Hi all,

I have a question on behalf of my best friend's little sister. She has been given a few pieces by her cello teacher to play over the holidays (and obviously hasn't done any practice since her lessons before Christmas, as she sheepishly came to me today & asked how to play something and was desperate to find out before her first lesson back tomorrow!!) From my limited violin playing in my youth I know the notes are harmonics, but I'm not sure which finger & position she needs to use. The cello harmonics are written as an octave above each open string, with the little circle above each note. If this is simple to explain she would really appreciate a response before her lesson!!

Thanks!

Okay. The way you play these harmonics is to put your finger halfway down the string that the note is an octave above (so if it's a harmonic A, you put your finger halfway down the A-string). Don't press the finger down onto the string, just touch it, so the string doesnt touch the finger board. Bow. If the note isn't right, try moving the finger lightly up and down the string until you find it. The position it should be in is roughly a tone above her fourth finger when her hand is resting in fourth position (ie her hand resting on the curve of wood where the neck of the cello ends and the body begins). If you're completely stuck to find it, play the A on a piano or other instrument, and move your finger lightly up the A-string (still not pressing the string down) while bowing to find the right harmonic. You'll get a whole range of sounds, going high-to-lower-to-high, and the lowest point is the harmonic in the middle of the string.

If none of this works, ask the teacher

Thanks cellocase, I'll let her know!

I also suggested she wait and ask her teacher, but she obviously was feeling guilty about not having practised all holidays and wanted me to find out for her so she can impress her teacher (she wasn't too happy when I mentioned that practising a little more frequently would probably impress her teacher more!!)

Thanks again, she'll really appreciate it!

A brief question for Cellocase (or anyone else out there!) ...

I just phoned and let her know & she said that the music tells her to play the note with her 3rd finger. I suggested she play it with her 3rd finger at the place on the string where Cellocase suggested (actually, I told her again to ask her teacher, but after she protested I just told her to play it with her 3rd finger!). Would this be correct?

Thanks again!!

Yes, that's fine. Harmonics, especially at the level she's at, are usually played with 3rd finger. She'll probably find that if she keeps her thumb at the curve of wood where the neck meets the cello and just stretches out the third lightly on the correct string (making sure none of the other fingers are touching the string behind it), it should be in just about the right position for the harmonic. Tell her not to strain it, though - if she has small hands, it might not be in the correct place, and she doesn't want to strain her hands.

Fantastic. Thanks again for all your help Cellocase!

My nine-year-old daughter also had two pieces with harmonics in to play over the Christmas holiday. She was shown to play them with the third finger but it is quite a stretch for her from fourth position. She sort of curves her wrist round (if that makes sense) as well as moving up the finger-board. She is actually quite good at hitting the right spot, it is the move back into fourth position which is a bit more dubious (intonation wise) as she hasn't yet fully internalised the fact that it is not the second finger but the first which is under the thumb.

Well Phoebe is 10yrs old so hopfully her hands have grown a little bit more than your daughter Kerioboe!

No problem. Hope she enjoys playing such a wonderful instrument!