Truth be told, some instruments are much easier to learn than others. If you wanted to learn the piano, you’d just start hitting keys to create sound. But learning to play the cello flawlessly is a journey. And, it’s one that begins with holding it correctly.
Although many cellists sometimes overlook this part, it’s one that shouldn’t be neglected. The manner in which you hold your cello affects your bow hold, bow technique, and subsequently, tonal production.
So just what is the right way to hold a cello? How do you ensure that you can reach all the strings without straining? Well, to help you get started on the right foot, below is a detailed guide on how to hold a cello.
Step-by-Step Guide for Holding a Cello
The main aspects you should pay attention to as you practice to hold the cello are:
Posture
The biggest part of holding a cello has to do with posture. So what sort of position should you maintain when holding this instrument? You should start by ensuring that your feet are touching the floor surface. Next, spread your legs apart so that they are shoulder-width apart.
Once you’ve positioned your legs correctly, determine how far back you want to sit.
You can decide to sit further back on the cello chair to get a little lumbar support. Or, you can sit towards the front. If you’re not sure of your choice, try out both positions and stick with the one that feels most comfortable.
Whichever one you choose, ensure that you’re sitting upright. If you find yourself slouching or hunching over to reach the strings, it’s a sign that you’re not maintaining the correct position.
Another thing to note is that the body of the cello should be close to the middle part of your chest. If this isn’t the case, lengthen the endpin or look for a longer one.
Correct Cello Hold
Another crucial thing to keep in mind is that a cello hold is held the same way, regardless of its design. So it doesn’t matter that you’re playing an intermediate, acoustic or the super expensive and advanced cello like the D Z Strad Model 101, the hold is the same.
So just what is the correct cello hold? Well, there are a couple of things that help you attain this, including positioning of the C-peg, cello’s tilt and placement of the right leg. More on this below:
C-peg behind the ear
When held correctly, the C-peg of the instrument should always be positioned behind your ear. Placing the C-peg at this point enables you to support the cello comfortably with one of your hands.
Another thing to pay attention to is the placement of the cello’s body relative to your kneecaps. Ideally, the “hips” - or the widest parts of the cello - ought to be between your knees. This, in turn, ensures that the instrument comes into contact with your sternum for a proper hold.
If you adhere to all these points, you may discover that there’s a bit of space left on the ground. Essentially, the cello’s bottom doesn’t reach all the way to the ground. If this is the case, just look for a longer endpin as we mentioned earlier.
At the same time, ensure that your cello is tilted just slightly to the right. If you fail to achieve this cello posture, you’ll feel uncomfortable when you’re playing. In fact, the C-peg will likely get in the way of your playing if it’s not positioned behind the ear.
Keeping Your Cello In a Straight Line
Another pointer that will help you know whether you’re holding your cello correctly is checking whether it’s in a straight line or not. This determines just how easily you can access the cello strings.
David Finckel, in his YouTube channel Cello Talks recommends players to always keep the instrument in a vertical position. This means keeping it straight starting from the scroll all the way to the endpin.
The easiest way to achieve this is to position the endpin’s tip so that it’s just slightly off center to the left rather than placing it smack in the middle of your body.
Placing it in the middle of your body will likely cause the cello to lean towards your left arm. The end result is that your arm shoulders most of the weight, and starts tilting to the left as well.
If this happens, chances are that you won’t be able to reach the A string with your bow arm. Even if you can, you’ll feel tension in your wrist and increase the risk of injuring your right shoulder.
The problem with this is that as you continue playing the sections that are higher up on your fingerboard, the string starts inclining further to the left. As a result, playing the upper sections exerts more strain.
To avoid this, imagine or estimate a point that’s a little off center to the left and place the tip of the endpin there. This ensures that the cello remains vertical and maintains a good balance.
Once you’ve attained the right position, tilt your instrument a bit to the right. This makes it easier to access the A string with your bow. And even as you play higher up, the strings won’t angle excessively to the right.
The cello tilt and projection
In addition to tilting the cello for the correct posture, some cellists tilt their instrument to boost projection.
While there’s no scientific backing, some basic research that’s been done reveals that tilting the cello on either side affects projection. Specifically, tilting it to the right when playing the A string with your bow increases projection. And, tilting it to the left while playing the C or D string has a similar impact.
A different school of thought suggests that tilting doesn’t necessarily affect projection. Rather, it lets you apply natural weight into the string more easily with your bow. This then boosts your projection.
Another benefit of tilting your cello is that it makes it easier to bow. It results in a more comfortable angle that your hand can rest upon and bow with ease.
The right leg
Are you a beginner cellist? If you are, you’ve probably encountered instructors who recommend resting the cello on your right leg. If you find doing this comfortable, then you can adhere to it. But, it’s not mandatory.
For some cellists, resting their instrument on the right leg causes them to project less. If you have an opportunity to observe other cellists, pay attention to the placement of their cellos. While some rest it on the right leg, others play comfortably without doing so.
Whether placing the cello on the right leg is the right or wrong way is still up for discussion. Ultimately though, this depends on how comfortable you are as you play. In fact, learning to bow correctly matters even more as it has a direct impact on the instrument’s sound quality.
Importance of Buying a Cello Chair
You’ve learned a great deal about holding the cello. However, all these points don’t matter if you fail to invest in a proper cello chair.
The correct cello chair will enable you to spread your legs to the recommended width. More importantly, you’ll be able to play for a prolonged period without getting fatigued. You should feel comfy whether you’re sitting further back or towards the front.
See some of our recommendations for the best cello chairs you can buy.
FAQs
How do you hold a cello for beginners?
If you’re a beginner cellist, there are just six steps that you should keep in mind when holding a cello. These are:
- Look for a chair tailored for cello players or musicians. You can then sit towards the back or front of the chair. If you choose the latter, then your left foot should be slightly forward so that you’re comfortable.
- Adjust the length of the endpin in such a way that your cello’s body rests against your sternum. At the same time, balance your cello well at your knee area.
- Stabilize the cello using your knee joints. Your knees should only play a supportive role, not grip the instrument entirely.
- The scroll and neck of the cello should be positioned to the left side of your head. The last peg on the bottom should be about the same position as your ear.
- Tilt your cello slightly towards the right. This will enable you to access any string that you want to bow with ease; be it the c string or d string.
- If you notice your cello endpin sliding, look for a device that can stop it from sliding and grip the surface firmly. Popular options include endpin rests, round/ rubber endpin holders, pegboard sheets, and endpin straps. Now, in addition to providing anchorage, an endpin rest also protects the performance space floor.
Are there different ways to hold a cello bow?
No, there aren’t. While different cellists may have different ways of holding their bows, there’s just one technique that’s recommended by experts. You can learn in detail the proper way to hold a cello bow in our step by step guide. Here's a summary:
To find the correct technique, you’ll want to start with your right hand straightened with the palm facing out. Ensure that you’re not feeling any tension on your right hand.
Now take your left hand and use your index finger to hold the grip of the bow. The grip is the pad-like area that allows you to grasp the bow with your fingers.
This should cause you to put the frog of the bow in your second knuckle. While you do this, check to see if the rest of your fingers are relaxed and suspended past the edges.
From here on, you should flex your fingers in, allowing you to grip the bow. Pull it closer to your palm. Meanwhile, your thumb should make contact at the intersection made by the frog and stick of the bow.
Quick tip: always maintain as much flexibility as you can when you grip the bow. You achieve this by positioning your thumb precisely at the meeting section between the bow’s frog and stick.
As for the second finger, place it in a way that it’s resting along the bow hair. The third one should also rest adjacent to the metallic strip where the bow and frog intersect. To determine if you’re holding it correctly, try to keep the bow perpendicular to the string.
What angle do you hold a cello?
Researchers from Woodend Hospital in Scotland carried out a study to find the most balanced and ideal way of sitting.
Based on the studies recommendation, it's best to hold the cello whilst leaning back at an angle of 135°. If you sit at a 90-degree angle, you put too much weight and stress on your spinal discs causing discomfort.
What are two ways you can hold the cello?
If you’re keen, you’ll notice that there are two angles at which you can hold a cello.
You can hold it while sitting as close to the front edge of the seat as possible. Or, you can sit a little bit back. The latter posture allows your body weight to be supported by the backrest for optimal lumbar support.
Conclusion
The cello bears a striking resemblance to a violin. However, it generates a fuller and deeper sound. Plus, it’s bigger and has more weight (see our guide on the cello vs violin and proper violin posture). Taking these points into account, it’s no wonder that holding the cello and cello bow correctly requires a bit of practice.
The good news is that once you master how to hold a cello, you’ll be able to play it with ease. You can practice complex bowing techniques without worrying about getting fatigued too quickly.
So how can you learn how to hold your favorite instrument correctly? Well, you can follow the detailed guide provided above. It outlines the main points to watch out for such as the placement of the C-peg and cello’s tilt.
However, you can always sign up for beginner cello lessons online or in person to learn these fundamental principles. Although this will likely cost you, you’ll learn other concepts such as bow changes, positioning the fingers on your left & right hand, relieving bow pressure and more.
