I had one of those lessons yesterday that makes you a bit, well, sad.
When I had been playing flute for about four or five years and was first chair in school concert band, I got braces. You can imagine, in woodwind playing, this is a momentous event. I had to relearn my embouchure from scratch with an entirely different mouth on my face, and this caused many, many practice sessions to end in tears. I mean, we’re talking not being able to make a proper noise on my instrument kind of starting from scratch. I eventually managed, retained my first chair spot – but three years later had to have them off. And went through the whole thing again.
So when my cello teacher said to me yesterday, ‘Hmmm, there’s a technical thing I think we need to fix now before it becomes a real issue’ and proceeded to rework my bow hold, I wanted to cry.
I couldn’t even keep my bow in my hand the way he wanted me to, and at first couldn’t make my arm do what he wanted. I knew I had to do this, I’ve heard my tone quality hit a wall lately, I know something had to change. The last thing I want to do is relearn this any later than I have to. But god almighty I hate the feeling of going backwards.
I know I know – refining. Not going backwards. But I’m sorry, spending half your lesson not quite able to bow open strings because your new bow hold is that shakey does not feel like forward progress.
ARRRRGH.
So in boring technical details, for myself so I remember it later and for my other loyal late starters who are curious, I had my little finger stiff stiff stiff as a poker, and using too much of my upper arm to bow, rather than just fluid lower arm movement. I think I understand what he means about what muscles I have to relax, and what it feels like when I’m not doing it wrong, but the bow hold… I don’t know what’s right for me anymore. I can feel my little finger can’t be like that, I understand, and it all has to be flexible – but it’s wobbly as all get out and I don’t feel secure at all.
On a slightly separate note, I’ve been having my cello a bit lower on my body lately, and it feels more comfortable. I’ve only learned cello technique from men so far, so this issue has been, how do you say, sensitive – but as a female cellist there’s the issue of bumps on one’s chest. As in they get in the way of this whole where-to-put-the-cello thing. Some girls are bigger than others, as Morrissey says, and for me I’ve got to make the decision of above or below the bust, there’s not really a stable in between solution. You mention this to your cello technique tutor and there’s a fit of giggles, but no real answer. Seems simple, but really I’m missing out on a fair amount of positioning options that are just not comfortable. So above makes my cello sit quite high, which was my chosen position for awhile. But I randomly tried belowish for a bit, which makes the scroll sit behind my head and closer to my shoulder, which is a bit more comfortable now that I’m doing more fourth position.
I should really only mess with one thing at a time, but as this positioning thing was in the works before, I’ll probably just stick with one while I sort out my, *gulp*, bow arm ridiculousness.
rallentando
28 May 2007 at 2:08 pm
The problem is not too acute for those of us whose ribs are only slightly blurred on a couple of adjacent areas on the thorax, however, the cello rests a bit above those uncertain locations in this particular case. I have experimented with different endpin length, and this feels right. The bow hold has only been a problem for me with the pain on the thumb where the callous should form. As this did not seem to be developing fast enough for me, I use one of those rubber finger things people use to count paper money. Jacqueline du Pre used rubber tubing to help her grip, I heard, so I don’t feel such a failure!
Iona
28 May 2007 at 2:37 pm
Try not to get disheartened. The thing is you’re going to be positioning and re-positioning and holding and re-holding ’til kingdom come. We’re constantly readjusting. Besides which it’s always really hard to stay relaxed and get it right under the close & constant scrutiny of a teacher.
Have you tried the pencil trick for getting the feel of the bow? This way you can practice away from the cello without getting too hung up about loads of other issues.
Just put a pencil on a table in front of you (horizontal). Now pick it up with your fingers in something close to a bow hold. It’s nigh on impossible to grip it. Keep the hand relaxed, wrist up. Now put it down. Now pick it up.Know what I mean? That’s all your practice need be for a while. After that you can try the paint brush movement with the arm, with or without pencil. That counts as practice too. When ready transfer those sensations to the bow and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised.
The boobs issue. Never really much of a problem for some of us
Erin
28 May 2007 at 8:10 pm
Thanks for your nice comments and ideas… it’s good to know everyone goes through this a few times. Iona, my teacher did do the pencil thing, no doubt I’ll start doing it at my desk at work. Practice today was better, I hope it will be a gradual climb!
Raquelle
28 June 2007 at 6:24 am
re: breasts. I have been playing with mine above, but just had a great lesson with Amy Barston, a truly amazing woman, both a virtuoso player and teacher, and she recommended that I place the cello higher so my breasts would be below, because I was having a hard time getting to the tip of my bow (which I hadn’t noticed, but she was absolutely right!). Now of course, my legs are too short. Perhaps a bent endpin in the solution, but I need to experiment on how to get my knees in the right place if I raise the cello up. Anyway, I thought I’d mention it because she was absolutely right about the bow tip problem. You can get much more power out of your bow if you aren’t locked in because your breasts are sitting on top of your cello. try it.
Erin
28 June 2007 at 8:25 am
Hmm, interesting. I had been playing with my cello above before, but was feeling like my cello was too in my face, I’ll have to experiment with my bowing and see if it affects getting out to the tip.
Thanks for passing that on!