I say “big beat” and “small beat” or “subdivisions.”
Probably the coolest multiple exposure technique I’ve ever seen, and amazingly executed. Also great composition and choice of subjects. Really excellent all around.
OP props for actually listening to the advice given here. There is certainly a way to write a cello-centered accompaniment with this progression but this doesn’t work, either mechanically or idiomatically.
I suck at thumb position. I never found a position that felt even remotely comfortable from a functional perspective, to say nothing of the pain. I’m sure I could find the right approach if I took another swing at it, but I never really felt comfortable with it even when I was practicing daily. After I stopped playing as regularly I didn’t play too much music that required it more than a bit here and there. I feel decently comfortably playing in the higher positions, but when actually using the thumb for the sounding note, I do not feel comfortable.
Maybe I’ll take another whack at it, but usually there are still other skills I’d rather focus my time on.
Obvs I’m just kidding but you ain’t getting the paint off. Just roll with it, graffiti on it or put stickers or something. It’s not like it’s gonna make it any worse than it already is. Trying to remove the paint however, will probably make it look 10 times worse and risks damaging the thing.
Step 1: Place the cello in the case and close it.
Step 2: List it for free on Facebook marketplace
Step 3: Buy an instrument that doesn’t have red paint on it.
You now have a cello without red paint.
I mean, arguably this type of analysis gets more to the heart of what is going on, but it’s just not a common way of notating things. Let me put it another way: if you’re taking an exam in Theory 101 and you’re given the notation and the chord symbol (I) for the second chord and asked to fill in the blank for the first one, you will not get credit if you write I64, at least at most universities. The correct answer is IV64. I64 would mean a chord voiced G(CE) in C major.
Ok, fair enough, if you’re basing your analysis on Schenkerian principles, what you’re saying makes sense, but I’m pretty sure that isn’t what the OP meant in asking if both notations were correct. It’s misleading to imply that writing I64 is correct outside of the context of Schenkerian analysis.
As I said in my reply to another commenter, you have to realize that chord symbols and Roman numerals are NOT the same thing. Roman numerals describe function, chord symbols describe structure. Consequently, the superscripts mean different things. With Roman numerals, the superscripts imply the inversion by showing the intervals from the bass note that are used to construct the chord. This might seem backwards, but it comes from figured bass conventions, which pre-date the formal concepts of functional harmony.
You’re mixing methods of analysis and notation together that don’t belong together. When using roman numeral analysis, the superscripts express the intervals from the BASS on which to build the chord, not from the root of the chord specified by the main numeral. You’re treating it like when you use chord names along with superscripts to indicate chord EXTENSIONS, like C6 (on mobile, imagine the numbers are superscript in all my examples). But in that instance, the chord is now spelled C (EGA), where C is the bass note and the order of the other notes is not specified. You can’t mix and match these approaches, or you get nonsensical conclusions like the one you’re describing.
Roman numerals are concerned with function of the chord, whereas chord symbols are concerned with the specific notes used to construct the chord. They align just fine when everything is in root position, but as soon as you move the bass note out of root position, they don’t work the same anymore. For example, in C major, C = I, but C/E also = I6. Notice how the Roman numeral got a superscript but the chord symbol didn’t? It’s because the function of the chord didn’t change, only the voicing.
It has a few scratches and cosmetic marks but nothing in this picture looks visibly wrong. Not a great angle, though, and most issues are subtle enough that you need to see the instrument in person to notice them.
Either make a video or take some pictures or something, or find an intermediate or above string player to watch you play in person and see if they can determine what’s going on. “Scratchy” is subjective and there’s about a million things you could be doing wrong, so you haven’t provided enough info for us to help you.
Or get a teacher if you can.
I disagree that this makes business sense. If basic functions of your (extremely valuable, in your example) job without assistance, that is a very clear point of failure. If the company loses $1k every minute this person isn’t productive, then it’s worth it for them to learn to fix common problems. If I was this person’s manager and I found out they missed a deadline or something because they didn’t know how to choose a printer even though they’ve been shown how multiple times, I’d be pissed.
Ideally with the score or cello part in front of you.
I don’t think so; she didn’t physically prevent him from leaving. It’s despicable and probably against school policy but probably not criminal.
It’s fine. Some pieces even call for it. Tuning down to E is pretty low, it will start to get pretty difficult to get a good sound by that point.
I once played a cello ensemble piece where the lowest voice instrument tunes down to A for the last note. Can’t remember the piece, maybe Popper something?
I think this is totally valid but can be impractical if you don’t have a second fiddle. Still valuable to learn to play in B.
It depends on what features your metronome has. Some old school ones basically just have one mode, which is “click x times per second.” In this case you can either set your metronome to the BPM of the song*, or you can set it to 1/3 the BPM of the song and just get a click on the first beat of each measure.
Lots of apps and digital metronomes can play two (or even more) different tones, which allows you to hear one “main” beat with different subdivisions. With this kind, you pretty much always set it to the BPM of the song*, then set your time signature and any subdivisions. In 3/4, a common setup is to have the higher/louder tone on beat 1 and lower/quieter tone on beats 2 and 3. This mimics the common “ONE two three” feel of 3/4.
*Of course you usually want to adjust the BPM down from the real tempo of the song so you can practice slowly.
It does, but you should indicate non vib somewhere; perhaps you did and it’s just not shown. I realize all the fifths here are low and it’s not a long passage; just wanted to convey these points so you know for the future.
For classical musicians who play acoustic instruments, it’s totally feasible to play multiple gigs in one day as setup/teardown is minimal. I’ve played 6 weddings in a weekend before. But I charge a base rate that includes 30 minutes of prelude and up to an hour ceremony. Only want entrance music and postlude for a 15 minute ceremony? Fine, but you’re still paying for the base package.
In this specific situation it’s fine to offer to play for free; if she insists on paying you, just graciously accept whatever they offer. If they insist on you quoting a number, you can say some token amount like $50.
If this were a professional gig, and assuming there were no extenuating circumstances, I would charge my base rate as I would for any other engagement. Even if I’m only playing for one piece I still have to get dressed, get there before the start, and stay until the end, so it takes no less of my time. And there is the opportunity cost, meaning I can’t take another gig at that time that would make me at least my base rate.
It just comes down to whether you are running a business or playing for fun; it’s usually a balance between the two, and you have to make your own judgement about where you are/want to be on that spectrum.
Practice with a drone pitch from a tuner or an app, especially when practicing scales. Find opportunities to check pitch with open strings, even if they aren’t in the key, but especially if they are (e.g. E string is diatonic in B major). Practice slow and focus on going from one pitch to the next over and over, trying to hit each pitch dead on without having to adjust after your finger falls. Evaluate intonation of each attempt, then adjust your finger spacing based on that; if you were sharp, make your spacing smaller, vice versa if flat. Repeat until you can reliably hit the note in tune. Repeat all the way up the scale. Eventually, start working on different fingerings, like starting on 1 instead of 2 (for B major). Then practice arpeggios and other intervals. Then keep doing this for every key, forever.
That’s the way it’s done. There are really no shortcuts to good intonation; it just takes lots of careful practice and dedication, and, as my teacher used to say, a conscience. In other words, when you play a note out of tune in practicing, don’t just gloss over it, go back and work on it. Ultimately it’s about creating neural pathways by repeating all of the sensory and motor elements correctly. The more you do it, the stronger the neural pathways become, and therefore easier to activate.
It’s also important to note that this type of practice is only one aspect of being a musician; this is a means to an end, and you do have to let go of this mindset when performing or just playing for fun. The more consistent your practice is, the easier it is to let go and just let your preparation guide your performance.
Be aware that fifths require placing one finger straight across two strings. Not hard in isolation, but it gets tiring and tedious after a while. They’re also very awkward above fourth position unless you play in thumb position, which means you largely can’t use vibrato. Basically it’s doable, but some aspects of it are not very idiomatic, so it will require a pretty high level of player to make it musical.
I mean…is it technically playable? Yes. Is it going to be fun to play? Definitely not. It’s extremely awkward almost the entire way through, so it will difficult to learn and taxing to perform. Not to mention this musical idea is a bit grating. If you want to hear something that makes great use of rhythm and the full range of the cello, listen to the Kodaly sonata for solo cello, particularly the third movement. It also happens to be one of the most difficult pieces in the repertoire, so don’t take it as a template for your own writing for cello, just as a demonstration of how idiomatic writing makes the difficulty worth it. With this piece I would just be torturing myself in every possible way.
Also, don’t write below the staff or above 2 ledger lines while in tenor clef. We have no problem switching clefs on a moments notice, but tenor clef tends to be used mostly for D3 - C5.
Cellists, now is this possible? (not a cellist, and there is a piano accomp. not included, so the rests are for potential piano)(also, just sketches)
Cello