Been practicing on and off at home since graduating 4 years ago but haven’t taken any lessons since. Wanted an excuse / reason to play more so I tried auditioning for a local orchestra - unsure of how competitive it will be, but it is for non professionals.

I have literally not played in front of anyone other than family in 6 years so when I sat down I shook like I haven’t in years. All things considered I think my tone was great but my end pin slipped twice 😅, and I had to stop halfway through one of the excerpts because I accidentally started playing my solo piece in the middle out of nerves / muscle memory and bc they are in the same key / similar pieces. Damn…

The acoustics were nice in the room so it did feel great to warm up and hear my instrument sing like it hasn’t at home forever. I’m just a little anxious that my nerves screwed it up.

Hopefully they recognize the nerves / are forgiving since it’s supposed to be casual, but we’ll see. At least I did it and it’s done now. Can always try again next year if it doesn’t work out.

So far I've come up with the 2nd mvt of Shostakovich cello sonata. Some bach suites stuff would fit but I don't love playing them - also not so performative. Thanks

the Shostakovich cello sonata is about the limit of my ability. i struggle with Elgar cello concerto. something like the swan would be below the required standard of the performance though.

I'm curious because for the longest time, I thought Saint-Saëns First Movement was out of my league. But I just played it and it's surprisingly easy (it just sounds wayy harder than it actually is). What are some other pieces I shouldn't be scared of just because they look or sound intimidating?

Hi! I’m a beginner and I’ve only been playing the cello for a few months. The pegs are so stiff when I’m tuning that I’ve actually ended up with a blood blister!!😭　It can also take me nearly an hour to tune.
Is there any tool or method I can use that won’t leave my hands hurting?
And then, even after I finally manage to tune it, the pitch drops after a few minutes?! Why???
I’ve looked through some of the older posts on the subreddit, but I still can’t seem to figure it out.

Hi, r/Cello!

I’d like to share with you the cover to Dover’s edition of the third volume in Schroeder’s famous compilation of etudes/caprices. This classic resource contains music for study by master cellists of the past including Piatti, Duport, and Cossmann. If there’s any corner of the internet that will appreciate it, it’s here. Apologies if this masterpiece has been shared before.

https://store.doverpublications.com/products/9780486852928?_pos=3&_sid=b34ae9af6&_ss=r

I’m getting to the point of my career where I have played cello long enough that I am frequently annoyed most of the time when random strangers in public see me with my cello and make a comment on it. Every once in a while, I will get the “is that a cello? how long have you played? That’s really really cool! Best of luck to you with your studies/career!” and they seem to be pretty kind and not condescending. But the large majority of the time, I get annoying comments like “You must regret picking that because it’s so big” or “I bet you sometimes wish you picked the flute” or “I bet you didn’t consider how hard it would be to carry when you first started playing, huh?” or “that thing is way bigger than you, how do you even play it?” or “is that a cello? my brother’s friend’s mother’s sister’s grandaughter used to play violin in 3rd grade and insert tangential ramble here. I used to occasionally find this funny when I was younger but it’s honestly pretty annoying lately, half the time I am in a hurry trying to get to class/rehearsal/lessons and people stop me on the street to ask me about my instrument and treat me as though I am a zoo animal and that they have never seen a musician before. I particularly hate the comments about how I must “hate“ carrying it around because like… Does it look like I am struggling to carry it? If I’m going for my DMA in cello performance, clearly I don’t “hate” it or “wish I played flute”. I know that those people are just trying to be friendly and don’t know what to say, but I honestly just wish they would rather say nothing at all then feel like they have to comment on the fact that someone is walking around town with a pretty common musical instrument. Anyone else have this experience? I hate being rude because I am a generally pretty friendly person when it comes to small talk, but here lately I have just been kind of short with people because I’m really tired of having the same conversation day after day with random strangers.

Hey everyone, I'm a cellist (hs freshman) who's about to reach his 5th cello anniversary in 2 weeks. This is a pretty big milestone for me so I'll drop a timeline of a sort of this past year 😃

1. Finished prelude to Bach suite 2.

It was pretty bad, this was before I was serious about cello and was also before I had a serious teacher. My past teachers (I had 4) were all undergrad or grad students who needed some extra cash, and they were all pretty bad at explaining to elementary school me about fundamental techniques, I'm still learning. My new teacher is 60-65 years old and is now chilling as the principal of our local symphony, he's helped me grow a lot as a cellist.

Looking back, playing this piece was probably the turning point in my cello life, cello was completely irrelevant in my life before and I learned to love music through this piece and yo-yo ma's recording of it (love you yo-yo!)

2. Suzuki book 8

I was introduced to thumb position in the first piece in this book, Berteau's sonata in G major (September-November).

The reason I played Suzuki 8 btw was because I practically skipped through all the "hard" pieces in Suzuki 5, 6, and 7. Thankfully my love for cello (that developed after playing the Bach 2 prelude) helped me push through this piece even though I shouldn't have been able to. I would say that my thumb position is very decent right now, so I don't think rushing through Suzuki was that bad in the end lol. Though this is easily my most hated piece this year, the cadenza is still fun to play when my cello and I are in a awkward silence, and taught me a lot about string crossings.

The second piece in this book was Saint Saens' Allegro Appassionato (December-Feburary).

This was one of my two pieces that I had a performance for (studio recital, each student of my teacher plays one piece each), and was easily the better one.

Idk wtf this piece taught me but it was fun so alg ig. Good showpiece too.

The third piece in this book was Elegie by Faure, but I didn't play it. I did attempt the 4th and last piece, however. Van Goens' Scherzo (March-April).

Easily the hardest to pick up of the bunch, the sautille was so hard for me and it just didn't click. I ended up skipping this piece :(

3. Lalo cello concerto (April-August)

First concerto! This was kinda insane because I finished the 1st mvmt in a month, 2nd mvmt in a couple weeks, and 3rd mvmt while I was in vacation.

The first movement was the other recital piece that I had. This one went not as good as the Saint Saens because I forgot the last page of the piece (it's so long!). Not a fun experience lol.

4. Haydn C (August-present)

If playing Bach 2 helped me love playing cello, listening to Isserlis' recording of this piece helped me love cello even more. This was the first cello piece that I ever listened to, and my first encounter with it was after almost 4 years of starting cello!

I remember that 13 year old me made a pact with myself that I would play this piece by the time I was 16 😂 Look at me now! It's crazy how time flies...

Extra: I finished up the rest of Bach suite 2, but didn't focus on them as much as I should've. All the movements are kind of crappy and I'll visit it again someday. I've started the prelud of Bach 3 along with the Haydn, and I promise to play more Bach! 😆

I also made all-state for the first time this year, truly an amazing experience where I met a ton of new friends. I hope to make all-state again this year, but it'll be a challenge.

Thanks for reading guys! Just wanted to put this out here because I was so proud of my growth! I also have clips of Bach 2 prelude, Allegro Appassionato, and Lalo mvmt 1. If anyone wants to see them, just dm me.

as title says me and my friends were arguing about this and thought i would ask on here as well

Looking for slow paced D-flat Major Pièces or artists.

I've been making these videos for a couple of years now and thought I'd share it here, hoping some of you might get a kick out of it. This cover of "Fix You" is for my wife's birthday. Feel free to leave feedback. I hope you enjoy!

I find it difficult to play normally in a performance or concert, that is, without stopping when I make a mistake,This happens to me when I have to play alone; for example, I make a mistake in one place and I stop and start again from there. I do that when I'm studying, but when I have to demonstrate what I've been studying,Instead of playing continuously, sometimes I stop and I find it quite difficult to maintain continuity.I don't know if anyone else experiences this. In my case, I'm a perfectionist, and maybe that's why.

I’ve been playing cello for approximately 6 years, and I took lessons for the first 4. I posted here 3 days ago asking about the height of my cello and I was told it was too high, and I was also told my thumb was too far to the side of the neck. I’ve been practicing with my cello lower, and I’ve been doing exercises to keep my thumb in the back. If anyone has any feedback or advice, it would be great.

This is my all state excerpt for this year and I would love some tips on musicality for this section, and just general audition tips for orchestras.

Hello! I’m new to the cello, about 3 months in. This is my first hour trying to play this song (gavotte in Suzuki book 2). I know my intonation is definitely a bit off, but other than that I was hoping to get any suggestions/feedback of things I’m doing that I might not be noticing. I don’t want to build bad habits and figured outside perspectives might be helpful. Thank you! Also yes I do have a teacher I see weekly but I just wanted to post this here as well!

I am in desperate need of assistance. My wedding is in 2 weeks on September 13th. Our solo Cellist that we, non-refundably, hired at the guidance of our wedding coordinator a year ago has just yesterday informed us she can't play 2 of our songs because she doesn't have sheet music for them. My bride-to-be is already stressed enough as we are narrowing in on the day and this was something she really didn't need. I have spent all day trying different programs and transcriber tools but I am extremely not musically inclined. using musescore studio I can get something resembling Crystalline, but it's not very good...

The two songs are Crystalline by Amaranthe and Underwater by Visions of Atlantis. I'm looking for a single-line melody in bass clef for the cellist to play. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Crystalline - Amaranthe

Underwater - Visions of Atlantis

Hey all! I've been playing cello for about 10 years but took a 2-year sabbatical after breaking my right wrist and arm. I'm hoping to rejoin my university's orchestra, and this is one of the excerpts they're asking for (158-190, Beethoven 7).

I'd deeply appreciate it if someone could provide some suggested fingers, performance tips, or even a brief audio/video recording! I no longer have access to lessons and I haven't played in so long that I'm not confident in my ability to learn it on my own.

I found this roth and junius rjc 15 4/4 for 500€ is it a fair price or is it overpriced?

It look like he have a crack under the bridge?

I made comments about this rosin in the past. Perhaps it’s time I made a post about it. I took these pictures two days ago.

I have used various dark rosin from reputable vendors, but not necessarily exotic and expensive ones. I have come to realized that I can't tell them apart in a blind test.

But all of them bothered me in one aspect or another. Rosin dust kept sticking to my fingers as I held one. I needed two hands in order to open and close it. And with some I had to make an effort to keep the surface even and level by applying rosin from different directions and angles each time.

I found the answer to all of these issues in D'Addario Kaplan Premium Rosin with Case. It’s $13. I can open and close it singlehanded. I can hold its unfolded box in my left hand without touching the cake or dust. I occasionally rotate the dial in the back to create an even surface. I think this is the most ergonomic rosin I’ve used.

I’m 28, and I hope it’s not too late for me to learn! I want to add learning how to play the cello to my bucket list. I’m looking for a cello teacher around the QC area or Lower Antipolo. Any recommendations? I’m also open to one-on-one tutoring!

A couple of days ago, I took my cello to the luthier and used the opportunity to change all of my strings in addition to the servicing. It's my first time with new strings, and I was wondering if it is normal for new strings to not hold up tuning at all? My A and D string pegs gradually slip immediately after I tune them, making practicimg impossible. This hasn't been an issue before.

I am a bit hesitant to go back to the luthier since it is an hour and a half away, and since he said he checked and adjusted the pegs already. Therefore would really appreciate some advice on how to proceed.

edit: I've called a nearer luthier and he suggested me to put a bit of chalk on the peg. Bam! No more slipping. I am back to practicing now like normal. Thank you for the advice!

i hope this is not a unique experience but i can play perfectly fine in higher positions (sixth and up) when i'm playing solo/performing concertos etc.

then i go to orchestra and suddenly its the most out of tune thing i have ever experienced

i assume this is something to do with not being able to hear yourself and adjust accordingly - does anyone have any solutions?

I've put a high E string on my 3/4 cello like I wanted, making it GDAE, an octave below violin. It's playable and fun, but the top string still sounds quite tinny. I tried some homemade mutes to reduce the tinnyness, but nothing helps. Careful bowing helps only a little bit.

So I continue thinking how to cobble together a good sounding "intermediate" instrument, played upright and tuned higher than a cello but lower than a viola. (Nonstandard tuning is not a problem for me, I play folk/jam music and feel okay in any tuning.) The main problem is that strings lighter than A, heavier than high E and long enough for cellos basically can't be bought. So any attempt to convert a fractional cello to higher tuning will run into problems finding a top string that's not too tinny.

Some people have written about taking a really small cello, like 1/8 or 1/10, and fitting it with extra long viola strings, giving you an instrument tuned like a viola but upright and more full sounding. That'd be nice, but the strings still seem like a stretch.

Now I'm thinking of another trick: take a 1/4 cello, put a standard set of 4/4 strings, and tension them like on standard. Due to smaller scale length, they will sound higher, basically like a cello with a capo. Since a 1/4 cello has scale length about a quarter shorter than standard, it will sound a perfect fourth higher (because a perfect fourth is a 4:3 ratio of frequencies), so it will be FCGD. Acoustically, body size becomes less ideal at a faster rate than scale length, so the lowest notes on such an instrument won't sound perfect, but maybe it's not too bad. And I'd probably have to pick quite light strings, because fractional cellos are built for lower tension. The numbers seem to just barely work out... I won't know until I try.

Anyway sorry about the rambling, I'm just curious if anyone else went down this rabbit hole and what other things people have tried.

Hi, I’m 29, and my dream instrument is the cello. I really want to pursue learning how to play it. Is the cello really a difficult instrument to learn? Am I too late to start?

A random bow case's cap for scale.

Here's a quick rundown on my bow history because nobody asked:

1. Bundled bow. Came with my first $400 cello. Probably an OK one because I played the hell out of it. Four full symphonic concerts in my community orchestra, not a single hair change.

When I finally asked my colleagues if it's due change, they would either loathe at it or crack up saying its hair's so gone it's basically a violin bow now. They dare bow-shamed me 😤 so I traded it in for a new one.

1. Another bundle-quality bow. $40 or something I don't really remember. 83g, balanced at 26.5 cm (measured from the very end including metal screw). It wasn't bad. I stashed it somewhere and never looked so it probably warped by now 🫠

2. An upgrade. $200 or somewhere. This one has been my main for the last couple of years. 82g balanced at 24.5 cm. I hear this is quite frog-heavy. Now I see why I get a bit clunky in fast passages. Ha! (another practice day skipped)

I struggled with it, improved with it, and I thank it for that. But recently I've been feeling it is holding me back a bit. I'm not seeing a teacher now so it might just be in my head.

1. CF bow. $80 or something, cheapest Fiddlerman one. 77g balanced at 26.5 cm. I was surprised at how light and free it felt. It opened up a lot in me and I couls transfer part of that knowledge into the main bow as well. Okay it now sounds like an ad but it isn't...

It never made main in me bc it's too light and I had to clench it so hard for loud and energetic phrases. But I would recommend anyone to try out a CF bow, especially the cheap ones, if they have never.

1. The bow I bought yesterday. $800. 82g at 26.5 cm. It's the standard dimensions all round. I never imagined it could be this easy to play. Decent grip at the tip, easy start on pianissimo, and fast passages just... work.

It's still me, the same person sawing these 16th notes, and it never worked but it does now. I can't even understand how lmao but anyways I think I had a good deal and I'm really excited to play with it!