TIPS for using this Cello-Method

1) Play every piece - or number - at least once through

/
2) Once a piece has no mistake, it can be crossed out
(through the number) and doesn't need to be played again.
Of course any piece can be kept to play for ever,
but it doesn't need to be played.
That means no time is wasted, the progress is faster.

3) If after playing a piece through you really dislike it, you can
X cross it out (and never play it again).

Each section in the method has several pieces addressing the

same musical or technical issues.
Not every single piece need to practiced.

We learn more and faster by playing what we like and

cutting to a minimum, what we don't like.
4) At least one piece in each section should be completed, but best two.
The sections are (the grouping is visible):
Vol. 1: 0-3 , 4-9, 10-15, 16-21, 22-27, 28-35, 36-40, 41-48
Vol. 2: 51-56, 57-60, 61-64, 65-68, 69-74, 75-80, 81-88, 89-100
5) Here are a few numbers not to miss:
In Volume 1: 4, 6, 18, 22, 43, 48
In Volume 2: 51, 57, 87, 91, 94, 100

6) Mark favourite pieces (with a heart or sticker);

the best suggestion is having a separate book with all the favourites.

7) I recommend to start every practice during a term with

a "warm up piece" of your choice and keep it for the term.
This should be one of the favourite pieces.
I learned musically and technically most on pieces I play
anyway without mistake and by memory.
Once we know a piece very well, we can focus on tiny details,
which we discover only after we can take for granted playing the notes correctly.
How to Practice ? - general good ideas

1) Returning home after the lesson, I recommend strongly to unpack the cello
straight away, ready to play on a stand, in a corner or on the ground, bow ready next
to it.

Also the music on a stand or accessible, open on the page to start.

2) If possible I recommend playing after the lesson everything once through at home
what is new or includes new information.
We have two mind sets: the one is the home mind set, the old way of playing.

The other is the teachers or lesson place set.

The way to introduce the new way of playing at home is playing everything new at
home on the same day, writing information down after the lesson or record the lesson.
- One day later 50% is lost and the old way creeps in.

3) Starting every practice with a slow scale (any), 3 or 4 beats per note.
This scale warms us up, including sitting correctly, spike length ideal, tuned well, bow
hold, bow control well, bow level and direction good, sound and intonation good.
This one scale saves us from being shocked by our first piece, which after not warming
up may sound dreadful.
4) Following should a warm up piece of choice, a favourite we keep for about a term.
This piece we play until everything is predictably good, no mistake, good sound, good
intonation - best also by memory.

5) Now starts our variable practice program.

6) I find it important that every practice has some little goal: after this practice I
want to play this bar / this section safely or much better.
This daily practice goal setting is great if we have very little time (because of maybe
children or work pressure).
In 5 minutes we have achieved something.

7) It is better to slow down the beat of a piece drastically, play strictly in rhythm
than skipping through irregularly from one hard passage to the other.
By slowing down the whole piece our mind learns to prepare accordingly to the flow of
music. Also we can express already in a slower speed but we can't without any
rhythm.

8) If it just doesn't sound right on a day, we might put the cello on the ground, walk a
circle through the room and sit down again to play: it will sound differently!

9) If anything hurts - stop and take a break, mention it to the teacher.

 THE EXTENSIONS (marked as 'x')
Normal 1st Position, Extension back (b) and Extension up (#)

Extension Normal Extension

back (b) 1st Pos. up (#)
( N O T E N A M E S here for A S T R I N G )

1 Bb
1 1 B 1
2 C 2 2 C
3 C# 3 3 C# 2
4 D 4 4 D 3
D# 4

56 Exercises for moving hand & thumb

 The EXTENSION up (#) - marked as 'x'
The 2nd & 3rd finger The 4th finger
in D Major & B minor in D Major & B minor

57 Scale in D major

Accompaniment to the scale in D major (pizz)

(c) Georg Mertens, Katoomba - email: [email protected] - website: www.georgcello.com

58 Variation on "Frere Jacques"
Arr. GM

* Second cello can start at any *

With EVERY extension the thumb needs to move up with the second finger.
Stretching all fingers would result in the 2nd finger being out of tune and
likely the 4th finger being too flat.
In the not extended, normal first position the thumb needs to move back.
A flexible thumb relaxes the hand and helps playing in tune!

(c) Georg Mertens, Katoomba - email: [email protected] - website: www.georgcello.com

 59a The Aeolian B minor (natural minor) Scale

59 Study in the Aeolian mode

G.M.

Every bar starts with a down bow:

59b Accompaniment to "Study in the Aeolian mode"

 60 Minuet in C
Petzold / Bach

Every bar starts with a down bow: - For accompaniment see No 68

(c) Georg Mertens, Katoomba - email: [email protected] - website: www.georgcello.com