#010 We made it to episode 10! Here I am talking about tips on how to become a better sight-reader. It can be so difficult because technically after reading a piece of music the 1st time, it is no longer sight-reading. Let me know if there are tips that you have that I don't mention here. We are ALL a work in progress. Make sure you take an overview of the piece. Are there any particularly hard looking spots?Key signature,…
Do you ever hear a song and you feel like you just connect to it? I've been a fan of the band Tim Be Told for awhile and they just came out with a new album called Love and Happiness: https://bit.ly/timbetold . This album has so many great songs but one that caught my ear(?) is To See the Light. It seems appropriate for the times, but perhaps it can also be an ode to the struggles in life, faith,…
Do you ever get to a gig and think, "Oh man if only I had thought to bring one of those!" It is getting to that season where gigs are abundant! I think it is essential that every musician have a few things on hand so that no matter where you happen to be gigging you are ready to go. This goes beyond the obvious of rosin, music, and all the basic gear you would normally need at a gig.…
Halloween is coming up fast this year! What is your favorite part about this holiday? For me, it is the candy (twix!)~ I'm too much of a scaredy-cat to enjoy most of the scary things of Halloween :) . In this video, I talk about how to make some spooky sounds on the cello. Perhaps you can even create your own scary soundtrack for yourself! I talk about: tremolo, ponticello, glissandos, Bartok pizz, using the body of the cello, col legno,…
Are you learning the Franchomme Caprice No 3? (I refer to it as an etude, but I suppose the official term is caprice :) ) My latest Youtube video covers all the tips you need to help you master this etude. This would be really helpful to those who are opting to take the All-Region or All-State audition since this is one of the etudes on the list. (The other one is Popper 16, which I also have a video on). If…
Vibrato is an important skill to learn and to start using in your music making process. But it is important to also know when NOT to use vibrato. Remember that vibrato is used to enhance the music and not as a crutch for things such as finding your intonation or as a default addition to everything. You eventually want to expand your musical "toolbox" to be able to use vibrato at different speeds, intensities, and basically increase your control. In…
In this new video I give you practice tips on how to play Popper Etude #16 successfully. Popper etudes can be a challenge but with the right mindset and paying attention to details you can master this Popper etude. Remember it is often the little things that will set you apart from other cello players playing the same thing. There is a reason Popper is such a standard in the cello repertoire, but just keep practicing and you will get…
It is crazy to believe how fast the summer has flown by. Now that it is back to school season I am talking about a few tips and tools that will help make your school year with music run smoothly. If there are any other things that I have missed be sure to let me know! Now if only the TX heat would go away so it feels like a proper fall! Remember the best preparation often yields the best…
This post contains an affiliate link. Click here for full disclosure Hey Swifties! Here is my latest cover on the song Delicate by Taylor Swift. I am getting into transcribing popular music so that I can teach it to you guys! I wanted to make this video so you could hear and see what the sheet music would look like. You can get the sheet music to the song right here: http://bit.ly/2v7Y0vW Be on the lookout for the tutorial video with tips on…
Here is my newest video in the Cello 101 series! I cover the first position on the cello talking about all the notes on the d string. This post contains an affiliate link. Click here for full disclosure The technique I use to teach beginner cello players is one that I learned from Dr. Laurie Scott when I took her music education class. (Thanks Dr. Scott!) I use her book that she co-wrote with William Dick called Mastery for Strings…