How to Learn Scales on the Cello

The cello is a beautiful baritone string instrument that makes up an important part of orchestras and string ensembles. Once you have obtained a cello and found a good teacher, one of the first things to learn and practice is scales. Follow a few steps to play open scales on the cello.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Begin with the lowest scale, the open C scale played on the first string. Play the open note C, the first note of the scale, by pulling the bow across the open string.

2. Place the second finger, the middle finger, in the first position, and pull the bow across the C string to play the next note of the scale, D. The first finger position is found by placing the thumb on the back of the neck two inches down from the pegbox. The second finger goes directly on the opposite side, the front of the neck.

3. Move into second finger position with your ring finger on the C string. Pull the bow across the C string to play an E.

4. Now go into the third finger position on the C string for an F.

5. Move up the scale to a G by pulling the bow across the second string. This is the open G string. Use the first finger position on the second string to play an A. Use the third finger position to play an E, and then finish the scale by playing the high C with the fourth finger position.

6. Move onto the next string repeating the finger positions for an open G scale. Repeat starting on the third string for an open D scale.

[outchanter]

on 2/10/2009 For more advanced students, check out some of the method books on the International Music Score Library Project: http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_Compositions_Featuring_the_Cello

e.g. Klengel's technical studies for cello includes fingerings for all scales up to 4 octaves: http://imslp.org/wiki/Technical_Cello_Studies_%28Klengel%2C_Julius%29

These are old publications which have passed into the public domain and are legal to download.