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\nThe cello has been an instrument favorite of mine for many, many years. One day I woke up and thought, I want to learn the cello. Ok, maybe it was a more gradual decision, but the short of it is I made a decision. I was going to become a cellist. I thought I’d share my journey so far with the hope my struggles become useful to others.<\/p>\n
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Starting out on this venture I reached out to the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center (PMAC). They started off (kindly) by letting me know I wouldn\u2019t be able to start lessons without the instrument (of course). Through this interaction, I came to find out that there are different size cellos! It was so much easier when I was in grade school and my band teacher ordered my instrument for me. I scoured the internet for some guidance on what size I needed. The tricky part for me was the sizing charts base the size of the cello on the age of the student and assumes that the age falls in with their height.\u00a0But as an adult and still being the height of a kid, it wasn\u2019t as straightforward. I ended up going with a 3\/4 size cello even though my age on the chart said otherwise.<\/p>\n
Through the recommendation of the ladies at PMAC I reached out to Ralph\u2019s House of Music, in Dover, where Ralph himself ordered the cello for me from an online rental company, Music & Arts. Within a couple of weeks the cello arrived and my journey of learning how to play the instrument began.<\/p>\n
I began lessons right away but I quickly found difficulty with coordinating the proper way to hold the bow. I also had other questions start to multiply ‘Am I\u00a0sitting correctly? Is my arm relaxed? Why am I playing two strings when I only want to play one? Are my fingers in the right position\u2026’ so many questions. Back to the internet for some clarification! I spent hours watching YouTube videos on bow hold alone. I not only worked on finding as much information on technique as I could but I also looked through the lists of beginner music books to help me along. I found artists that inspired me and listened to them intently.<\/p>\n
I am still taking lessons and practicing as regularly as time allows. I even played my first solo in front of a group of supportive adults who are also learning instruments for the first time. I may even join a string group in the new year. If you find you are ready to learn the cello, I’ve included some links that may help you on your way.<\/p>\n
Happy Playing!<\/p>\n
Cello size guideline:<\/strong><\/p>\n Finding the Right Size Cello<\/a><\/p>\n Instrument Rentals:<\/strong><\/p>\n Ralphs House of Tone<\/a> in Dover, NH<\/p>\n Music & Arts<\/a><\/p>\n Lessons in Portsmouth, NH:<\/strong><\/p>\n PMAC – Portsmouth Music and Arts Center<\/a><\/p>\n Tuning\u00a0 + Metronome Apps:<\/strong><\/p>\n Cleartune<\/a><\/p>\n Metronome by Soundbrenner<\/a><\/p>\n Tuning\u00a0 + Metronome Hardware:<\/strong><\/p>\n