My Top Five

Here I list the things I think most important when playing or learning cello.

5.  A Good Luthier

I think having access to a good, reputable, reliable luthier is paramount to playing a stringed instrument.  I have had such good success with my luthier.  They offer honest opinions, give reasonable estimates, and are ready to answer any and every question I have.  I honestly believe they want the best for their customers at affordable rates.  

4.  A Strong Will

Cello . . . is not necessarily one of the easiest instruments I've ever learned.  As with anything, there is a considerable amount of technique to get used to.  I've played guitar, so I'm used to how strings work, but bowing is another story.  It's not something that comes easy to me and I have to be intentional about it.

3.  A Good Technique Book

I think having a good technique book is another necessity.  My teacher recommended Cassia Harvey's Beginning Technique for the Cello.  She said it wasn't something she'd used much, but she thought it might help me.  IT HAS!  I would recommend this book to anyone, but especially to people who have had previous musical training.  My teacher and I didn't start this book right away; we waited probably two or three weeks before giving it a try.  I had already been working on the Twinkle Variations for a week or more.

2. Proven Cello Curriculum

My teacher and I use Essential Elements and Suzuki.  I find Essential Elements goes a little slowly for me, but I've also been reading sheet music, counting, etc., for eleven years by now.  I know the basics of music like the back of my hand; I can tell EE would be wonderful for a complete beginner.

We also use Suzuki.  I've had friends who've had less-than-tremendous results with Suzuki, but my teacher and I are using it in a sort of nontraditional way.  Since I'm older, we are simply playing the pieces out of the books.  

I want to say that I think there are probably a lot of good cello curricula out there, and I don't feel I have enough experience to suggest one.  (If I'm being honest, I don't believe there is or could be a one-size-fits-all approach to music education, but that's a post for another day).  

1.  A Teacher

You hear this everywhere, but it's TRUE!  A good teacher will be a wealth of knowledge for you and a wonderful resource.  He or she will be able to watch your technique as you play, which is something that's hard to do as a beginner.  For me, I tend to play towards my fingerboard.  Having my teacher point that out consistently in a lesson is extremely helpful to me.

Bonus:

My two bonus things that I love are:

1) Kayson Brown on YouTube.  His channel is called Learn2playCello.

2) A good cello music arsenal.  For me, that looks like a YouTube playlist.  For me, listening to good cello music keeps me motivated.  Sometimes it can be detrimental when I feel less than stellar as a cellist, but I have to be honest with myself: I'm beginning cello as an adult and I will possibly never play cello at a professional level.  Listening to pieces I'd like to attack someday, if I'm given the opportunity, keeps me motivated to practice even when I feel as though I'm not making much or any progress.

Happy cello-ing! 

Hannah