Dear Abby...

Dear Abby

I am a wife and a mother to a great little girl. I have always wanted to play the cello and I have been taking classes on and off depending on how it fits into the family's schedules. Now that I am enrolled again, I am going through a huge frustration. I go once a week for my cello class and today I went in for an extra class. Crunch time. Concert is on Feb 28th. I am not ready! I am probably too hard on myself. After all, practice has been inconsistent.
Any suggestions?

Musician.



Dear Musician

As a fellow pianist and cellist myself, all I have to say is, "Practice, practice, practice!!"

Organise your day and make sure you fit in at least 30 mins of playing the cello. Even if you dont get to review your pieces, do the scales. It will help in getting the right tones. Also pick different tempos for warm ups. That will help to limber up your fingers. Do you have a carpetered area? The pin wont slip as much on the carpet.

Dont be too hard on yourself. Remember, if you are not having fun, it is no point playing. Picking up an instrument at a mature age is commendable. We are our own critics and the hardest because we assume we should be perfect. Get rid of that notion and enjoy!

Good luck!



Dear Abby

Did you pick up the cello late in life too? Do you have trouble holding the bow for a long time? My fingers cramp up easily.

We have a rug in the living room but it kept slipping so i used a pillow instead. What do you think?

I think doing scales is really uninteresting. Any other ideas?

Musician



Dear Musician

If your fingers are cramping, it just means you either have athritis or you arent holding the bow correctly.

Are you using the pillow from your bed or throw pillows? I think bed pillows would be a little unhygenic dont you think?

Play little tunes and shake them up or do variations of them. Include all kinds of slurs, staccatos and accents, etc.

Good luck again!



Dear Abby

I have no idea of what little tunes you mean. Slurs? Staccatos?

Should I go buy a special pillow as a stopper for my pin?

Athritis?? Oh dear! Can you recommend me what I should take for it? Or a doctor?

Frantic Musician



Frantic Musician

This is the Editor. Abby is on a long vacation. She wishes to inform you to stop playing the cello and sell the instrument. Then all your troubles will go away. Please do not write us again.

All the best.

Editor of the Tunku Blog.