Deryn Cullen Adult Beginners, Adult Learners, Cello, Cello Scales for Beginners, Elementary Technique, Getting Started on the Cello, Intermediate Technique, Left Hand Technique, Scales, Stretch Position

Cello Scales for Beginners: D Major 2 Octaves

This is part of a series of cello scale videos designed to help beginner students learn them by visualising the fingerboard and watching a slow demonstration.

D major can be played entirely in first position,but requires forward stretches on the C and G strings in order to access F# on the C string,and C# on the G string. Remember that forward stretches use exactly the same technique as back ward stretches – i.e. the stretch is always between the first and second fingers. Avoid the fairly common mistake of stretching between the third and fourth fingers.

More about stretching on the cello here:
Stretch Position on the Cello
Detailed Diagrams for Extended First Position

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Deryn Cullen Adult Beginners, Adult Learners, Cello, Cello Scales for Beginners, Elementary Technique, Getting Started on the Cello, Intermediate Technique, Left Hand Technique, Scales

Cello Scales for Beginners: F Major 2 Octaves

This is part of a series of cello scale videos designed to help beginner students learn them by visualising the fingerboard and watching a slow demonstration.

F major is one of many cello scales that can be played with a variety of different fingering patterns. This particular version uses first and fourth positions, and requires a backward stretch on the A string to access the B-flat. Stretching on the cello is a way to access a slightly larger range of notes without having to shift. This is achieved by increasing the interval between the first and second fingers from a semitone to a whole tone.

More about stretching on the cello here:
Stretch Position on the Cello
Detailed Diagrams for Extended First Position

Only E and F are played in fourth position, which means that this is not the most efficient fingering pattern. However, for players who are not yet familiar with the overlapping positions (second and third), it adds another 2 octave scale to the list!

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Deryn Cullen Adult Beginners, Adult Learners, Cello, Cello Scales for Beginners, Elementary Technique, Getting Started on the Cello, Intermediate Technique, Left Hand Technique, Neck Positions, Scales

Cello Scales for Beginners: G Major 2 Octaves

This is part of a series of cello scale videos designed to help beginner students learn them by visualising the fingerboard and watching a slow demonstration.

G major is similar to C major in that both scales share the same fingering pattern for the first octave*, and both scales use closed fingering patterns throughout. Because G major starts 1 string up from C major, the 2nd octave exceeds the range of first position, which means that the highest 3 notes must be played in fourth position, as shown in the diagram and later on in the video demonstration.
If you have not tried playing outside the confines of first position, you will no doubt find the change of positions awkward at first. There are countless exercises that introduce and develop this vital technique – here are some to get you started.
Do not rely exclusively on the scale, as it presents only one of several ways in which you might move from one position to the other.

*In fact, C and G major 2 octave scales can share identical fingering patterns throughout both octaves: C major can use fourth position on the D string (1-3-4) instead of first position on the A string (0-1-2) for the highest 3 notes. It is worth familiarising yourself with this fingering variation

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Deryn Cullen Adult Beginners, Adult Learners, Cello, Cello Scales for Beginners, Elementary Technique, Getting Started on the Cello, Intermediate Technique, Left Hand Technique, Neck Positions, Scales

Cello Scales for Beginners: C Major 2 Octaves

This is the first of a series of cello scale videos designed to help beginner students to learn them by visualising the fingerboard and watching a slow demonstration.
C major is the first scale most cello students learn. It covers most of first position (from the open C string to 2nd finger on the A string), and uses both basic closed position fingering patterns (0-1-3-4 and 0-1-2-4), which makes it an important technical foundation for the left hand, and an equally important means of building coordination between the left hand and bow.

In the demonstration video (2nd pass of the scale), pay attention to the left hand strategy when open strings are being played. Instead of allowing to the fingers to float above the strings, leave them resting on the previous string in the ascending scale, and send the 2nd finger (or 2nd and 3rd fingers*) across to rest on the next string as soon as it has played its note on the current string, sending the rest of your fingers across just as you begin playing the open string in the descending scale.

*When playing on the G string, the fingering pattern is 4-3-1-0 as opposed to 2-1-0/ 4-2-1-0 on the A and D strings, so you’ll need to send your 3rd and 2nd fingers across to the C string. It sounds more complicated than it is! I’ll be posting a short tutorial to demonstrate this very useful technique soon.

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