The cello, or violoncello, is an instrument which, together with the violin, the viola and the double bass, belongs to the string instruments family.
The cello has a beautiful rich sound, like that of the human voice; it is extremely emotional and powerful, but also delicate and lyrical at the same time.
It is lower in pitch than the viola and the violin, but higher than the double bass. It is a difficult instrument to play and has quite a long learning curve, but it is a real joy if you are willing to put in the time and effort!
The cello is also quite a large instrument, but children can start at a young age, as it is possible to buy or rent smaller scale cellos suitable for every age.
First, you should consider your reasons for playing the cello. Playing the cello because your parents are forcing you to learn (or forcing your child to play the cello), or perhaps because your friends or siblings play the cello, are not good reasons. It is important to have a strong desire to become a good cellist to avoid wasting time, money and effort.
Select a good teacher
The first step to learning the cello is to find a good teacher. It is important to have a great relationship with your cello teacher, as learning is built on communication and you must be able to effectively communicate with your teacher, especially considering that lessons are one-on-one and usually last between thirty minutes and one hour. Your teacher helps you to grow and develop as a musician and as a teacher, so it is very important that there is a strong student-teacher chemistry. Many teachers often offer trial lessons (which are sometimes free), so be sure to try out a number of teachers before deciding which one is for you.
During lessons, your teacher will teach you the correct cello technique, including vibrato, pizzicato, correct posture and bowing technique; this is necessary to avoid strain and injury which could stop you playing for a while. You will also learn how to read music and music theory. Music theory is essential to broaden your overall knowledge of music and be able to achieve more as a musician and performer.
Remember that practice makes perfect! To improve, you should practice every day for at least twenty to thirty minutes. In any case, it is always better to spread out your practicing rather than practicing once a week for two hours; even fifteen minutes every day can make the difference! Don’t forget to warm up before practicing difficult pieces (for example, Bach’s cello suites!) in order to avoid injury and strain.
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If you wish to develop your skills further, you could try joining a local community orchestra; this teaches you how to play with other musicians. If you are hardworking and put in a lot of time and effort, an orchestra can be a truly rewarding experience, both from a musical and human point of view. After reading all tasks to get the best mandolin buying guide reviews.