Cello Finger Position Tips

Part of the Video Series How to Play the Cello

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Get tips from an expert musician on how to position your fingers on a cello in this free music lesson video.

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All Videos in the Series, How to Play the Cello

Member Comments

Posted by carpediem on Tuesday, 20 May, 2008 at 12:23 AM

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Mr Santori - too cute!!

Posted by juliek on Tuesday, 01 January, 2008 at 1:21 PM

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This is the best 'how to play cello' series that I've seen. This is a great sampling of techniques; not at all oversimplified -- the kind of stuff that is good to learn as a beginner but can only be refined through the development of some intermediate/advanced skill. Thank you so much Mr. Santori, for this great resource! (excellent taste in artwork, too!)

Video Transcript

Cello Finger Position Tips
FRANCIS JOSEPH SANTORI: First finger position. First, we'll start with the top of the instrument here. The open notes are C, G, D, A. So your first note in the scale starting here would be D. So you find your D. There's your D there. First finger position. It's one step up from the nut. This is your nut here. So there's your first finger position. Your half finger position, you find your D, then half a step down, the distance between your D and your nut, which will be your C sharp. So you find that. There's your D, there's your C, and your in a half finger position. Second finger position. Again, your nut, your D and then your E, which would be here. So you would start with your index finger and your second finger position.

About the Expert

Expert: As an Austin multi-instrumentalist musician, Francis Joseph Santori was one of the featured artists in the 2007 Jazz on the Boulevard festival in Dallas. Read More