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TIPS For Using This Cello-Method

This document provides tips for using a cello method book and practicing the cello. It recommends: 1) Playing each piece at least once through before crossing it out as completed. 2) Crossing out pieces that can be played without mistakes to focus on new material. 3) Being selective and crossing out pieces that are disliked to practice more efficiently. 4) Completing at least one piece in each section and ideally two for well-rounded progress.

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petermhanley
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24 views9 pages

TIPS For Using This Cello-Method

This document provides tips for using a cello method book and practicing the cello. It recommends: 1) Playing each piece at least once through before crossing it out as completed. 2) Crossing out pieces that can be played without mistakes to focus on new material. 3) Being selective and crossing out pieces that are disliked to practice more efficiently. 4) Completing at least one piece in each section and ideally two for well-rounded progress.

Uploaded by

petermhanley
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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 grouping of the sections is per pdf download item.

5) Here are a few numbers not to miss:


In Volume 1: 4, 6, 18, 22, 43, 48
In Volume 2: 51, 58, 68, 70, 77, 82, 90, 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 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, or
at least everything 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.
For a fast piece I recommend to play it 2 x slow and then 1 x faster.

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 Second Position Extended
First Pos. - Second Pos. - Second Pos. Ext.

1 B (B)
2 C 1 C
3 C# 1 (x C#)
4 D 2 2 D
D# 3 3 D#
E 4 4 E

74 Exercises for Extended Second Position


75 Old Reel (not fast) Irish Traditional

Every [full] bar starts with (down bow)

75b Accompaniment to Old Reel G.M.


76 Minuet II in C major (Petzold? Bach)

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


76 a Accompaniment to Minuet in C major

77 a Preparatory Bow Exercise for "Irish Washerwoman"

After every upbow we need to jump back to the same "spot" for the downbow,
exactly where our very first downbow started ("spot").
Important: Don't lift the bow off the string before the upbow, keep down!

EXERCISE: (practice slowly and very controlled, allow extra time)

jump back jump back jump back

Keep bow down Keep bow down Keep bow down


77 Irish Washerwoman Irish Traditional

Every [full] bar starts with (down bow)


To increase speed, use less bow.

77 b Accompaniment to Irish Washerwoman G.M.


The LOW Second Position

78 The Little Drummer Boy


Traditional, arr. G.M.

x - notes written as 'x' are unpitched percussion sounds.


We can tap with our hand on the front of the cello, knock on the back or
whatever one might fancy - but in strict rhythm!

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


78 b Accompaniment
to "The Little Drummer Boy" G.M

sempre (always) pizzicato

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

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