HI Everyone

I just wanted some advice from anyone who may have already done do so.......... I am planning to move from playing violin to cello, after some years. I am not a professioanl player by any stretch of the imagination. I have played Violin since high school (off and on) over about 10 years in between periods of Uni study and Work.

I can probably play grade four violin with comfort (after practice and warm up lol). But I now wanted to try an new instrument, and obivous choice was another string. So I chose cello. I have never even held a cello, nor had much experience of bass clef music really - but have always been amazed at it's sound.

Any tips, adivce or things to 'watch out for' would be most welcome.

Also if anyone has been in a similar situation, how long did it take to produce a decent sound, a good basic technique and play basic cello pieces well - without sounding like something is dying or being strangled in the spare room lol.

Thanks Guys - Dom.

Hi Dom,

I play both instruments (although I don't have much time for cello at the moment) and you should find the transition quite easy. Your biggest problems will be the new clef, the finger spacings (use 1, 3, 4 rather than 1,2, 3), the fact that you will have to learn to shift very early on, the position of the thumb on the back of the neck and the different bow hold. That said, the cello is a wonderful instrument and you fiddle background will help you loads.

Enjoy!

Allan
(Get a teacher, incidentally)

Thanks!!

Don't forget that vibrato on a cello goes sideways, while violin vib is more back and forth. If you see what I mean

And don't forget the cello doesn't go under your chin.

Well, I suppose it could, if you don't mind having the spike sticking out the top of your head.
Cue gory horror film - "Attack of the Cellos" or "The Cellist: Judgement Day"

As a first study vilinist at music college, I took up the cello in my second year of study. I don't honestly remember how long it took to make a decent sound - a few weeks? but I was doing at least an hour a day in practice, even at the very beginning. A lot also depends on the qaulity of instrument and bow you have at your disposal.

Watch out for a 'violinistic' left hand position - don't let the back of the left hand tip upwards, towards the ceiling.

Bow hold - keep all four fingers over the bow stick, don't let the little one drift up onto the top of the stick.

Essentially it moves in the same direction as the violin. It only looks different because the cello is held vertically, while a violin is held horizontally - I think you meant up and down (vertical direction) rather than sideways. Make sure the forearm rotates with the hand, not just the hand.

Good luck!