Welcome to the third part of The Cello Gym! Thank you for being still with me. And thanks for joining the program in case you are new.
This book is for advanced to professional players. All keys are covered; however, enharmonically equivalents are left out. Fewer key signatures are preferred for better readability.
The Cello Gym is a simple method. The idea is to practise different versions of the same scale for about 10 minutes every day - without thinking much, without stopping much, without getting distracted by tons of material. Further, these workouts are great for warming up, or for getting in shape in case you have only limited time to practise.
Here is how to use The Cello Gym 3:
①Pick a key
②Set your metronome (the pace is set to 60 b.p.m. - even without a metronome, you can use the second hand of a clock to guide you)
③Play all two pages of scales referring to the same key, repeating where indicated
The routine should take about 10 minutes.
It might be a good idea to pick a key or a number of keys that correspond to the piece of repertoire you are working on. If you are working on the Dvorak Concerto, practise B-Minor, G-Major and B-Major. If you are working on the Schumann Concerto, pick A-Minor and F-Major. And if you are working on the Chopin Sonata, pick G-Minor, D-Minor, B-Major and maybe G-Major.
You shouldn't jump between keys too frequently. It makes sense to stick with a key (or a number of keys) for some time. I always feel the need to be completely familiar with the key of the piece I'm working on, to explore its sound and character. After all, the great composers had a certain idea how to make their music sound - why was the Dvorak Concerto written in B-Minor? Why did Beethoven choose C-Major for his Triple Concerto?
And, last but not least, don't shy away from keys that are used less frequently!
Please feel free to replace my fingerings with your own. The ones printed in this book merely serve as a suggestion. At your level, you should have your own taste, like how much to incorporate the thumb, how much to use the third and fourth fingers in higher positions and so on.
And, last but not least: DON'T GIVE UP!!! Stick to this method and you will see improvement!
