exercises and labels the different parts of the cello/bow etc. whereas the Susuki has lots of "nice tunes" (this is not meant in a pejorative way) so I would have thought they would complement each other quite well.

My daughter started the cello with a German tutor book (we are in France so I don't know why it was in German) and fairly rapidly this was supplemented with other things like "Stepping Stones" and "Cello Time Joggers."

[delicato]

There are two text books for me to choose learn a cello, the Suzuki Cello School and Essential Elements 2000 for Strings Cello Book. Have you heard about those two cello text books? Is it necessary to use two cello text books or the Suzuki Cello School text book is sufficient? What text books does a Suzuki teacher usually use to teach the cello? Thank you for your answer.

Sorry my post did not work for some reason. But i simple said that, you can use as many books as you wish. The Suzuki books are a specific way of teaching cello, like the suzuki method of learning violin. Not everyone likes the Suzuki method. So it depends on what you prefer and also maybe what your teacher prefers. I like a variety of books myself. I do not specifically know the other cello book - so cannot comment on this. I am sure there must be quite a variety of books out there and if you have a teacher you may like to discuss with them first before you buy. Hope that helps.

[Roseau]

There are two text books for me to choose learn a cello, the Suzuki Cello School and Essential Elements 2000 for Strings Cello Book. Have you heard about those two cello text books? Is it necessary to use two cello text books or the Suzuki Cello School text book is sufficient? What text books does a Suzuki teacher usually use to teach the cello? Thank you for your answer.

I am sure there must be quite a variety of books out there and if you have a teacher you may like to discuss with them first before you buy. Hope that helps.

Actually, that was the other thing that struck me as slightly odd about your post. You say: "there are two text books for me to choose"; I'd have said that there at least half a dozen and probably more so why narrow your choice down to just these two.

[miffy]

Was it your teacher who gave the names of these books? If so, did they ask you to get them both or choose between the two?
If you haven't yet started with a teacher and these were just the 2 books you saw in a shop, it would be better to wait and see what your teacher wants you to buy as they will have their own way of doing things.

[pop]

Hey, I know two teachers. One is a licensed Suzuki teacher and she just uses one Suzuki text book. Another teacher is a regular teacher but she teaches by the Suzuki method too. She uses two text books, however. So, I wonder whether it is necessary to use two text books to teacher the cello by the Suzuki method or one Suzuki text book is sufficient. I prefer a cello teacher to answer this question and explain why?

[sbhoa]

Hey, I know two teachers. One is a licensed Suzuki teacher and she just uses one Suzuki text book. Another teacher is a regular teacher but she teaches by the Suzuki method too. She uses two text books, however. So, I wonder whether it is necessary to use two text books to teacher the cello by the Suzuki method or one Suzuki text book is sufficient. I prefer a cello teacher to answer this question and explain why?

you might get several different answers from teachers. Why not ask the teacher you are interested in if you think it's an issue? They will have their own reasons which will probably be very similar to the replies you've already had.

[miffy]

you might get several different answers from teachers. Why not ask the teacher you are interested in if you think it's an issue? They will have their own reasons which will probably be very similar to the replies you've already had.

Exactly right.
When you start with a teacher they will let you know which books to get.
We are all different!

[linda.ff]

Hey, I know two teachers. One is a licensed Suzuki teacher and she just uses one Suzuki text book. Another teacher is a regular teacher but she teaches by the Suzuki method too. She uses two text books, however. So, I wonder whether it is necessary to use two text books to teacher the cello by the Suzuki method or one Suzuki text book is sufficient. I prefer a cello teacher to answer this question and explain why?

Well, I'm not a cello teacher, but being slightly acquainted with the Suzuki method, I might be able to give you one possible reason why.

The Suzuki method is taught by ear for the first few books' worth. So you get the basics of your cello technique and your musicianship without having to learn the reading of the notes as well. Instead you are required to do a lot of listening. Normally the Suzuki beginner is a young child, but older pupils have started as well.

Now, this means that you don't read music for a while, so it doesn't matter if the pieces you begin on are tricky to read, as long as they are easy enough to play. They aren't the same thing.

In Britain a child is likely to be getting involved in musical activities with other people at an earlier stage than Suzuki originally envisged, and would therefore be required to read the music at an earlier stage. My daughters' own Suzuki violin teacher used to start them readng about two books earlier than recommended, although they weren't reading the Suzuki pieces.

Probably a teacher who is teaching Suzuki and anothr book as well is trying to teach the techniques and tone production the Suzuki way, but also having a book of easy-to read pieces as well, so that the reading can begin in a simple way, but not from the Suzuki pieces.

Does this make sense?