Did you ever have an, “AHA!” moment? I had mine a couple days ago with my cello. I have issues leaving first position. Well, I have trouble just getting first position right. First position is getting better.

For clarity for those of you who do not do cello, here is a little string info. The cello has strings C, G, D, and A. As opposed to the violin’s G, D, A, and E. The cello uses the four fingers. I will use the A string in my example or explanation of my “aha” moment. 

The A string has the following notes in first position:

Open A

B - First Finger (Index)

C - Second Finger (Middle Finger)

C# - Third Finger (Ring Finger)

D - Fourth Finger (Pinky)

At the bottom of this thread is the section of Humoresque I am talking about. It is the very first line and is repeated in some form or another, throughout. This is bass clef, not treble.  

Starting with the first measure, the notes are, D, E, D, E, F#, A, B, A, (2nd measure starts here)D, C#, E, D, C#, E, D, B, (3rd measure starts here) A, A, B, A, D, B. That is all the notes that are visible here. Note the numbering over the second measure. That is my issue, or was my issue and became my, “Aha” moment.

That D with the 2 over it would normally be played with the 4th finger in first position. The other notes, except the E, with the numbers would normally follow the first position fingering mentioned at the beginning of this post, also. 

I was playing the first measure and then rushing up to put that 2nd finger on the A string where the D would sound. It was kind of clunky and inconsistent. I have struggled with it for 1 1/2 weeks. A couple days ago, it dawned in me, it is just a shift. I was just shifting from 1st to upper 2nd position. 

How did this just dawn on me? I credit a number of things that have happened. I switched from 1/2 hour lessons every week for cello to 1 hour every other week for cello, the other hour lesson week is violin. 

In previous cello 1/2 hour lessons everything was rushed and with the lesson every week, I did not have time to sort it all out and practice it before my next lesson. If I can have time to figure things out myself, after being guided in the right direction, I can usually make sense of it, and it will usually stick with me. Well, it really made no sense to me. Asking would not have helped with that half hour format. I needed more time. It was also mentioned that you lead with the index finger in the left hand when finding position. Never mentioned in previous cello lessons with another instructor. Did not really understand it with the half hour session.

I now have an hour lesson every week, but one week will be cello and the other will be violin. My first hour was last week and was violin. In that lesson the instructor (same as my cello instructor) said, “Remember in cello that you lead with the first finger for placement on the fingerboard? You lead with the third finger on violin. The rest of the fingers will follow.”

A couple days ago, when working on my cello, I caused a city-wide blackout with a light bulb moment. I am to lead with the first finger. What does that mean for that measure in the attached photo? I do not rush to get the 2nd finger in the D, just move the 1st finger up to the C#. The rest of the fingers will follow, maybe with a tad adjustment. Yep, they do, and it is easier. 

Well, then I got to thinking. I am moving, this is a shift. Yes, shifting was mentioned in the half hour lessons, and I always tried to figure it out for the next week’s lesson. I had time to think between lessons this time because each instrument gets a lesson every other week.  I was just shifting. But what shift was it? It was a shift that has the 2nd finger on D and the 1st finger in C#. It wasn’t third because I knew that would put the 1st finger on D. Second position would have the first finger in C natural, not C#, or so I thought. The sheet music clearly said it was 2nd position. Did not make sense. The 1st finger would have to be on C natural for that 2nd position like the sheet music says. I needed C#.

I Googled, “shifting on the A string on cello so 2nd finger is on D”. Weird, I know. Well, I got hits. Before, when I Googled for a chart, the charts just made no sense. I got a chart with that weird search. That chart made complete sense. There is an upper and lower second position shift. I am doing the upper 2nd position shift. First finger is C#, second is D, third is D#(E flat), and fourth is E. Exactly what I needed.

The sheet music just says, “2nd pos” for that section, and it made no sense. It is technically UPPER 2nd pos. For some reason, knowing this has made this section, and the repeats, and the similar areas, much easier. I have to know the exact what, and why. I have to have time to connect dots.

Why is this in the general Learning, and not Learning Cello section of the forum. No, I am not trying to mix cello and violin, it is just the thought process is general learning, and maybe this will help others to think outside the box to help with learning your instrument.