Hi reddit,

I'm trying to get an idea of my level (I started with a teacher in February), because in France we don't have grades like abrsm or rcm. My teacher says I'm progressing fast so I got curious.

I'm looking on youtube at the pieces in the Abrsm syllabus, but the teachers playing these pieces always play them with technique that isn't learnt at this stage, like vibrato. It's hard to get an idea of what is really expected from a student, what kind of performance would get a pass. Hence my question, where can I find actual performances of actual (but good) students.

Thanks and happy practicing !

This is a 5 string cello from the 1600s. Violin was standardized in the 1600s, so it's cool to see these wild west experimental models before cello was standardized in the 1700s.

The description card said Amaryllis Fleming restored this example and performed the 6th cello suite on it!

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/898377

^{(picture credit to Hubert Chen, Liu Cello})

Indulge me for a second here. I know there are some good eCelli out there. But I think the consensus is that while good, they will never produce the warmth and fullness of an acoustic.

So are the Yamaha SVCs and the NS Designs the peak? Will it never get better in terms of tone and sound? Only new body designs? What would need to happen for an eCello to leap to the next level? What's holding back the current crop of instruments?

One thing on my mind is sampling. Obviously a tiny resonance chamber as in the SVCs will never produce the sound of a full bodied acoustic. So what if the strings did not produce the sound themselves, but merely acted as controller for pitch and dynamics, which then triggers a sampled sound?
The reason this is on my mind because my ePiano will sound a lot more like an acoustic cello (via sample libraries) than any eCello that I have ever tested. Of course I know that a Piano is a much easier Midi controller than a cello string could ever be, but still.

Curious to hear your thoughts!

Hi,

I have some explaining to do at home.

I've played fiddle for some years now. Simple folk type thing. Then I saw this in the local interwebs marketplace. Apparently it's some Czech workshop instrument from the 70's. It was attractively priced (350€) and does not look like a plywood instrument and I did not see any cracks so I just went with it.

The bridge needs work, it came with a raw bridge. The original was bent so it was sold with a raw one. But I've quite succesfully made my own fiddle bridges so I figures I'll just fit this one.

I am oddly fond of it already. Hopefully I'll be playing polka oom-pah bass lines soon!

I have another appointment before my lesson this morning and I really like to practice at home usually before it but can’t this week and there’s a 1hr break with time to kill between the appointment and my lesson (I live too far away to go home).

I was contemplating maybe finding a public park and practicing there. It would be 9am on a weekday so hopefully less people around but I’m sure there would be some. Is it weird to do that?!

I don’t think there’s any other places I could access in this short time frame to practice as there’s no time to ask anyone. Weather seems ok today not raining just a bit cold.

I was thinking I might bring my chair so I have more access to the more remote parts of the nature reserve nearby my music lesson without needing to use the picnic tables

Hello folks, I am reaching out for assistance from anyone who might be able to discern some very faded old writing inside a circa 1780 Chappuy cello. The location of the writing is where typical maker labels would be placed. The writing is in pencil and almost impossible to see with normal light. With uv light, the contrast is better but still difficult to make out. I’m almost positive it is French, and probably from a later repair. I have taken several photos, illuminating different areas of the writing and using different angles. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

I can’t for the life of me remember the name of this piece. What is it?!?

Looking for ABRSM Cello Grade 7 Teacher. Any suggestion please. In Vancouver.

Thank you.

I am wondering if someone could share their long-term richlite fingerboard experience. Does it wear slower than ebony? Theoretically, based on the material property, probably, yes, but maybe someone has real-life experience.

After a decade of playing on a great quality ebony fingerboard, some grooves have developed; Looks like it is time for scarping. At the same time I am wondering if richlite would be more durable. Debating whether it worth trading an organic feel of ebony for a durability of richlite when considering a new cello in the future.

Like i said i played bass for about 3 years and i would like to also play cello because i always loved how it sounded and its just a very cool instrument overall. The thing is i am in a rock/metal cover band and would like to also play cello alongside bass in that band so thought getting an electric cello might be better since already have an amp. What are your opinions and recommendations?

I’m 35(f) and I just bought my first cello and started taking lessons with the teacher.
And she told me that my fingers were bad for the cello and that I probably wouldn’t be able to play properly.
The thing is my nail plates on index and middle fingers extend slightly beyond the tip of my fingers, which makes it impossible to keep my finger rounded. To press the string down properly, I have to straighten it.

Is it really so bad and I will have a lot of problems because of my finger’s anatomy?

in thumb position is it supposed to hurt my thumb

i dont know if im just supposed to have calluses there because my index finger already has rock hard crusty skin so i cant really feel anything in that area

so is the goal here to develop crusty hard skin on the side of my thumb so it doesnt hurt

or is it not supposed to hurt and im doing something wrong

im sort of using the the middle ground of the pad and the straight side of my thumb

this is not on thumb position on the natural harmonic by the way

Recently acquired this cello, looking for ideas on time period and maker. Unlabeled, assuming Saxon but has a couple characteristics of Mirecourt factory work. Thanks in advance!

This interesting video just dropped about Alstaedt's remarkable, small, 1749 Guadagnini cello. Granted, it's an exception, but it proves smaller can be better.

I am looking for some good cello/voice pieces. This would be for a mezzo - soprano. Any favorites?

For those who don't know, all state is an orchestra for the state of Georgia that you have to audition for and I got my old conductor as one of my judges.

I just bought my first "expensive" cello bow (expensive for me, it was around $600 USD) during my trip to Japan. Since I don't have much knowledge about bows yet-having only played on the cheap bow that came with my outfit-I'm a bit unsure about what I'm looking at.

After laying it down next to my old bow, l noticed that the stick looks a bit twisted/ warped sideways.

The lighter-colored one on the left is the new bow I just bought. And it was in this shape since I tried it in the store in Japan.

Is this kind of sideways bend normal for a bow, or is it defective/warped? Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated!

I’m a 16-year-old cellist who started at 12. I practice 4–6 hours daily and am 1st chair cellist in my TMEA region, yet I feel painfully behind where I want to be.

Throughout middle school, I only played during class (45 minutes a day) and never practiced outside of it(I was bottom orchestra last chair throughout middle school). I didn’t fall in love with the cello until halfway through freshman year, when I gradually began practicing more seriously.

There’s another cellist my age who also started at 12, but he’s roughly twice as good as me despite practicing less. He attends an excellent school with a strong orchestra and some of Texas’s best high school cellists, and he has a great private teacher. Meanwhile, my school has virtually no competitive orchestra musicians besides me and a violist, and I don’t have consistent private lessons because my parents can’t afford them. I’m incredibly grateful to have free lessons through school, though.

Despite my progress, I still struggle with fundamentals and feel nowhere near All-State level, I don’t really know though since I’ve never had the honor to meet one. I’m catching up to this other cellist and may surpass him this year, but it feels like every goal I set is always one year away.

Should I keep pursuing cello seriously, or am I simply not good enough to make it? (For context, I have a full-ride scholarship to any university or conservatory, so finances aren’t a concern.)

To get an idea of my skill level, the hardest pieces that I can play is Elgar Cello Concerto Movement 4 and Popper 22.

If I can’t become a successful professional cellist then I think I might just kill myself because cello is the only thing I have left.

Etudes included.

hi cellos, so my commute to school for my masters program has just gone from a 20 minute walk to a 30 minute train ride. safe to say, when i leave the apartment, i can trust ill be gone for a while. i usually at least have ipad, water bottle, pedal, rock stop, a couple journals, etc. im looking for recommendations for bags—shoulder bags, tote bags? backpacks? i struggle sometimes doing the backpack on front because it just adds that much more onto my shoulders, but im open to any ideas.

tl;dr, what has worked for you for carrying music supplies and a cello to and from work/school?

I need more info on this poor soul who has to keep making drake arrangements 😭