hey guys, noobie speaking here

i've been following this thread for quite some time, since i embarkd my journey (early this yr) on fulfilling a promise i made to someone that i m gonna learn an instrument once i work. it has been a year and i finally resolute enough to choose cello (loved oboe but i heard it's too hard for a complete noobie like me, and partly because i felt in love with handel-halvorsen passacaglia). i've been learning traditional music (gambang in gamelan) before so my modern music knowledge is very limited (bass cleft sight-reading a bit, and maybe some theories like ornamentals etc. - dunno why gamelan teacher even bothered to teach these)

enough digressing, can someone recommend me a good cello for beginner? with budget of 1500++, these are what i found on the net :-
1)Hand Schueller Intermediate (http://www.musicshop.com.my/cello-hans-schuller/)
2)Aldini (http://www.houseofviolins.e2pages.com/products.asp)

anyone with exp with these can advise?

also i m looking for a complete beginner adult cello class near wangsa maju setapak area. apparently the teacher at LS wangsa walk is no longer there and athilia concentrates on piano and violin. next in my mind is pianissimo but that'd be kinda far (guess that's the sacrifice i've to make).

TIA guys. btw you guys rock (or classic)!

thx liez, i guess ill check euro music's once i m back to klcc..

on cello teacher, i havent check there yet, it'd be gr8 if they hav cello teacher :|

sure ryan, thx for the suggestions i am planning to strt taking classs in july tentatively (due to several outstations in june ) but gotta start looking around since now right

yeah, i m gonna need to find a good mute (not sure about clothespins :|) as well now you mention about practising but since my area really close to MRR2, i guess all the honkings and rich brats showing-off their powerful engines might hav made the neighbours ears immune ady
thx again for the tips friend

juz like what karenalvin said~

asked a friend to check juz now, and unfortunately it's closed (well, labor day right)..but the poster said there's cello (so did LS wangsawalk ) gonna check myself next week or 2..very near to my house in tmn melati, so thx liez for suggstion

finally today i've the courage, time and money to attend my very first cello class
and when my teacher played my cello so beautifully, my love for it grew sevenfold . dunno it can sound that good considering it's a standard student model (sarasate by j.x young <-- got it from a friend)

the class was fun, the teacher was gr8, i cant ask for more now i hope i could play it at acceptable level real fast

not exactly a cellist since i hav juz only finished my 3rd lesson (yeay! ) but the most noticeable difference is in the posture..you hold the cello in between your legs and play it a bit slanted (not to0 upright)

the tuning is difference (ADGC).. as an adult beginner with cello as my 1st classical instrument it's lotsa fun especially with my great ( and patient!) teacher..

i love cello for the mellow sound, and like ryan said, cello can play high notes even tho u might have to go off the fingerboard! my favorite =

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdwgz98d_6I

yo-yo ma plays this better to some, but i still love his version (after Heifetz's version on violin of coz)

wow that's juz cool, and yes Bach's cello suite ( at least Prelude ) IS a must learn, but i am not rushing it hehe (although i secretly learnt Ode to Joy behind my teacher while practicing the finger spacing ) what really brought me into learning however was actually Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia by the guy up there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NseBdxfHk5k...=watch_response
..it might take decades but i hope i could play this duet ( hopefully not by myself!)

lotsa funny things but in my first class i sorta 'spiccato'ed on my very 1st bow!

wow yeah, it really is silent these days :|
anyways, it has been my 7th week learning the cello..quite an enjoyable journey especially this week since i m learning extended positions, melodic vs. harmonic, major vs. minor ( even tho i might be a lil slow )..and 3/4 bowing :|
now i gotta find a really good mute, better than my metal 3-pronged mute that constantly moves when the strings vibrate..anyone knows where in kl i can get it ( i checkd chamber in sg wang, no luck)..start to worry i might be bothering my neighbors even tho there's yet any complaints

last week my teacher said my bow hold is kinda ok now..followed exactly what my teacher's said:-
1)hold the bow, do not grip do not lift the bow, just pull and push thru index and thumb (i.e. ring n pinky juz sit there resting, maybe helping during bow nearing frog)
2)put the whole arm weight on the string (through the bow) - i had the not loud enough problem previously cuz i ignored the forearm weight (meaning i kinda liftd my forearm a bit - wrong)
3)do not force a pressure or it'll be screeching sound for ya - constantly reminded of this

result of this my bow now feels kinda effortless hehe less tiring i'd say

on the stability, it's where the thumb plays its role, juz use the tip of it + 2nd part of index (not the one with nail, dunno how to say lol) to prevent the bow from dropping while my whole arm weight resting on the string. maybe still got many flaws but definitely better than few weeks ago~

lol i felt the same before, too many things to concentrate but believe me, it will come with time..still learning myself (especially on the waltz bowing, differing bow speed and length ) but i assure the Ah-ha moments are very rewarding! i am finally learning my long time favorite shostakovich waltz no 2

anyways, good luck with learning cello to both of us

This post has been edited by infensus87: Jul 24 2011, 02:39 PM

hey there, juz reiterating what the pros hav juz said, it all boils down to what you love/look in the instrument you are considering...in my case i have always wanted to learn violin but ended up taking cello instead due to a charming performance ive nvr planned to watch..it was an instant love and it made me wonder all day how come ive nvr come across this instrument all this while!
After my first 5 months now learning, i found cello is very rewarding, even at my stage.. i wouldnt say it's easy but it's not impossible..but dnt worry too much about it, for all you know you are a natural juz dont limit your 'love' to 'bcuz it looks cool', try to love it that u want to be great on it..but heck what i know right, i am still a beginner!
For cello, i find it quite forgiving and the learning curve is quite ok..once u get the basics(posture, bow hold, fingering) good, which i am constantly trying to perfect, everything else come easier (according to my teacher)..still on 4th position and g major on 3 octaves, and tons to learn but i am in no rush

on cello class, i'd admit it's kinda hard to find one but in wangsa maju u can try look at friends of strings near s2

do give it (cello/violin) a try and dont worry too much whether u can be a pro or not, more importantly u enjoy yourself trying something you always want!

wow i m having the same problem..and using this method i am already improving so thanks!..but i still stuck with triplets..like the ones in Bizet's Habanera with all the slurs it just got me confused to even count at all..as of now i gotta memorize the rhythm to make do (even tho i could barely differentiate the rhythm with the 2 variations, i wish i can show it here)..thnks anyways

i see, thanks gonna try that right away if it's not past midnight..really thanks much

o/ i knew him from the very same video lol.. he's definitely one of the strings players ill alwys youtube for reference! Others being Vengerov, Roman Patkolo for bass and a long list of cellists (since I am cellist beginner )

btw, anyone here using Noteflight? I found it very useful to all level of music lovers in terms of finding music, composing, idea fishing, transcribing etc. etc. As a very new to this music thingy right now i m using it mainly for transcribing and rhythm practice..check out mine ->
http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/cdcb...b1752378aa89e90

disclaimer: some of the tunes are very crude and harmful to those musically bestowed ears

I think that's quite ok..I am paying RM80/hr but I personally think it's not that expensive considering the joy cello brought me.. But then again, I might be just me - an adult beginner with little exam expectations e.g. to pass grade x in y time

cool collection dude!

anyways, have anyone been to this store:-

http://www.mystringmaster.com/about-us.html

says they got repair and even rental. I definitely would give it a visit later (cello strings 3 years ady, bridge a bit too high my thumb hurts, bow definitely need rehair or replacement altogether etc.etc), but just asking if anyone have had any experience about it. They don't publish any price for their products/services so yeah, have to go 1st then only know..

well i have a problem close to what you just described except that I play a bit with a cpl of ofcmates who play violin and piano. But seeing that everyone's bz we hardly had any sessions this year(!). So i also dont mind if got any practice group that could improve my drive.
Oh I am learning cello though.. 3.5 years now but no exams (learnt several movmts from bach cello suites 1-3, but definitely still a beginner). Cheers!