Monday, May 24, 2010

I think I figured out vibrato

It's a rocking motion, isn't it?  I had been moving my entire hand but what I'm discovering works better is keeping my thumb stationary and rocking the part of my hand over the fingerboard back and forth.  I'm sort of rotating it in an arc, and the center of the circle is my thumb.  It sounds better and feels right.  Cellists, is this correct?

I'm glad I decided to rejoin the orchestra on cello.  I'm not keeping up with the music, but being around other cellists is helping.

I think my cello teacher has gone home to London.

Tonight I played piano at a chamber concert (QUOtets) in an ensemble that also consisted of a violin, viola, bass, and (in one of the two pieces) accordion.  The accordionist, Seth, arranged the accordion piece and composed the other piece, and we rehearsed last night in my apartment.  I had only read each piece through once before we rehearsed, and one of them had a few measures of piano solo which I never quite got right, and stumbled through at the performance.  Despite that, I think we did a decent job with them.

After the concert, an audience member approached me.  He is a professional cellist and is interested in getting involved with QUO, but can't attend Wednesday rehearsals.  Thinking more about myself than the orchestra, I asked him if he teaches private lessons.  He said yes, but awkwardly, since the reason he approached me was to find out how he could help the orchestra, not to get a new student.  In any case, teaching me cello would obliquely help the orchestra, and he seemed amenable to it.  He lives in Astoria, which would be MUCH more convenient, although I wouldn't get to spend time in Sakura Park.

2 comments:

  1. re: vibrato--I do vibrato a little differently; I'll have to show you next time I see you. I was interested to learn, when I was a cello student, that the way I had done vibrato on guitar for years was nothing like how it's done on cello--so maybe it's instrument-specific? Anyway, glad the show went well!

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  2. If you're ever out here for lunch again, I'll take out the cello (I can't believe I didn't show it to you last time!).

    How is vibrato done on guitar? I didn't think it was possible because of the frets. Is it a pressing down motion or do you pull the string to the side?

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