Online Help For People Learning The Cello At Home #2

Lesson #2- Where To Start

• How To Get Up And Running
• Pick out a room in your house that you will use to practice. The best kind of room is the kind where you can actually leave your cello out. Buy yourself a cello stand (Ingles Cello Stand) and then, not only will you feel guilty for not practicing, it will be much more tempting to play because you don't have to spend the time to get it out of the case.
• Find the perfect chair. Just because you have a chair that looks pretty and comfortable, doesn't mean it's a good "cello chair." You need to be able to sit comfortably in the chair with your feet flat on the floor, without the chair being too tall, too short, or too slanted. Don't worry about the chair having back support, because when you play the cello you sit on the edge of your seat.
• Book + Video, or just book?: There are so many method books and videos that can get you on the road to becoming a cellist. Which one will work for you? If you have absolutely no musical background, I would suggest a book like New Directions for Strings- Cello Book 1. This book really breaks everything down to the nitty gritty, while the accompaniment CD makes practicing much less monotonous for the beginner. If you have some music experience, you might find Orchestra Expressions- Cello Book 1 more to your liking. It has magazine-like pages and full color pictures, along with more popular songs that keep a current musician from becoming bored too quickly. If you plan on learning through YouTube videos, (which many people do) then good luck finding a series that works! I have yet to find many that are in a worthwhile sequence and actually teach you what you need to know. This may be my cue to make a series of my own! If you're against taking traditional private lessons, you may want to consider taking the occasional Skype lesson online, if you really get stuck on something.
• Make sure you have realistic expectations: Yes, it's true that learning the cello as an adult is generally harder than when you are younger. This goes double for teaching it to yourself. The most important thing is for you not to get so frustrated that you give up and never realize your dream. You won't become a virtuoso overnight, and you shouldn't expect to. You WILL be playing Mary Had A Little Lamb, and you should be PROUD that you can do it!!
• Don't over-practice: You should main for 15-20 minutes, 5-7 days a week to start. Don't lump all of your practicing into one or two days. It's like brushing your teeth. If you brush your teeth for an hour two days a week, you're leaving yourself with 5 days of dirty teeth. If you brush every day, your teeth are healthy. You can keep your cello skills from getting dirty by practicing a little bit everyday, which builds up your skills in the long run.
• Send me a message in the contact box on the homepage, if you have any questions :) Good luck on picking up your cello for the very first time!

The Chinese Cello

I found this really great article about the Chinese cello (and its variations) that I thought I would share with all of you. I really like the sound of it, though I couldn't find a place to buy one online.


http://silpayamanant.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/sunday-spotlight-on-the-non-western-cello-chinese-cellos/

Also, if you want to see a whole Chinese orchestra in action (and all the cool cello-looking instruments) then check out the video above.

Have a great day!

Yay! Cello Memes!

 

New Things

I love this picture.

It's my favorite color and my favorite instrument all wrapped into one.
I also love art. Art of all kinds...though art that involves cellos is always a winner with me.
I really like retro modern anything (including the amazing folk stuff), pop art (mainly Roy Lichtenstein), anything Boticelli ever painted, Monet....this list could take me all day. Music and art are both things that I have a very wide-reaching love affair with.

Today was a pretty good day! I had a job interview, and I think (knock on wood!) that it went very well. I had to sight-sing, conduct, play cello (I hit them with a double-whammy of the prelude to the 1st Bach cello suite AND Julie-O), write an essay, and answer a lot of questions. It was by far, the most interesting interview I've ever had.

I really hope I get the job! It seems like a very nice school district.

Also, I stopped at one of those Amish-run grocery stores where they sell factory 2nds and damaged boxes or other foods that companies don't want to sell anymore. It's amazing how much money you can save on a box of cereal that only has a dent in it. I think it's important to support smaller businesses like that anyway.

I like their portion sizes better, too. For example, instead of buying a six-pack of those 12oz. Coke bottles, I can buy them individually. 3 FOR $1.00!!!! Now you tell ME where you can find a better deal than that? Sunset Outlet in Lebanon, PA...you're awesome. Everyone should go shop there. Their deli is amazing.

Have a good day!

Online Help For People Learning The Cello At Home #1

 

Lesson #1-Dude, Where's My Cello?

 

• Renting a cello
• Go to your local music store and ask about rental options. The last thing you want to do is invest money into buying a cello and then realize that playing it just isn't for you.
• What size do you need? Most adults use a 4/4 cello, also known as a full-size. If you happen to be a super short adult, a 3/4 size might be a better option.
• Ask questions about the rental: Is there insurance coverage? What does it cover? It is a rent-to-own or does only a percentage of what you're paying go towards the purchase price?
• E-mail a private cello teacher and ask if they recommend a certain brand. This is a good option if you are thinking about renting a cello from the internet and won't be able to try it before you buy it.
• Make sure everything that's supposed to be there, is there! Your rental should include the cello, a case, a bow, a cake of rosin, and you might want to ask if they can throw in a rockstop as well. If you are planning on playing somewhere that doesn't have carpet, it is a lifesaver!
• You can rent a cello completely online without ever leaving the couch. Here are some recommended companies that have good track records of renting quality instruments:
• Southwest Strings
•  Johnson String Instruments
• Music & Arts
   

Product Review: L'Oreal True Match Naturale Mineral Makeup and Concealer

DO buy True Match Naturale Mineral Makeup and Concealer

Why? I will tell you why.

This makeup is truly amazing.

The week of my senior cello recital, I received the gift of two huge zits on my forehead.

I ran to Rite Aid and purchased this concealer and mineral foundation, praying for a miracle!

I've tried a lot of different concealers and foundations over the years, and none of them have ever actually covered up my skin problems...they highlighted them!

This concealer covers ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. Make sure you get a good match to your skin tone. I actually had a few of my friends ask me how I had gotten clear skin overnight!

It saved me from looking like a teenage cellist and made me look like an adult cellist. Considering I was 28 when I did the recital...thank goodness!!!

This makeup is so great, because it's also very light. It really feels like you're wearing nothing at all. Before trying this, I had never used a concealer that wasn't liquid. I can't believe how much I was missing out! 

Liquid + powder = not compatible. 

Mineral powder + mineral powder = VERY compatible. They blend right into each other. Amazing.

Wash your face. Moisturize. Use the concealer (which is a mineral concealer) where you need it. You won't need to use a lot. Buff the mineral foundation all over your face. Look in the mirror. Be amazed! 

Thanks for reading this.

Please comment if this review helped you!

Why I Love The Chiropractor

I love my chiropractor.

How did I end up needing one? I had spent a few years in a folding chair, in front of a computer, with a monitor that was above my eye level.
Yes...I had been looking up with my neck in a terrible position with no postural support for my back. Awesome! Do me a favor: go out and spend good money on a cushioned and supportive chair for your job. Make sure it keeps you eye level with your computer monitor. If you're looking up or down at your screen, your neck will not be happy about it later!

You know what else I was doing? Sleeping with three pillows under my head. Something like this:

It's funny. I had never thought about how I sleep...ever. I can't believe I kept my neck in that position for so many hours.

I started getting terrible headaches with vision disturbances. The kind of headaches that make it feel like your head is in a vice. All the pressure was coming from the back of my head where it meets my neck. I began to get very worried. The only thing that seemed to help was to lie down, which took the pressure off my neck. I thought maybe my head had ballooned up, because it felt so heavy, like my neck couldn't support it.

I'm not sure why I even decided to go to the chiropractor in the first place, but I'm glad I did. My C2 vertebra (the second vertebra in my neck) is out of place from my neck being in an awkward position for so long. (3-ish years?)

I now go every 3-4 weeks for an adjustment and electrode stimulation therapy. I do stretching and strengthening exercises at home. I sleep on a neck aligning pillow and it's great.

Also, if I do get any pain, I use BioFreeze to quickly combat it. It's like IcyHot, but alot more powerful. I haven't had a headache in quite awhile.

I don't have health insurance to cover chiropractic, but if you tell the office about your situation, you can usually become a cash paying customer. It costs about $40 a visit. I think it's worth every penny. As my chiropractor always says, too many people are used to popping pills when something ails them. It's time to look at alternative treatments for pain and other ailments.


If this post helped you, please comment.
Thanks for reading!