Cello Grade 8: Technique

What you'll learn

1. 1

   Imagine your left hand on the cello fingerboard. Your thumb sits opposite your 2nd finger — that's your 'home position'.

2. 2

   Here's the fingerboard. The 1st finger plays a whole step above the open string, 2nd finger a half step, 3rd finger another half step.

3. 3

   Let's play a D major scale in 1st position.

4. 4

   Tap the correct finger for the note G on the D string.

5. 5

   In 1st position, what finger plays F# on the D string?

6. 6

   Now shift to 2nd position — move your whole hand up one step on the fingerboard.

7. 7

   When shifting from 1st to 2nd position, your thumb moves too. True or false?