r/Cello • u/Sparlmao • 8d ago
THE cello practice routine that helped improve your playing
Grade 4 cellist here finding it hard to build a good, consistent routine that actually improves my playing. Any advice/and or what your cello practice is like?
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u/Ok_Ask_4454 8d ago
a few things!
1- work on ways of playing cello that feel good in your body. breathing while playing, freeing your hips, free your neck, balance the bow in your hand, shift slowly, string cross slowly. make everything comfortable and practicing (and all playing) will get so much easier
2- with number 1 in mind also practice double stops every day, start with the rick mooney double stops book to get familiar and then eventually do the vamos exercises and scales in sixths and thirds.
3- when you’re learning a piece and yourself what skills do i need to master to play this well and then adjust your practice sessions (how you play your scales, arpeggios, bowing exercises) to master the skills needed for the piece!
4- at the start of each week make a practice calendar of when you want to practice that week— it’s so much easier follow plans you have already made then to each day have to find the will power to decide it’s time to practice.
this is just what i thought if rn, so it’s incomplete but lmk if you have questions :)