How To Play Cello Holistically
Author: Mea the Creative Cellist, founder of CelloYoga™️
Find out more at : celloyoga.ca
Cellists!
Having a satisfying and long career as a cello player whether you are an amateur or professional takes more than practicing a few hours a day. To get the most out of your cello journey, you will need the right mindset and tools to help you navigate the ups and downs of a musical life.
Try these 10 tips to improve your focus, flexibility, and freedom playing the most beautiful instrument in the world!
Practice Mindfully
While playing the cello and in the times in between practices, be sure to set your intentions before you get out your bow~ Ask yourself questions about yourself and your practice. My #1 way to connect with my instrument is to breathe and play long beautiful tones with slow careful slides. My second favorite way is to listen to inspiring cello performances.
Recognize and Respect the Powers of the Body
Our bodies are amazing and can do great things, but we must always respect their limits in order to prevent injury. Take breaks frequently in your practice. Always warm up your muscles and your body before playing and cool down as well. Strengthen the muscles you need to play and do not ignore signs of pain.
Eat Your musical vegetables but don’t skip dessert!
It’s great to play scales and etudes to keep your skills sharp, but be sure that you are having fun or you will not reap the full benefit of this kind of rigorous practice. Get creative. Play with rhythm patterns. Learn how to play different kinds of scales like blues scales and jazz scales. Use your new knowledge to improvise or compose. Play your scales with a drone or over fun beat patterns.
Focus on Positive Musical Relationships
Sometimes we come across toxic people on our journey to becoming better cellists. There are many different ways toxic people can ruin our enjoyment of the instrument. We need to be mindful to distance ourselves from this energy. If you have a teacher who doesn’t listen to you or asks you to do things that hurt, then you may need to have a difficult conversation with them or find a new teacher. If you have a conductor who belittles you or a musical colleague who is unreliable and dismissive, these can all negatively impact your progress as a musician.
A lack of musical relationships is a problem as well. Some cellists hideaway in a practice room and never learn to play with others. This defeats the purpose of being a musician as music is an expressive language that is meant to be shared with others. Find a way to share your experience with others no matter what your level of expertise. If you can’t find a group to join, then create your own!
Accept Skillful Guidance
There is no virtue in re-inventing the wheel and refusing to find a good mentor. Many cellists insist on teaching themselves or trying to learn from other amateurs. This is a bad idea. You don’t have to seek formal instruction but at the very least, find a reputable cellist who has instructional videos and watch those. How do you know if the cellist is reputable? Seek out student testimonials. Also, be aware that great players do not always make great teachers. Even when you become a very skilled cellist, you can continue to learn from other great cellists.
Let Yourself Grow
Have you been having lessons for a couple of years now and you feel like you need a new instrument? Make it happen. Instruments can be expensive but if you visit a local luthier you might be surprised by the payment options available. Have you been asked to do a live performance but you are super nervous? Do it anyway. You will be proud of yourself afterward. Do you want to learn a new style of music? Talk to your teacher about it! There are many ways to grow as a cellist. Explore your options!
Love life and Be Respectful
It’s very important to be supportive of other musicians who are on a similar journey to yourself. Putting yourself out there as a cellist takes courage and a sense of adventure. Acknowledge those traits in yourself and congratulate others for doing the same! Never put down another musician and you will find yourself well-liked amongst your peers and asked to do interesting projects!
Connect
Can you think of a way to use your music-making to connect with others? Perhaps you can go play in a park or volunteer to play at a senior’s home. Maybe you can take your cello to show your child’s kindergarten class. Music can be a powerful tool to connect people and when you do this, you also reap the benefits of improved mood.
Be Aware
It’s easy to take on too much at once. Whether you are a professional cellist or an amateur, you need to pace yourself. Playing the cello is a little bit like athletics. You can’t just start running a marathon. Be prepared for the unexpected. As you become a better cellist, your ear will improve you may find yourself less satisfied with your progress as you start to hear the imperfections you didn’t hear before. This is an illusion though as the more refined a player you become the more you have the skills to overcome your musical challenges.
Meditate
The first time I was introduced to the concept of sound meditation was when I went to a yoga class in university accompanied by a guitarist playing meditative music. He was barely playing any notes but holding each note that he did play with intention and beautiful sound. It was mesmerizing and moving. You can meditate with your cello by first setting an environment, either with low lighting or candlelight or in a beautiful peaceful setting, and just allowing sound to come out of your instrument however you like. You can play long tones, parts of pieces you are working on, or simple patterns. Your goal is to focus on the sound and listen actively without judgment.
Hopefully, these tips have given you tools you can use as you continue with your cello journey. If you are interested in becoming part of a community of cellists dedicated to living a holistic cello life then book a free cello strategy session with us here: cellogo.com or reach out by email here: mea@celloyoga.ca
