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Fiddlerman Soloist Cello
Dabbling in the very dark side...
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bocaholly
Boca Raton, Florida
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March 29, 2019 - 8:23 am
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Until really recently, I had absolutely no intention of learning to play the cello... but that was also the case when I picked up the violin almost a year ago. Go figure... @Mouse, I suspect the chronicling of your most recent cello adventures had more than a little to do with my decision :-)

Fiddlershop is now putting the final touches on this new Soloist model. According to Mike Holstein (who you hear towards the end, telling the luthiers to pipe down because he's recording) they've been looking to complete their Fiddlerman cello line for a while and this one is it! Five more of the same are on order... should be posted to their website soon.

So, just when I was starting to feel OKish with my violin bow hand, here we go with the cello bow hold. It's just similar enough to lull you into thinking it will be a cinch... but different enough to feel foreign. Here's me on the left and Suaima (Fiddlershop's resident cellist) on the right:

2kAAAD2QAAwHFtbW9kAAAAAAAABhAAAKAuAAAAANDl7gAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 2kAAAD2QAAwHFtbW9kAAAAAAAABhAAAKAuAAAAANDl7gAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Remember how ridiculously tough it was to get that violin bow pinky bent and ON TOP of the stick. Oh well.

And then there's that whole business that all of us violin starters go through trying to get comfortable with chin- and shoulder rests. Since that's not an issue with cello, I figured getting comfortable would be a cinch. Yeah, right. Here I am trying out the soloist before making my final decision:

aQAAAPZAADAcW1tb2QAAAAAAAAGEAAAoC4AAAAA0OXuAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=

That "edge of the chair" look could use some optimization. And, of course, I'm heading into many months of trying to figure out how to relax my left hand... LOL, sound familiar? 

Bowing with the Holstein*** I upgraded to, Suaima made the Soloist sound amazing (she's a performing pro in her apprentice luthier after-hours.) 

End of story, beginning of story. Excited like a little kid to take delivery when Fiddlershop is done with the final adjustments.

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Heinrich
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March 29, 2019 - 9:14 am
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Woohoo! Welcome to the Fiddlerman cellist group! I do believe we are growing.

Bass clef is the best Clef

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ABitRusty
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March 29, 2019 - 10:15 am
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..yeah..watching @Mouse has planted that ."What if" seed on cello.  They sound so nice.  Congrats on the new cello.  I really like my soloist violin.  If i ever went the cello route Id be checking into to the soloist cello for sure Holly!

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Mouse
March 29, 2019 - 10:16 am
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@bocaholly 😂 Sooooo Sorry! NOT! yaaaa_gif. Ah, ok, this is,what I did to loosen up with my cello. I finally watched a couple soloist cellist videos on youtube. I watched how they sat, cradled the cello with a cello hug (that is what I call it), and watched how they bowed. 

Then one day, I sat down. I do not sit at the edge of the seat. Bad for my legs. The edge of the seat could give me issues and not going to risk it. More comfortable my way, anyway, and I did see many who sit my way. I let my arms hang down by my side, very limp. I the picked up my lovely instrument and let it gently come back to my chest. I adjusted the endpost so it was the proper height, and comfortable for me. I just sat there for about a minute. I also cannot spread the legs apart as a cellist will say you have to do! The way I figure it, one size or way does not fit all. I am not giving myself hip issues because someone centuries ago did not try it my way and make make my way standard. Never have been a follower. Not a leader either. I like my less trodden path. Serves me well, and irritates many (a bonus).

Okay. I shook my right arm to loosen it. Then I picked up my bow and bowed open strings. Then I did a couole scales. Then I put my bow down and sat and relaxed. I pictured one of the videos. Picked up my bow and pictured the cellist moving so slowly and smoothly with the music. I just swayed to the rhythm of the song I was going to play. I just sat there, cello in place, bow in and, listening to my song in my mind at the tempo I will be playing it. Then I started playing my cello. It actually gave me a very good practice session. I do it every time now. It does not work for me with my violin and viola. Go figure! I did not think about it. This does not take as long as it probably sounds. I don’t do this all the time now, but when I get off, I fall back to th

I try to become one with my cello. I love my cello. I wish it was as portable as the violin and viola, which is my draw to those. I love them, but I think I am more fond of my cello. 

The finger stretch is much wider. I have this weird thing my instructor is baffled by. I can let my left hand be limp and get that natural curve the fingers do. I place my fingers, well let them gently drop, to the fingerboard. They are the exact distance I need between each (the spread) to be spot on for first position. When I play, it is out the window! Sure, I have a perfect natural position that should make it easy, but I mess it up! LOL Oh well. I will get there. I think one reason for this is my first instructor (who ended out being that violin teacher years later that I canceled out), never checked for that. She just told me I had to stretch my fingers on the fingerboard. So, I never checked. I kept overstretching and worked to lessen the stretch. Never got a relaxed left hand. My new instructor is working on this, where that former cello/violin teacher, never paid attention to form and mechanics after the second lesson. 

I do suggest you get this endpin holder. I got it through Fiddlershop. It is FANTASTIC! 

https://fiddlershop.com/collec.....ndpin-rest

You set the length. Put the ring under your chair leg and place the endpin rest in the direction you need it. Adjust the length as needed once you have the cello in place. I was able to do this while sitting with the cello. But be careful. The adjustment thingy was easy enough for me to do one handed while I held the cello with the other. The cello won’t slide around, plus, if you have the endpin the same length each time, the rest will be perfect each time.

Also, I used a black permanent marker and made a mark around the endpin up by the cello, you know, where it comes out. After I found the length I needed, I traced around the endpin where it comes out of the cello. Mark the endpin, not the cello. Now, I know how far to pull my endpin out, I know how far away to place my endlin rest. All set. The mark does wear off, so I just do it again before it fades completely. Don’t use tape or anything. It will get caught in the endpin hole. Just use a marker.

Essential Elements for Strings cello book 1 is really good. It has a nice progression system for introducing strings and has plenty of scales and little exercises and songs to re-enforce the lessons. I bought book two. Took a look at it, I was not impressed with book two. It doesn’t have a lot of little songs to play. Maybe by book two you are expected to get some song books. I am going to be moving on from book 1 if I can get this last song in book 1 down.

My instructor is going to switch to music downloads. He does use scales, but he uses downloaded music. Fine with me. But book one above is really good. Suzuki has some neat songs, but, for me the way the strings are presented makes no sense. The C and G strings are not used much throughout book 1. They are the hardest to finger and bow. Esesstial Elements does not ignore those. Jingli Nuna has a lot of G string use. Plus, Suzuki does not have many scales thrown in. It would be good to have for after book one of the Essentials is done, to give you songs to play. My instructor agrees with me on the organization and lack of scales in the Suzuki method. 

I hope this helps. Make sure to post in the cello section now. I am trying to get it going. It would be reallh helpful for us budding cellists, like the violin section is for budding voilinists.

Here is a photo of the endpin. I wish I had ordered 2. I did not know I was giving my niece one of my cellos when I ordered mine, so I only ordered one. It is less than $25 and I would have to pay postage. I would have to order and have it shipped to her because she is picking it up tomorrow or the next day. Would not be able to combine it with an order for me to get it up to $25. I am giving her my disc type endpin rest. I don’t need anything at the moment, either.

0674B146-9F59-4490-808A-805DB01DCADE.jpegImage Enlarger

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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March 29, 2019 - 12:07 pm
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@Heinrich, Thanks for the welcome. As KPIs go, looks like your cello community just grew by 50% dancing Are you still playing violin too or just cello?

@Mouse, Thanks for all the tips. That's the pin stopper which was on top of my list so your recommendation seals it.

Yes for Essential Elements. Just got book 1 at Fiddlershop yesterday :-)

Can't wait for my cello to be ready so I can practice hugging it too!

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Irv
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March 29, 2019 - 12:17 pm
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@bocaholly and others.  Looks like it suits you.  I am up for a challenge and plan to join you learning the cello.  Element method books on way.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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bocaholly
Boca Raton, Florida
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March 29, 2019 - 12:32 pm
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@Irv OK, challenge accepted... but count on me not to rush through the pages like I did with the violin.

@ABitRusty, we must have been typing simultaneously so I almost missed your message. I have the impression that the Fiddlerman string instruments punch above their weight in looks and sound. They really took their time to find the right workshop for their Soloist cello and I bet that's the process they previously went through with the Soloist violin. Glad you like yours. You're certainly doing it justice! Hope I can follow suit with my cello in due time :-)

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mookje
The Netherlands
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March 30, 2019 - 2:30 am
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Wow, playing the cello, a great new adventure @bocaholly. I find the violin difficult enough for now 😃 and you are learning violin, piano and cello. And also doing orchestra, I’m impressed. Lot of fun with the cello, it’s a beautiful instrument Holy! Are you gonna learn the cello by your self or taking lessons? 

 Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain!!

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Mark
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March 30, 2019 - 3:39 am
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Bocaholly,

Grats on a new cello, have fun learning it.

 

Mark

Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.

Albert Sammons

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bocaholly
Boca Raton, Florida
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March 30, 2019 - 8:38 am
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mookje said
Are you gonna learn the cello by your self or taking lessons?   

Jury is out on that question, @mookje.

Funny thing about people's reaction when I tell them about this cello project is, the more intimate our relationship, the more circumspect they are. 

I would have loved to just pick up the cello and play without lessons but, after a first initiation session, I unsurprisingly discovered that I'm not a natural at this other bowed instrument either!

Maybe I'll organize a monthly check-up to nip the most flagrant bad habits in the bud and hope that's better than nothing. Or maybe I'll have to just do bi-weekly piano and violin lessons to make space for this new guy on the block. A real kid-in-the-candy-store problem.
aQAAAPZAADAcW1tb2QAAAAAAAAGEAAAoC4AAAAA0OXuAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=

It sounds like @Irv is picking up the cello simultaneously so that should be fun to compare notes and bowing bellyaches :-)

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steveduf
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March 30, 2019 - 10:16 am
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Mack is the reason I do what I do... I’ve been considering learning a stringed instrument also. 

i was telling her a week ago that I was considering learning the cello.

 

maybe it’s time...

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Irv
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March 30, 2019 - 11:18 am
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Welcome aboard @steveduf .  If I can make this somewhat competitive, I estimate that my current cello investment is equal or less than the cost of @bocaholly ‘s strings.  Making a cello out of a galvanized steel wash tub would be cool, but likely more costly.   

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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bocaholly
Boca Raton, Florida
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March 30, 2019 - 11:42 am
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@steveduf I think I noticed some cellos in the photos taken in your designated workshop, so, with that problem solved, you're ahead of me. I've asked Fiddlershop for a special tailpiece so it will take a few more days until I have the Soloist back in my hands.

I do have that Holstein bow so I can do some right hand exercises (a little different than the violin warm-ups) and the Essential Elements book so I can start staring at the bass clef and at least imagining where my fingers go. 

Another words, drummer join in the fun (and guaranteed frustration!)
@Irv player_runs_giffor your competitive drive! 

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steveduf
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March 30, 2019 - 12:10 pm
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@bocaholly 

yeah I have no excuse because of lack of instruments.

my biggest fear is...

in four years when Mack is off to college and here I sit with a room full of instruments and not knowing how to play them in the least.  It is also when I plan on semi retiring.

i plan on still working with the schools here.  

@Irv 

i have $54 into the cello I am going to use.  It also came with an entry level J. Lasalle pernambuco bow.  I did put on a set of Preludes. 00C45564-7A20-4A13-833D-79A6162235BA.jpegImage Enlarger74B913E1-585D-45A5-B0A8-64AD72B59A28.jpegImage Enlarger

This is the cello

 

i really should work on learning violin also.

 

my other issue is that I am a total newbie, and is probably why I haven’t learned sooner

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bocaholly
Boca Raton, Florida
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March 30, 2019 - 12:32 pm
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Steve, here's the battle plan for 4 years down the pike:

https://www.pinellasparkcivico.....hestra.org 

Being a grown up and having no clue while sitting at the back of your string section for the first time is a totally managable fear :-) ... and then it becomes pretty plesant to be engulfed in that big sound while being part of it.

The Pinellas Park Civic Orchestra looks pretty much like the Tampa Bay version of mine.

I'm also thinking, maybe 4 years down the pike, I could switch sides of the stage and sit in the cello section. Who knows?

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Irv
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March 30, 2019 - 1:56 pm
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@steveduf .  You got me on that one fair and square.  I am going to use both an acoustic (spruce top and laminated everything else) and an electric for silent practice.  Suggest you get some Elements method books so we can decipher together.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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Mouse
March 30, 2019 - 2:51 pm
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@steveduf I started cello in 2013. Took 3 months of lessons. Lease was up and I turned it in. Not because I did not like it. I loved it and it was a really good sounding cello. I had the option to buy it or turn it in. My issue was my instructor. I really can’t do without structurred lessons with an instructor. My instructor then, was really bad, and the only option, so I turned it in. I missed it sorely.

It was a good thing I turned it in at the time. We decided to move to Vegas for a while, stay there Sept-Mar and then drive back here. We had an apartment and a cello would not have been welcomed; and it sitting in my house back here all that time, would not have been good for the cello.

I missed my cello so much while we were there. We were actually thinking of getting one and finding some place to play it, but that would have been more $$$$$. We were not going to be able to fit it into the car to bring back with us on each trip back and forth. The car was packed to the hilt each way. Leaving the cello at the apartment during the summer while we were back here was not an option. So, I just missed my cello, and missed my cello, and missed my cello.... Did I tell you I missed my cello?

Anyway, mid Feb 2017 I mentioned to my husband that it made no sense to be living in Vegas Sept-March. The plan was to be able to visit a daughter on that side of the country. We were within a day driving distance one way. Had to stay in a hotel at least one night because it was not that close. We really did not do it more than twice during our stay time setments. Her with a job and all, and the long beautiful drive, made it not practical. We own our house here, but were paying rent there. We could fly out twice a year and it would be cheaper. We moved back here permanently in March 2017, following one snow storm and in front of another. Saw a break in the systems, and made a run for it. Day after we got back, we got a blizzard, but...

In April my husband bought me a cello, a lovely cello. It was aptly named, Monte, by the previous owner, Monte Cello. Then we found Pawnshop Cello that I named Belle (the one I will give my niece tomorrow). Later we found guitar type music store cello they took in as trade and had no use for ($50). I named her Ada. Keeping her. I am going to try to sell Monte Cello locally in a few weeks. I have my new cello. I will be keeping my new cello that I named Evie, and Ada.

So, there is no excuse. I was almost 60 when I started. I am over 60 now and am taking cello lessons, and still working on my violin and viola.

I don’t have high expectations. This is for my own enjoyment. I am not going to be performing for people. I send one of my brothers and sisters-in-law a video once in a while, but that is it. If I get really good, good for me. If I stay mediocre, good for me. I love it, love my violin, and love my viola. We pretty much stay at home with our little hobbies. That is what we do. Might be up there in age, but I am still learning and trying something I have always been fascinated with and interested in learning. Did not have the opportunity before, now I do.

We are retired, so almost being semi-retired is a good time to start.

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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