Teaching Ideas for the First Year

The first two years of cello lessons are arguably the most critical for the cello student; it is during this time that the foundations are laid for further study. My general approach is to introduce cellists during this time to as many techniques as possible, many in their rudimentary or embryonic form.  Get them started on the broad movements and this will set them down a fruitful path.  

Here are some ideas for what to focus on during the first year of lessons. These ideas move from broad principles to more specific techniques - whole to part.

This means starting with music. Give the students a goal.  Give the students a tone or sound to emulate.  Demonstrate during the first class or play YouTubes.  In fact, demonstrate often.   Give listening assignments for home (get parental support for this).  Avoid exercises without any real life context.  Pull exercises out of the music.  Action Studies help to physically feel the “whole” even before being able to execute the techniques on the instrument.  When teaching a technique, have students watch you play while they try it - it takes their mind off of themselves and provides them with the big picture. 

Begin with the large movements first and move down to the small.  I recommend starting from the “center” of the body and moving out.  Start with larger gross motor movements and add the fine later.  Core and out!  Large to small! 

Do eurythmics!  To internalize rhythm, have students move…in rhythm...often!  Dalcroze was the master at this. 

Paul Rolland pointed out that technique has its own rhythm.  If students lack rhythm, it will not only have a negative impact on their reading but technique as well.

Have students sing!  To achieve audiation, have students sing…a lot!  I realized how important this was when I had two new students who were nearly incapable of singing.  And because boys voices change in their adolescent years, if they are not singing nor have someone to help them with their voices at this time, they will likely grow up without the ability to sing and therefore lack a basic tool for developing intonation.

Play harmony whenever possible, even when playing exercises. This can be done on a piano or another instrument. Give your exercises a musical context (I could have put this under Gestalt).

Begin developing a repertoire of bow arm movements, even in the first year. I recommend teaching these three bow strokes early in a cellist's training;

You can use the duets from this website that focus on all three bow strokes. 

It's actually not - at least not in it's rudimentary form.

For the vertical motion I have the students do  “Jazz Slaps” - slapping their hands on the string on the fingerboard - with their arms (not just their wrists). I then have them do the same with the bow in hand between the end of the fingerboard and bridge, feeling the natural spring of the bow.

After this I have them add up and down bows to the bouncing bow. This is a predominantly arm spiccato and that is Okay! 

Besides a great technique to develop a repertoire of bow strokes, this is invaluable for teaching students to divide up the bow. As mentioned, Bornoff taught up bow and down bow staccato to beginning string students.

I've tried it and it works! The first time I taught it I was amazed how quickly the students were able to catch on to it.

Keep in mind I am not referring to the virtuoso "flying staccato" bow stroke. I'm talking about a basic up bow and down bow staccato stroke in which the bow maintains its weight into the string with stops and starts in the same direction.

The impetus comes from the forearm. Otherwise it functions just like whole bows. 

 

Have beginning cellists choke up on the stick to prevent “Steak Knife Grip” (“Broccoli Grip” if you are vegetarian!). In the meantime, strengthen the 3rd and 4th fingers (see below). If “Steak Knife” remains a problem, have the student place the pinky on top of the stick for a while (works like a charm!). 

For more detail, check out my article and video on introducing the bow hold.

While holding the bow in the air, have students write the alphabet in the air with the tip of the bow. 

Have students crumple up a sheet of paper only using the thumb, 3rd, and 4th fingers. 

To see this in action, please see my video on the bow hold for beginners.

Begin passive wrist motions early. Practice holding a pencil in hand while moving your forearm, resulting in passive wrist motions.

 

The traditional approach of learning the major finger pattern (0-1-3-4) and “mastering” it before learning another finger pattern, and so on, has many difficulties. First, to learn the next finger pattern, the students have to to “unlearn” previous muscle memory. Adaptability is an important skill to learn early on and is one way to achieve this.  

Bornoff successfully taught 5 finger patterns to beginning violinists. As Philosopher Immanuel Kant said famously, The actual proves the possible.

If that is too ambitious for you or if your students are particularly young, perhaps only teaching major and minor finger patters from the beginning is more realistic.  Another idea is to focus on just the first three notes of the finger patterns: a less complete but simpler version.  The basic finger patterns are,

1 2 - 4 (half step, whole step)

1 - 3 4 (whole step, half step)

1 x 2 4 (whole step, whole step)

For more detailed information on please see my article on finger spacing, which I like to teach in conjunction with the finger patterns.

No “C” Sickness! If this is a struggle for the student, roll up a sheet of paper and tape it. Then, with circles of tape, tape on it to the side of the neck of the cello.

The smaller the hand, the more the C will be slightly lost when playing 4th finger. Practice the “Pop Reflex” (going from 4th to 1st with the C regaining its shape on 1st finger). NOTE: The knuckle base of the 1st finger will “Pop” to the side, NOT up. 

For more detailed information, please see my article and accompanying video on teaching beginning left hand technique.

With young hands, to prevent “pancaking”, the fingers may need to be more curved. “Pancaking” is from weak extensor muscles (the ones that lift the fingers), NOT weak flexor muscles (the ones that curve the fingers). It is important to have the students practice “Mr. Muscle” (lift fingers high for this exercise!).

For more detail, I invite you to watch my video on teaching basic left hand position.

Traditionally, in the beginning, tunes are taught primarily on the A and D strings only. Each string feels quite different so students should get used to playing on each string as soon as possible.

Also, practice the Open String Cycle so students can feel the difference between all four strings.  

It is important for students to get used to the idea of exploring the whole fingerboard. Without this, students can get “stuck” in 1st position.  Encourage students to explore the fingerboard.  Practice shifting up to harmonics early on.   

Don’t wait until first position is solid before working on shifting. Remember, adaptability is so important to instill.   

Traditionally, vibrato is not taught until first position is in tune. If you follow this, you won't teach vibrato until high school!

  

Teach the vibrato action studies early on. Demonstrate vibrato and/or show YouTubes. 

Have students explore thumb position harmonics in their first year.  And I beg of you, have students begin preparing by anchoring their thumbs in various places in thumb position, holding two strings down at the same time, and maintaining the position with a "C" in the hand and the knuckle base of the thumb "popped out". The hand should be slightly pronated in thumb position or the fingers will not maintain a proper angle to the string.

For a whole DVD of ideas for the first year, see Irene Sharp's The Art of Cello Teaching.

S.D.G.