No matter what field you explore or what you do, practice and patience go together. The same mantra goes when learning a new instrument like the cello. Cello is a challenging yet satisfying instrument to master, and just like any other type, you need to dedicate your time and effort to get the momentum. You might have heard that it is way better to work smart than to work hard. Why don’t you try to apply it when practicing your cello? Yes, you can always employ intelligent techniques that can improve your cello playing!
Techniques to improve Cello playing
If you are a beginner cello player, you might find these techniques helpful in your everyday practice.
- Time and room to practice
One hindrance that could prevent you from learning continuously and effectively are the various distractions around you. You hear noises, you see clutter, and you remember unfinished tasks while holding your cello. As a consequence, you’d end up giving up practicing and resolving those distractions. To avoid this, you need to have both time and a spacious room to practice. The room should be quiet and clutter-free. This is essential in setting your focus to practice.
- Record yourself
If you have no one by your side to observe and tell your mistakes, you can just record yourself while practicing. Since this is a trial and error process, you can always go back to your recording and analyze what part makes it hard for you to master.
- Solving the problems
Problems and mistakes are inevitable when practicing, and you should not be guilty about it. The best thing you could do with these conflicts is focus on them and think of the possible solution so you will not reencounter them. The easiest and effective way to deal with these is to take the process slowly but surely. You can also cut your tasks into portions so you won’t feel overloaded.
- Practice with a goal
Setting up your goal for the day is the first thing you should do right before holding your cello. What is your target today? Do you plan to master the different tunes? Do you want to improve your cello intonation? Do you prefer starting with the basics? No matter your plan, do not forget to create a clear goal so your time and effort won’t get wasted.
- Have fun practicing
Last but not least, don’t forget to enjoy what you’re doing. Before you start your journey on playing the cello, make sure that you’re motivated and ready to take on the challenge. If you enjoy practicing, the rest will fall perfectly in their right places, and there will be no tough tasks ahead of you.
Now that you have these handful of techniques you could employ to improve your cello playing skills, it’s time to set your goal and fulfill it. As long as you have the passion, confidence, and knowledge, you are more than ready to play your cello. If others can do it, there is no single reason why you can’t.