Oh C string, where art thou?

Internet Cello Society Forums > Cellists by Night (Semi-Pro or Amateur) > Oh C string, where art thou?
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galois00 Registered User (1/28/01 7:35:01 pm) Reply	Oh C string, where art thou? I have been playing for a couple of months and have two questions. Althought the cello makes beautiful sounds with the C string, those notes don't show up often in the pieces and etudes I've seen. Am I just too new to have run into them, or are the lower tones not much used? It reminds me of the violin, where the same thing happens--always the emphasis seems to be on higher notes. It feels as if the cello want to be a violin, and the violin wants to be a piccolo. Is it ever possible to use the spell checker linked to the bulletin board, or does it always crash the program (as it's done twice to me today)? Thanks! Dan
Bobbie Registered User (1/28/01 11:09:27 pm) Reply	Re: Oh C string, where art thou? The C will show up in etudes eventually, but I think most methods try to keep beginners mainly on the top two strings because they are easier to bow. The lower strings show up a lot in orchestra music but usually when the cello isn't doing anything very interesting. (Though there are exceptions.) They do show up in some compositions but, as you've noted, not a lot. The Brahms E minor sonata comes to mind as one that uses the low notes. Ironic, isn't it... the string costs us more than twice as much, and we hardly ever get to use it!
Dorie Straus Moderator (1/29/01 6:03:05 am) Reply	Re: Oh C string, where art thou? Solo material for all instruments always seem to be written for the next higher instrument in it's family. Composers must ask instrumentalists - how high can that thing go? As for spell check: I've never been able to make it work either. But, don't worry there are enough human spell checkers lurking around these boards. Edited by: Dorie Straus at: 1/29/01 6:03:05 am
ruthann Registered User (1/29/01 9:52:06 am) Reply	Re: Oh C string, where art thou? When you get around to it, there is that lovely Brahms. I can occasionally use the spell checker, but it does often crash. I am "spelling challenged" enough to want one from time to time. It must be hereditary, my daughter scored in the 99th percentile on all subjects in her standardized test last year, except spelling - a mere 60. My theory is that poor spelling is linked to fast reading. I've know several others who read very quickly but have trouble spelling. Anyone else ever noticed that? cello_suttonr@hotmail.com
JanJan2 Registered User (1/29/01 9:59:26 am) Reply	Re: Oh C string, where art thou? Interesting premise, Ruthann---it would make a fascinating study. I happen to be a rather slow reader, and only a so-so speller. Since I write for a living, I always have my dictionary nearby. I've never had luck with spell check or searching features. And yes, that lovely Brahms! I started working on that a couple months ago, and don't want to leave the first page, I'm enjoying my Spirocore C string so much! Janet
Andrew Victor Registered User (1/29/01 12:01:47 pm) Reply	Re: Oh C string, a warning! Unfortunately, I bought a cello once, trying it out mainly with such pieces and etudes - and when time came to use it on the C-string and into the thumb positions, I found it rather wanting - and it had to wait for new technology in string production before it approached reasonable responsiveness in those areas. At the very least , when trying a new cello -rather than trying to impress the store personnel with your prowess on the pieces you know - just cover the full range of the insturment - even if its just a simple scale on each string - as far up as you can go. Also be sure there is more than a single sounding point for the bow and that it can take some reasonable range of bow pressure. Andy
Patricia2 Registered User (1/29/01 2:32:03 pm) Reply	"some reasonable range of bow pressure"? Andy, Would you mind elaborating on this? I think you may be explaining something for which I couldn't even find the words about which to formulate a question....(huh?) -- but which has REALLY been bugging me. Thank you!
mycatmarti Registered User (1/29/01 2:59:13 pm) Reply	re: Oh C String . . . It does always seem that cellos must play high, and not use their wonderul low notes. About spell check. I'll trust a dictionary any day over spell check. I work at a newspaper. We hired an editorial assistant before our newspaper had spell check. She had spell check at home. While writing an obituary, she quoted: Military graveside rights will be conducted by . . . (as opposed to military graveside wrongs?). Dictionaries will never go out of style! Mia
Dorie Straus Moderator (1/29/01 3:43:02 pm) Reply	The spelling thing I can get to be a bit of a know it all on this one - just did a lot of reading regarding different learning styles. People whose style of learning is sequential, step B follows A, etc. tend to memorize better, follow directions better - verbal and written, and are better spellers than people who are spatial learners. Spatial learners tend to learn concepts and get to the end result by applying concepts they've learned rather than by following directions. Spatical learners don't memorize well and are not always good spellers (there's no apparent concept to it - especially English).
Bobbie Registered User (1/29/01 3:56:13 pm) Reply	Re: The spelling thing I guess spatial learners are different than people good at spatial concepts..? I think more in terms of "visual learners" and "verbal learners." I am the latter, and I used to get frustrated when my cello teacher would demonstrate and expect me to "get it" by hearing and seeing. I wanted a verbal explanation of what she was doing. Same thing in American Sign Language- I couldn't copy the motions without verbal directions (or written directions.) I am an excellent speller, fast reader, and at least used to be great at memorizing. (I joined the "almost 50 club" on that one, I'm afraid!)
Dorie Straus Moderator (1/29/01 4:52:15 pm) Reply	Re: The spelling thing There was a chance that my daughter had dyslexia and I did a tredmendous amount of reading on this; nevermind that as a teacher I've gone to so many workshops I could just die. The list of characteristics for sequential learners and spatial learners is long. This visual vs verbal thing you talk about is part of an approach in education these days which includes multi-intelligences, supposedly 7. I wish I could list them off the top of my head but verbal and visual are separate intelligences on the list. Musical intelligence, btw, is another one. Oh yeah, mathmatical is another. There are interconnected, as well. Example: if you're learning a piece of music you're using visual, audio, mathmatical, the decoding you do to read the music as you do with reading letters and words. The goal in education, according to this theory, is to stimulate all areas - how you receive the information has to do with your style of learning. Teachers are somehow supposed to adjust to the learning styles of their students - case in point for small class size. But, to bring this all back to THE CELLO - if your teacher can present material to you according to your style of learning, you'll grasp more. Rigid teachers are missing the boat: my way is the best. I would prefer that someone shows me something, that's my style of learning. I don't work well with a cello teacher who never takes their cello out of the case. Give me too many verbal instructions and I haze over. When people start writing fingerings on these boards, I'm outta there...click. The term spatial is used to mean that this type of learner takes in or searches for an overall concept rather than separate items to put together. Like, spatial learners learn from the outside in; sequential learners learn from the inside out. Edited by: Dorie Straus at: 1/29/01 4:52:15 pm
galois00 Registered User (1/29/01 10:21:27 pm) Reply	Re: Oh C string, where art thou? Interesting. To me it seems that C and G are easier to bow--easier to check, anyway. On the A I'm always looking out the corner of my eye and trying to remember the angle the bow should make. I usually am alerted by sound that I'm in the wrong place--maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. When I was learning the violin, I fantasized about a "fence" that would clip on to the instrument and keep the bow in the right place. I hadn't heard yet how much strings cost and now I'm almost afraid to find out, but I guess I should get over to the equipment board and look around.
Dorie Straus Moderator (1/30/01 5:35:31 am) Reply	Re: Oh C string, where art thou? Some people use a mirror to check where there bow is. My daughter's teacher has her doing huge bow strokes on the open strings like this: huge long down bows with a big circling arm back to the down bow starting point, several times each string while checking in the mirror. Then up bows, same thing. We also clean the strings, put on a little fresh rosin, do the exercise and check the strings for the tracks the rosin makes. I do these things with her - seems to get things in check. For people first starting out, it's really hard to get that bow from creaping up toward the fingerboard.
ruthann Registered User (1/30/01 10:12:22 am) Reply	Re: The spelling thing I am the poster child for spatial learning. I can't memorize very well. I can cram, but it doesn't "stick." I was a very good student when concepts were discussed and applied, not so good with memorizing names and dates. I do remember that for math exams where trig identities had to be applied, I would have to draw the unit circle and work up from there. This sounds like a very interesting topic. Are there any websites you could recommend for a little reading? cello_suttonr@hotmail.com
Paul Tseng ICS Staff Administrator (1/30/01 1:45:05 pm) Reply	Re: Oh C string, where art thou? The Prokofiev Sonata starts beautifully on the C string and stays in that bass register for the entire first theme. There are some great C string moments in the cello music of Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Miaskovsky, etc. Of course, there's plenty of stratospheric writing in these pieces as well. Paul Tseng My Website MP3! Edited by: Paul Tseng ICS Staff at: 1/30/01 1:45:05 pm
Dorie Straus Moderator (1/30/01 4:00:20 pm) Reply	Re: The spelling thing I don't know where I put all that material but if you try a general search for 'gifted children with learning disabilities' you'll find some things there. You can also try Carnegie-Mellon School of Ed. and Columbia Teachers College.
Dorie Straus Moderator (1/30/01 4:02:11 pm) Reply	Speaking of remembering things... Where is all that stuff?!