A Quick Idea to Help Establish Left Hand Position

Here’s a way for beginning cellists to establish their left hand shape in first position.

The distance between B natural (1st finger) and D natural (4th finger) is a bit further than most of us might prefer and for this reason beginning players often end up bunching their fingers too closely together as they play.

As a result, the first finger would play sharp or the fourth finger would play flat since the hand shape has contracted.

I find that often the fastest way to fix a problem on the cello is by engaging my brain so that I can clearly visualize in my mind’s eye what needs to happen.

I hope this exercise helps first with establishing the correct hand position, and second -and maybe more importantly - with being able to visualize the hand shape so that eventually you can feel it simply via mental imaging.

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