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Just before Thanksgiving I joined a beginner strings class to learn to play the cello. My progress has been slow. When I saw the FM's sheet music for Danny Boy I decided to give it a try. First I had to rewrite it for bass clef, then I had to transpose it to D Major to make the fingering a bit easier. I haven't learned flats yet. It was a lot of work, but now I'm learning to play it. My poor cello bow is falling apart. 
Anyway, here's my early attempt at Oh Danny Boy (London Derierre 
)
I've learned so much from my mistakes that I've decided to make some more.
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WOW< that's a BIG fiddle... oh wait... you said it was a cello... NICE
And you play it pretty damn good too... what you need is a violin player along side...Hey, maybe record you playing one at a time then mix them in the final recording...
Then you could copy that to CD's and sell them and go famous....
Nice job. That thing is beautiful. 
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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Thanks cdennyb. I'm shopping for a chinrest for it. That way I can get my head in the frame!
I've learned so much from my mistakes that I've decided to make some more.
Real nice job, Gail.
What puzzles me is when you play it your bow stays perfectly straight across the strings with no support. As for violin players, the bow wants to drift everywhere across the strings. Why is that do you suppose. ? 
I'll answer that for Gail, It's because she is just that good.
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Fiddlestix said
Real nice job, Gail.
What puzzles me is when you play it your bow stays perfectly straight across the strings with no support. As for violin players, the bow wants to drift everywhere across the strings. Why is that do you suppose. ?
I KNOW, I KNOW.... [raises hand waving frantically...]
cause she's used to mopping floors... and it comes natural down there.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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Kevin M. said
I'll answer that for Gail, It's because she is just that good.
You took the words right out of my mouth! 
When you sit down with a cello you hold it vertically at arms length from you and then tip it back toward you with the upper back against your chest and the scroll is behind your head so the strings support the bow.
I've learned so much from my mistakes that I've decided to make some more.
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cdennyb said
WOW< that's a BIG fiddle... oh wait... you said it was a cello... NICE
Hah! That reminds me of this:
Gail, I can appreciate your effort because I watched my wife also go thru early stages of cello education.
You certainly did a good job on the video but you might have played a little slower for more expression. Overall, a great job.
The truth is that I was envious of my wife because the cello has such a great voice.
If you care to, look up Yo Yo Ma playing Songs My Mother Taught Me on YouTube.
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Thanks Oliver. I think I've seen all of Yo Yo Ma's videos on youtube. I also have a vinyl album of his. Sometimes his cello looks small. I wonder if he plays a 3/4 sometimes and a 4/4 other times.
I was playing a bit fast because I tend to run out of bow when I play slowly. I need to learn how to bow slower.
I've learned so much from my mistakes that I've decided to make some more.
Gail, nice of you to share your cello progress and Danny Boy for St. Patrick's Day. I think you are doing well, considering you only started before Thanksgiving. And rewriting the sheet music to a different key? 
I enjoyed it, and Oliver is correct - the cello does have a great voice. Keep up the good work! 
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Thanks Dee.
I've learned so much from my mistakes that I've decided to make some more.
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Yay Gail...that was great. You are spreading the will to play the cello this way... goodness!! You just keep on doing great work with the strings. Very inspiring to me.
Yay for you... thank you.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Thanks Toni. Your video inspired me to post this one.
I've learned so much from my mistakes that I've decided to make some more.
Hi Gail,
I just realized that I failed to ask you a key question that you may have already considered and dismissed.
Are you playing Danny Boy from a piece of music which includes bow markings ?
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No, sir. No markings of any kind. I transcribed it myself so it's just the basic notes and not much else.
I've learned so much from my mistakes that I've decided to make some more.
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Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you too Gail. 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
cdennyb said
WOW< that's a BIG fiddle... oh wait... you said it was a cello... NICE
The best part is you don't need a chin rest or shoulder rest. It comes with a skewer to stick into your neck to hold it with.
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I just want to see if I can upload a photo of my cello. Ignore me. It's only a test using Firefox.
I've learned so much from my mistakes that I've decided to make some more.
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Gail said
I just want to see if I can upload a photo of my cello. Ignore me. It's only a test.
Another test using IE to see if a "quote" would work as well...
consider yourself, "ignored."
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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