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Starting a Sonata In Cello Lessons Now
I actually feel like I am progressing this time
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Mouse
May 23, 2019 - 8:15 am
Member Since: December 26, 2018
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My lesson yesterday sans tapes was fine. My instructor was quite impressed. 

We have moved on from the F major minuet. The name of the piece just said minuet. It was quite tricky and much more advanced than anything I had ever been given in any lesson. It was fun doing it as a duet. He played second cello.

We did the F major scale and as we were doing it, he started doing a drone with it. That was neat.

He had another piece ready for yesterday because he knew I would have the minuet down good. 

We are now working on, “Sonata in C major” by Jean-Baptiste Breval. It is actually in Suzuki Book 4. We are breaking it down is sections.

I mentioned in another post, in another topic section, that eighth and sixteenth notes and dotted versions of those blow my mind and I just go blank. All I see is a lot of black and white on the paper. This sonata is full of them. He said a lot of it is just scales. Man, I wish I could play it like he does! So smooth and even. Will get there.

I got my cello out of the case when we got home and I did those measures we are working on so I could get that rhythm in my brain. Has those dotted eighth notes and sixteenth notes! They are reversed from the minuet we just did. In the minuet the dotted note was first, followed by the shorter note. This one has the shorter note first, followed by the dotted note. For some reason, that bothers me. Mental block, I think.

Now, I am not looking for any theory responses. I know what the dot is for, etc. I know in a post I did before theory started being discussed. LOL I know a little theory and will add to it as it comes up. I can’t just read it and have it sink in. 

I am basically just rambling about finally progressing with my cello. It is about time after all the time, off and on, I have been getting lessons. It was always just play this song, now let’s do the next one. Nothing that was really advancing. Just using the Suzuki book without any instruction. This instructor does not like the Suzuki way. Does not like the progression. This new song we are doing, that he downloaded, just happens to be in Book 4 of Suzuki, too. 

I was instructed on bowing technique, again. Love it when he does that. As I said before, I was never taught any bowing techniques in all those years of off and on lessons. It was never mentioned. This sonata has many crescendos and decrescendos. We are going to do those. He is going to work with me on that. What a treat to have a good instructor. To think this really good instructor is still a college student. I gave him a tip in April.

bass-1222

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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Heinrich
New Hampshire

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May 23, 2019 - 9:12 am
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Great progress Cid! Keep it up!

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Mouse
May 23, 2019 - 9:55 am
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Thanks.

I just finished practicng and it is becoming easier. It is actually getting smoother in that section I had trouble with in the lessons. The three double stops(?) at the beginning are coming along, too. The first two have three strings. The last one has four strings. I am not sure if that is the exact term, but I think so. I will ask my instructor next time. I was concentrating on understanding how to so it in the lesson. 

It is actually quite fun.

Off to cut memory quilt blocks. Then back to practicing.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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bocaholly
Boca Raton, Florida
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May 23, 2019 - 10:17 am
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That's a gorgeous piece, Cid. Enjoy working on it!

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 25, 2019 - 3:13 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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cid said
My lesson yesterday sans tapes was fine. My instructor was quite impressed.

Congrats. That is a good sign. 😁

We are now working on, “Sonata in C major” by Jean-Baptiste Breval. It is actually in Suzuki Book 4. We are breaking it down is sections.

Very nice.

Looks like you are really enjoying the cello.
Are you playing violin and cello equally?

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Mouse
May 25, 2019 - 4:33 pm
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I am having trouble with what I think are double stops at the beginning of the sonata we just started. We are going to have to work on that Wednesday. First two measures have them. The first measure is just have the GDA strings. Hitting the G string open, playing the E and C notes together on the D and A strings for two beats the first time. The second one is the open G again, then playing open D sfring together with the B on the A string for two beats. The third one is the open C, open G, and the E on the D string with the C on the A string for 3 beats followed by just a G in the D string for the 4th beat of that measure. I have a hard time holding the bow at the right angle.

I do grab a violin and a viola each day an play them except for a week a couple weeks ago. I have a new cello bow and while getting used to that, I started holding my cello bow like the viola and violin bows. I did not have that issue before. 

My cello bow is snake wood, and the viola and violin bows, and previous cello bows were nothing like this one. It also has a different feel than my other bows when I hold it. Maybe that is why? I really like the bow. I bought it when I brought my new cello in for an adjustment.

I knew something was off with my bowing. I had a few weeks off the cello lessons after I got the cello. My instructor had a two week college music dept trip, so no lessons. When he came back, we had just left for CA. Then we came back the next week and were really sick for a couple more weeks. When I had the lesson, Chris noticed the change in bow hold, which is why it felt odd. Now I have to get used to my bow. I stopped doing the violin and viola during that time.I did start in again and do not have the issue any longer. Now I am back on track, but still limit the viola and violin time until I am really comfortable with that bow.

With that wall rack, it is so handy to pick one and play.

Funny thing, I went out on my deck last week with my violin. It was windy and the wind kept blowing the bow around so I had to go back inside. I liked the sound of it outside, though. Will try again on a non-windy, non-rainy day, it it ever happens.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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Mimi Aysha
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May 26, 2019 - 1:09 am
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Flip flop between the 3 instruments so fluently, that's awesome Cid. I can barely master one! 

I got a used cheapo mandolin because apparently the 2 instruments go together? fingering or something, anyways I struggled with it for a little while, but gave up...

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Mouse
May 26, 2019 - 8:06 am
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@Mimi Aysha  The hold with a cello bow in my hand seems natural for that bow and how it rests against the cello strings. The slightly different hold of the violin and viola bows, and their relationship to those two instruments seems natural to me for some reason. When I bought my new cello bow, the material it was made from was different, the feel of the frog was different and the weight was different. I think that those things all contributed to tricking my mind. Really not that difficult to do. It was not a problem during yesterday’s playing time.

I wish I had purchased a slightly heavier cello bow. It felt heavier at the shop. I think that was just because it is heavier than my former cello bows. The balance is great, so I am not interested in modifying it. I used my instructor’s bow after I bought my new one. He was checking mine out. His is old and weighs more. I loved it. I actually like the look and feel of an old used bow. If I could find a nice straight one that I could afford, would consider buying it if it weighed more than my new one. But only if I was able to see and hold it first, not online. I am mot in search of one. If I run across one, fine. The new one is great, don’t get me wrong, I just wish for a little more weight.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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Mimi Aysha
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May 29, 2019 - 12:12 am
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Aha, I get it - Hoping that "special one" eventually crosses your path!

Didn't know there was so much to a bow until fiddlershop sent me some to try - I seriously didn't realize how much went into a stick and some horse hair!....amazing stuff...

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Mouse
May 29, 2019 - 9:55 am
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I did not realize there was so much tona bow, either. I wonder if everyone is as sensitive to the ferl and weight as I am. 

I am not that great on any of my instruments, but I am so sensitive to the feel, weight, sound projection and  tone produced by the bows and instruments to the point that it is really bothersome. I don’t get it, because I am just learning.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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intrepidgirl
Bragg Creek, Alberta
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May 29, 2019 - 11:15 pm
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@Mouse Sounds like you are making great progress. You mentioned your teacher doesn't like Suzuki much. My teacher has me working from 3 books at once, plus a scales book. The books are Piatti number 1 (I really like this one, and it is filled with duets she plays with me), Suzuki no. 2, and the Royal Conservatory for cello, no. 2. The exercise/scales book is Klengel No.1. The variety keeps me interested, and there are definitely different approaches in the exercises in Piatti vs Suzuki. 

I got a new Fiddlerman bow last year, which I have enjoyed compared to the student bow that came with my cello. I have some days where my bowhold feels weird no matter what I do, so I try to back off of technical stuff and do scales etc to reset. 

I will have to search up your latest piece you are working on, it sounds like a good one. Have fun!

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intrepidgirl
Bragg Creek, Alberta
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May 29, 2019 - 11:17 pm
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@Mimi Aysha I forgot, the mandolin has four strings and is normally tuned to the same four notes as a violin. I thought that was the connection. 

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Mouse
May 30, 2019 - 11:38 am
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We worked on the entire first oage in my lesson yesterday. I may end out just concentrating on the next section to add to the forst oart I worked on last week. There is a lot to that last 2/3 of the first page. Much is repeated, but they are new bowing and fingering is tricky for me. We will see. 

@intrepidgirl  This is actually the first song in the Fourth Suzuki Cello book. You can actually find these books posted online. Seems like a copyright issie to me, but people do it. I only have the first page. Not sure if we will be doing all four pages. Google Suzuki Cello Book 4 and I bet you can find it. Most of what I found online yesterday had the piano section under it. Mine is strictly the cello. I had found the site that had a free download of exactly what I have a few days ago, but could not find it today. I cleared my history yesterday, so I could not backtrack. It is probably where my instructor got it from a few years ago. It was not 8notes, or whatever it is; and it was not musicscore or aomething like that.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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