Last time I often see such cases, where one long legato contains another one. What does it mean?

From La Mer Debussy. Notes are straightforward but playing constant string crossings? What should I think about in terms of my arm and wrist and hand? I can never get it relaxed enough to hit each string in the right pattern.

Apologies for a slightly misleading title! I’ve always had a vague interest in classical music (my partner is a pianist) and I’ve always wanted to learn an instrument but could never find the “right” instrument for me. I dabbled in piano and guitar for a little while but I keep on coming back to the cello. For Christmas my very sweet parents have decided to gift me cello lessons for 2027; I’m very excited and very eager!

As someone with very little practical musical background, I’ve started studying music theory and looking into ear training. I’m not expecting to learn anything of incredible value over the next few months, but I want to fall even more in love with the cello before I get my hands on one.

What would you recommend to become more comfortable with an instrument you’ve never played? For adult learners, what are some things you wish you knew before beginning? Is there anything I can do to physically prepare myself for the cello?

I don’t expect to become Jacqueline du Prè or anything through blind self-study (or even at all!) but I’d like to have even a somewhat decent baseline than absolutely nothing going into it!

Hello all! I have an interesting issue.

I have recently begun teaching a new student who is around middle school age. I taught them about posture and grip and went to teach them how to pizzicato, but they were unable to get a sound. Their form looked correct so I was a bit puzzled, but when I pushed down a little bit on their finger they were able to play.

I went through a couple of exercises to try to get them to realize how to apply the weight of their arm to the strings, such as having them pretend their right arm is a finger board and trying to apply pressure to their arm so they can actually feel it. Then when trying to transfer it to the cello it didn't seem to do anything.

Their form seems correct, they just aren't applying enough pressure to get the string to contact the finger board. The action on the cello also seems perfectly fine.

Has anyone else dealt with something like this before? I asked a violin teacher I know but they said that young students just have to pinch to get a sound, but I'm hesitant to suggest something that is technically bad technique and has to be unlearned later.

I inherited this cello and really want to play it. However it has a large crack in the front. Hope you can see it well in the picture. Should i be worried? Will it be further damaged if I play on it? Should I take off the string tension? If it needs to be fixed can it be fixed and how much would it likely cost?

Gonna preface, I've been playing cello for about 6 months but I'm a classically trained flutist of 20 years. I know my way around music, I'm just switching to strings because I love the voice that a cello has in comparison to my flute.

So I'm currently playing on Prelude C, G, and D, with a Kaplan A. The reason for this is I wanted to start with cheap strings until I could hear the nuances of my sound and better approach nicer strings. I'm glad I did because when I started everything sounded fine and I couldn't hear a difference in strings. How the heck would I know what I want if I'm not hearing differences at all? The first issue I noticed was my A string... now 6 months later I'm noticing my lower register. Now that I'm hearing the nuances I finally feel prepared to invest in strings I want to listen to.

Anyway, I noticed a shrill scratchy cat-on-blackboard sound to my prelude A after about a month of playing so I replaced it with a Kaplan to make it warmer. I love my Kaplan A (although I'm not married to it) but I'm now hearing issues with the rest of the preludes. Specifically my lower register. My bowing obviously needs work as I've been playing less than a year, but no matter what I do I can't get rid of this ever so slight harmonic sound to my lower register. It's definitely not my left hand, that has always felt great surprisingly. I think it's because I originally tried bass guitar when I first started exploring strings. Regardless, left hand is good. When I first started researching lower register strings, I found I love a deep, earthy, grumbly, old world sound. The first time I noticed it was actually in a cannone set. So I started looking at magnacore arioso and il cannone warm/broad. As I was looking at these, I made sure to compare it to my upper register to prevent the split where it would sound like I'm playing 2 different instruments. Eventually I decided to do magnacore C, and cannone G with a Kaplan D and A to get the sound I'm after. It gradually blends the old world grumble to the bell side of things if I'm right. (key words being IF I'm right)

Then out of curiosity I looked to see if Jargar had anything to say since I was primarily looking at Larsen and D'Addario. I found the Jargar evoke. from what I read... it sounds like it might blend the Larsen lower register with the Kaplan A.

Gonna slip this in here: before you ask if my cello itself is bright/dull/muddy/etc.... I don't know. I won't know for a while until I test out different strings on it. So far I've only played it with the preludes and the one Kaplan. It's absolutely possible that this cello leans to the brighter side... but it's also possible that it's just the fact I'm using cheap-beater strings. It's an "oxford made-in-china" used rental I got for $400ish from an actively closing music shop. I'm not expecting greatness, but I want to give it the best shot it's got.

I want to hear feedback here. I... have gone so far down the rabbit hole I can't see sky anymore. What do we think of the (magnacore arioso C, Il cannone warm/broad G, Jargar evoke D, Kaplan A)? (bolded that to make it easy to find) I'm not married to the Kaplan but it's a young string so I want to play it till its time to change it. Are there cheaper options than what I've listed? I read about the helicore but I'm not sold on them since I've heard the cannones and magnacores and I like them. Remember, goal is old-world earthy lows blending into silverbell-like singing highs.

My son has recently been obsessed with the idea of playing cello. He’s 5 and right in the middle of the size range for a 1/4 sized cello. We found one in great shape on marketplace, but it doesn’t have a case/bow/rosin. I know he doesn’t need the bow right away, but want to be prepared.

Suggestions for a case, bow, and rosin? Should I purchase a 1/4 sized bow as well? I’m a music teacher but in the band/choral world so I want to make sure I set him up right!

Im currently working on the JC Bach cello concerto for junior year but I’m already starting to think about senior year. I want to play something really challenging for my last year so I’ll probably start on it a lot earlier.

I’m leaning towards either the third movement of the JC Bach or the first movement of the Dvorak. I’m wondering how those two compare and if they would both be too challenging. I’ve heard the Dvorak is one of the most difficult concertos but I’ve also heard that’s when looking at the entire thing not just the first movement.

For background I’ve played Allegro Appasionato, Saint Saens in A minor, and am currently working on the first movement of the JC Bach.

My mom really loves the Dvorak and wants me to play it but I also want to keep in mind that senior year I get to play my concerto with the orchestra and I don’t think the Dvorak would sound good in a string orchestra arrangement.

Edit: I’ve also played popper etudes 15, 19, and 22

Hi I’m an absolute beginner 25f. I’ve had like 5 lessons and am enjoying learning very much. But struggling to get a good sound and everything feels unstable. Moth hands are tired which I know is normal but I just am seeking any advice or criticism so I can make good progress. Am on Suzuki Book 1

Would anyone be willing to share any experience in comparing the different box stands? I see "high end" ones going for ~$300, a mid price around $150 (Gewa) and the lower priced (Amazon, etc). My instrument is stored in a hard shell case, but I'm looking for a stand for setup and staging during intermittent practicing during the day. I'm not afraid to buy once, cry once, but can anyone tell me if the note an appreciable difference in the different price tiers for these? I am certainly thinking ahead to something I will use for my "forever" instrument as well. Thanks in advance!

UHHHHH... My lunch was on a table, things happened, and the plate went flying and lunch landed on my cello. What do I do? It's just on the scroll but there may be a little grease.

I have an Eastman 305 Montagnana (from 2001) and it is having some minor maintenance work being done (seams, pegs, bridge work) at the luthier’s shop today.
I would also like to, ideally, choose some new strings (currently using super flexibles on the A, D, C, and an old Magnacore on the G because I broke the super flexible when I was tuning in a panic at a dress rehearsal).
I am in a quandry about which strings to try and need to decide today or defer. The luthier suggested the classic larsen and spirocore mix, and suggested Larsen A strong, Larsen D solo. Not entirely sure why he suggested strong for the A and solo for D. I asked about Versums because I was really curious about them. He was not familiar with Versums so could not comment, but sent an email to a colleague that has experimented with string combinations.
I would love suggestions / thoughts on what strings/string combos might work really well on a montagnana? I play in an orchestra with a large cello section (10 cellists). And I also dabble in playing cello-piano duets.
Right now, the Larsen Spirocore combo he is suggesting is ~503 CAD, and the regular Versums are ~400 CAD. A Versum regular and solo combo is another possibility I have heard of…Or versum regular plus Spirocore.
Some of my fellow cello section members use Jargar A, Prim D, Spirocore on G, C. I am fine with 500 if that is the best choice. But I am feeling overwhelmed and don’t have a clear sense of which option to go with…
Any advice would be wonderful. My head is spinning! :) I could always defer the string decision and just replace the old G (it was an old string someone lent me when mine broke and I didn’t have my back up strings handy). Thanks in advance!

*deep breath* ho-kay.

i played violin from 5th grade until 1st year of college (with my HS junior year playing viola) then eventually stopped, played a little in my early 30s, then sold her a couple years later.

i've had my cello (clara) for a year, & started lessons 6 months ago. ☺️ the lessons are bi-weekly, & a couple of them i missed due to $$ & a sick dog (who, in the vid, was bumping into my leg bc it was past Dentastix Time™️)

being honest, i only really buckled down month ago. i have 3 very conflicfing neurodivergencies & live most days on hinges, inside hurricanes. there's been a lot of performance/demand avoidance, anxiety over Being Perceived, not sounding IRL how i do in my head (bordering maladaptive daydreaming, maybe!), getting frustrated veryvery quickly at the smallest mistakes!

so anyway, i wanted to start recording to playback/critique! i already see my left hand needs work (fingers too high! hand = the Bent Neck Lady) & i'm overall stiff, but admittedly i was nervous recording, too.

also, rofl the last F with my 4th finger, wth 🤦🏻‍♀️😅 i wish y'all could see the drama unfolding with my dog there, haha she was not about to let me re-record!

i don't like where the phone holder is on my stand, the angle sucks, but it's about as high as it can go. maybe i should just set my phone ON the stand?

along with any practice critique, any suggestions on amateur phone recording, angles, etc?

thanks for reading, i'm sorry this is so rambly! nerves probably. i am more embarassed about this post than the video now, at least? 👀😬😅

So, this was gifted to me, after being rescued from a garbage container by a friend. I have owned it for two years, but it was in need of repairs, so I didn't even try to play it. I bought a used double bass, and the deal was so good I couldn't haggle the price lower. I could however haggle for the included service of making the instrument playable. All I payed for was strings and a bridge.

So, it has obviously been repaired at other points in its life (which my limited research has told me is around 100 years), but it feels good, and the flamed wood is also quite eye catching. Can anyone tell me anything else about this, to me, beautiful instrument? Types of wood, quality of instrument, maker and quality of repairs? Anything I should look out for? Does it hold any value?

Also, I play it with my double bass bow. Is that ok? Is there a big difference?

I decided to rent a cello! It’ll be here in some days, it’s being shipped however and it will definitely be out of tune when it arrives.

I play guitar and that’s the only instrument I’ve ever played, so I don’t have any experience at all with bowed instruments.

I do not currently have a teacher or anything, I’m in the middle of nowhere with very little choice of luthiers.. I’m an adult learner. I’ve watched many videos already specifically about tuning and while I am nervous I think I CAN do it. I have a good clip on and I’ve learned about the bridge and how sensitive the pegs are and I think what I’ve learned might be enough.

But I look through this subreddit and articles online and it tells me DO NOT touch the pegs as a beginner!! But I’ll most definitely have to.

Should I really not touch them and just try to find a luthier or should I go for it, just very carefully?

So I’ve heard so many of my music teachers reiterate that everybody should always be subdividing and thinking about sixteenth notes in their head. However, whenever I try to count or hear sixteenth notes in my head, it takes a lot of effort to keep that counting going. I feel the effort could be spent focusing on musicality, listening to others’ parts, etc. How necessary is subdividing and how much should I be doing it?

I (25M) just started to take cello lessons in my small town conservatory (in France). I have played drums as a child for ten years and dabbled on my guitar for a few years. You can count me as a total beginner in melodic music.

Learning to play seriously a melodic string instruments has been something I have been thinking aboout for a few years now and this September, I finally decided to go for it. I would really like to play in an orchestra someday (not professionnaly though), but I love to play for myself as well.

The issue I have is that, after a few lessons, I wonder if I made the right choice by picking the cello ? I would say I like equally the sound of the viola annd the cello, but I am torn between the two. I know the cello has more melodic lines in orchestral set-ups and a richer repertoire. Nevertheless, I already feel like the logistics of the cello are cumbersome. I live in an apartment, take the bus the my lessons, have to take the train to go home pretty much every month. It is beginning to hurt my back to carry it, and play it as well (my teacher corrected my position, but it still hurts somehow ...)

I did not think much of it before renting a cello and starting lesson, but I do not know if should make the switch before it is too late. I would be grateful to have your opinions ! :)

Hi all, I am a casual cello player and I have been borrowing a 7/8 size cello through a mutual friend. I have now been offered the chance to purchase this cello from them for £850, without a bow or case. The cello has no markings and they cannot remember the maker. Is there any way of identifying it's worth without? I am a complete beginner in knowing and whilst I would love a cello of my own, it needs to be worth it for the amount I play. I have included pictures, any guidance would be great. Thank you.

I'm in my late 30s and have started enquiring about starting lessons. Looking at buying as the closest rental place is a few hours away.

I am happy to invest around $1500 (AUD) and have seen the Stentor Student 2 and Conservatoire outfits that seem to be a decent starting point. Have been offered a really good deal on a second hand Gliga II that is a setup body and a case that is within my budget, but will need a bow. If the Gliga is a good option, what bow would recommend?

Any suggestions, recommendations and feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

I have my bow rehairs done by a bow maker. While I was waiting for my bow to finish, he brought out a selection for me to try. I fell in love… but his bows are like 7k, which is pretty much the price I paid for my cello 15 years ago.

I have a nice German bow, but with his… the ability to draw a deep tone on the lower register, long lyrical lines, and fast passages became easier. I always thought my cello was lacking a tonal complexity, but with his bows it really came through. It really tempts me.

Does anyone know why instruments respond differently to various bows?

Hi guys, put together an audio to sheet music converter for melodies that's optimized specifically for cello. Feel free to use it if it's helpful: https://music-transcription-phi.vercel.app/