Intonation: How do I get my fingers to go to the right place?! | Beginner Cello Tips
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- čas přidán 16. 07. 2024
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The Strad Podcast Episode #46: Billy Tobenkin on starting the cello at 25 - www.thestrad.com/podcast/the-...
Billy Tobenkin is a Los Angeles-based cellist who specializes in teaching adult learners. As a professional cellist who started playing the cello from scratch at 25, he is in a unique position to help others, like him, who found the cello later in life. He has developed strategies from his own musical journey to accelerate the learning process, and he is here to share them with you.
Please contact him at billy@adultcello.com with any questions or comments! Or visit adultcello.com
00:00 Intro
0:38 Step 1: Use tape
4:28 Step 2: 3-D Mapping
8:07 Step 3: Singing/Hearing Pitch
There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing the notes to play but not landing your fingers at the exact spot
Exactly.
It could be worse. Cello is much more forgiving of intonation errors than the violin.
I've been playing for almost 6 months now. I use coloured 8mm circular sticky labels but only on the D string, I then reference the other string positions from these. I also used one on the back of the neck to place my thumb but that kept slowly sliding down; it eventually went when my teacher said I was too scared to remove it! I now gauge my thumb position from the curve of the peg box. As a very mature adult, your content is well worth watching but it's funny that I can play songs on my guitar without reading a note but I can't play anything on my cello without sheet music to follow!
Yea. 100% on the tape.
I've played piano on and off since I was 3 years old and I'm 30 now...
The tape is helping me just get into the cello really quickly, and giving me that instant feedback.
It's the instant feedback that is important - that literally physically strengthens connections in your brain immediately. Delayed feedback takes a lot of time.
What's interesting is that on a non-fretted instrument, notes don't just have one spot to play them. You're not constrained by the 12 tone equal temperament system like guitar so you can move the notes so they're in tune with the actual intervals 🙂
Don’t rely on physical memory solely to know if your playing correctly. Here’s something no one mentions. Wood shifts in different environments. What may be in tune in your living room probably won’t be when you go to perform somewhere. I’m new to cello but as a guitar player for 20 years I can tell you from experience that wood moves.
"200 million ways to be sharp or flat". I think that sums it up 🙂
And don't underestimate the value of vibrato for concealment.
Also, There are certain partials we err on the low or high side and it will still sound accurate.
I liked this lesson. The toothbrush analogy resonated with me, which could be extended to bringing a spoon or fork up to your mouth as well. Maybe we did when we first started, but most of us don't land a toothbrush to our nose or spoon to our chin or fork to our lip. And we bring the utensils to our mouths without even thinking about it. Cool! This analogy gives me confidence that I will eventually get it with patience, practice, and persistence.
Thanks for the great video! I love that you are sharing your thoughts and perspectives from the viewpoint of starting cello as an adult as many of us have. I’m looking forward to getting more information on your October cello event - especially the dates so I can arrange to join🎶
Thank you for all these great videos!
More great tips! Many, many thanks for all that you do for us!
Better than using tape, make a small dots on the sides of the fingerboard just to know your fingers landed in the right place and you don't have this unpleasant sensation on the fingers because of the tape. I used an white POSCA pen: it is less harmfull for the the wood and you can erase marks easily (POSCA is waterbased acrylic paint). Make you to place the dots correctly and in the very side of the fingerboard to avoid rubbing off.
Thanks, Billy! I’m going to watch this with my cello student because it’s so helpful with good intonation.
I wish when I started that I did not put tape on the fingerboard as that was too much of a distraction and I had to learn again without them so it seemed. I transitioned from the tapes to just one thin tape doubled up and put it underneath for my thumb position. This really helped with the fingers and intonation. It was not long before the tape wore away and I never replaced it.
@AdultCello. Not too sure where to reply Billy
Thank you!
I have recently taken to learning the cello and am guilty of looking before and after my tutor placing tapes on my fingerboard. Thanks for this video. I am going to practise differently now 😊
Still haven't bought that cello yet (sadly cellos are expensive) but I love your content. You are so spontaneous and funny.
I was in the same boat and found a local shop that rents them out! $40/mo and that go towards future cello purchase. Totally worthwhile!
How to not give up?
For 3-D mapping, is it essential to have a consistent playing posture (end-pin length, angle)? sometimes I can feel like my muscle memory is thrown off if I'm sitting in a chair that I'm not used to, or if I just can't find a comfortable end-pin length. Maybe I should practice being aware of where the cello is contacting my chest
EDIT: nevermind haha I just un-paused the vid and you started talking about exactly this
Thank you for these tips. I’ve had my cello almost a year and am playing in church now, but only quite simple songs. When I got my cello, it had tape on, and I’ve left it there. As a violin player, I’m used to switching positions quite often. I think that I’m ready to learn cello positions. Do you have a teaching video for that?
*So, what kind of tape do you suggest to use?*
I see some kind of blue tape a lot. But using black colored tape would still be visible to me. But not too much out there… think…
I'm just starting to play the cello. Both my cello coach and my teacher said not to use tape. But if I'm not looking at the finger board, it couldn't hurt, right?
Rostropovich ❤❤❤❤❤
It all takes practice.. Eventually your fingers and ears learn the spatial location of each note.
Great video, thanks! But how to practice this internal pitch hearing (step 3)? Would you have some concrete exercises to improve this sense? I'm 57, started studying cello about 1 year ago.
One thing you can do is practice your scales to a drone note.
huh odly enough when i started lessons my teacher told me i shouldent use tapes so i could spott the problem which i unfortunatly struggled with for a soled month]
I play the violin, I assume the cello also uses the harmonic series for intonation as it is literally a bigger violin. Am I right? I'm too lazy to research this. XD
Does cello use Pythagorean and just intonation situationally?
Is it ok to put tape on your finger board if your renting a cello
Might depend on the company, but mine was ok with it.
I hate practicing the cello, I made a deal with my parents so I can play baseball. Boring as hell, baseball is more fun!
dont play it then its your life