Learning the Cello

Cello Bow on String Basics - Staccato - Perpendicular Bow Paths- detache' - full bow legato - spiccato - string crossing

Most people look at the left hand of a cellist and wonder how the fingers can find the notes. What is not as obvious is the variety of Bow Arm Motions that a cellist must learn and then be able to coordinate with the left hand. This page will give links to bowing techniques, each one quite different from the others, which you'll need to develop.

Watch this performance to see Nathan Chan running the gamut of bowing techniques!

These four types of bow strokes are the basis for much of cello playing.

I teach Staccato right from the beginning. Then I start detache' (smooth bows played around the balance point of the bow) pretty early on. Before learning the other two arm motions, (Full Bow legato and Spiccato) it's best to wait until there is ease and balance when playing staccato and detache' and until the left hand fingers can play consistently in tune.

There are other motions that the bow arm has to consider when:

string crossing (going from one string to another)
using Bow distribution/Bow Speed (changing the bow length to suit the phrase)

Learning to Pronate the right hand:

It took me decades to figure out how to teach this crucial skill. This is learning to pronate the hand while playing with the bow, even at the frog. It is most easily done without the cello and bow, by pretending to play the piano with both hands and then raising the elbows a bit more than a pianist would need to. Watch the first minute of this video and you'll see this trick.

Learning the Cello - Bow Arm Motions