Top 5 things I wish I knew before starting the cello

Here are 5 things I wish I had known before starting the cello as an adult. Everything from how to practice to what to focus on during your journey. If you're relatively new to playing the cello, I guarantee that these tips will help you learn at a faster rate and enjoy yourself more as you get to know this wonderful instrument.

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Billy Tobenkin is a Los Angeles-based cellist who specializes in teaching adult learners. As a professional cellist who started playing the cello from scratch at 25, he is in a unique position to help others, like him, who found the cello later in life. He has developed strategies from his own musical journey to accelerate the learning process, and he is here to share them with you.

[butterflyfly]

I have been playing piano for my whole life and did my music degree 20 years ago. After that, I was busy with life and work. I have lost joy and passion about music. Fast forward, I decided to take cello lessons a few months ago. During lessons, I feel like it bring me back to the time when I was in music college. It reminds me playing music is the greatest time and joy in my life. Now playing cello is the best moment of the days.

[eleanorwcarmany]

I've had a 200 yr old cello for the past 45 yrs... (Purchased from The Violin Shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico). But life interfered with taking lessons. NOW, at 86, I'm REALLY MOTIVATED TO HUG MY CELLO AGAIN.
I recall watching a Master Class for especially talented kids while on vacation at Sedona. The Master asked the cutest little 8 or 9 yr old girl, "Do you love your cello?" She nodded "Yes." He asked her again, "Do you REALLY LOVE your cello?". She timidly answered "Yes, " again. He then said, "Then HUG your cello. REALLY HUG your cello. Let it KNOW how much you REALLY LOVE it!" And that was the end of the lesson. After which he gave HER a big hug. I'll never forget that lesson!

"I ALLOW MYSELF THE FREEDOM, I GIVE MYSELF THE FINALLY!!! IT'S ABOUT TIME!!! "IF NOT NOW, WHEN?"

[MsTreker]

I just started the cello at age 67 and I am determined to play Bach in the next 5yrs! Thank you for your tips.

[elinemadeleine]

I started playing the cello at age 30. My first teacher was very kind, but I did n it really progress. I switched to a different teacher during Covid, and even though the lessons were online, I’ve made incredible progress in the last four months or so. Her approach is so different, and it seems to be working really well. Anyone who is thinking about starting as an adult, do it! You might have to put in a year before you will be able to really play songs that you like, but who cares? ✨

[evagreub]

This is very spezial, that so many people starts Cello in an advanced age. I startet with 77j and play now for 2 years with very much pleasure. I found a teacher who is given me a lot of confidence and motivation. I enjoy every day having time to do my exercises.

[nicolasmith]

I started at 40 yrs. 17 later … I’ve played in many orchestras and concerts…. But knowing this would have helped me Enormously …

[music]

YouTube just recommended this to me. I am also an adult cello learner. Started at 22, now preparing to take my grade 8 at 27. Very rarely do we hear stories of people who started as an adult and became good. I am very pleased to find one here and looking forward to seeing where I'll be after another 5 years too!

[witchywoman]

Thanks for this! Another "late bloomer" here. I haven't even started playing yet lol. I'm still in the process of obtaining a cello to rent (after a couple of emails and a phone call, I just found one today in a town 94 miles away, woot!), but I'm as excited as I can be to learn this gorgeous instrument. At age 52, I'm not looking to master complicated pieces, or become a professional cellist...all I wish for, as you so succinctly put it, is "to be able to express (myself) artistically, and create beautiful rich sounds."

As someone with Chronic Fatigue, it's going to be a struggle to even work up the energy needed to practice, but I view it as a form of therapy. Just being able to play some hauntingly long, slow, deep notes will soothe my soul, and I can't wait to get started. Thanks for the tips, looking forward to watching more of your vids! <3

[harryyeager]

I just today acquired my first cello. I got it at a second hand store. I purchased a acoustic That is about 20 years old, about 2 months ago for $45, I traded that guitar for the cello plus $25. He told me it was a cheap cello, and I figured it may have a few dings/scratches, etc. I kinda got excited when he took it out of the case and seen it had never been set up or played. It looks beautiful. The sound post is rattling around inside, so I’ll have to set that also. For $70.00, it’s a steal. With YouTube to Learn set up, and videos like yours, I have new challenges to master and the learning tools to help me. I just turned 70 this week. Your videos will help me tremendously. Thank you.

[amtalbot]

While my adult learning journey may not be the cello, it's the viola da gamba, I believe many of these tips will be super useful. Thanks so much!

[Basscello-rz]

Slow practice is everything to me. I slow down, or break music up in small sections repeating again and again got it move on until I’m ready comfortable with the whole passage

[NellasxElensar]

As a 29-year-old who's about to start learning cello next week... a tremendous thank you! The first pointer made me sigh with relief because I play the piano by ear so that should be helpful! Will definitely keep these pointers in mind, and come back whenever I need a reminder :)

[photisserie]

Very encouraging and validating. I have had many hours of music lessons (piano, violin, guitar) from the parental "observation deck", and have had a long-standing aspiration to play cello. Now (at 60+) I have the opportunity to do so. Thanks again for focussing on these concepts. I am encouraged.

[simonwalton]

I literally searched for this video title a week ago! Thanks so much! I’ve always wanted an adult learners perspective on things they wish they’d done differently.

[Collider]

As an adult who just started learning cello, thank you for this video.

[emilyalexander]

I am 15 and can play piano, ukulele and the flute. I’ve been wanting to learn more instruments so I am going to rent a cello! I’m excited to learn it!

[nickiet]

Thank you for making these geared towards adults! I pick up my rental tomorrow and its nice to feels like there's an online support for being the super awkward mom in her 30's squeaking away for the first time! It's uncomfortable to navigate and so wonderful to have support in just wanting to learn to play cello for the sake of making lovely music! Some of us badly need this confidence boost!!!

[ELIAHAVAH]

Started (re-)learning cello last summer at 31, lol.

I have definitely independently discovered a couple of these tips myself – the slow practice one especially; starting practicing a piece at 1/2 tempo (or even 1/4 if partic difficult), then slowly ramping up tempo by a few b/min after each successful attempt, def helped overwhelming mountainous pieces become much easier slopes to conquer.

Additionally, while it may seem obvious, I would have put in *both* this video and the other one, the point about needing to make sure to be practicing a lot and practicing regularly. I said re-learning, above, because technically I did take cello in middle school, but completely sucked and dropped out. Going back to my old materials, I found a practice log in my book, that revealed the culprit— I had been barely practicing at all! I recently got to ask a successful musician how much he was practicing his instrument when he was first starting to get good, and he said *20 h/week*! So one of the hardest but most important things for me has been to really try to arrange my schedule to be able to get more practice hours in. It's really like at least a half-time job.

However, this video and your other one about common mistakes to avoid both pointed out something to me that I had been neglecting – *bow hand focus, and accompanying note quality.* Like you, I've been sort of seeing mastering the strict note sequences and rhythm as more important than quality, and quality as something I would just have to naturally acquire after-the-fact over time. But you are right that getting those good quality notes is emotionally satisfying; and practicing good quality notes is also precisely how you get better at performing them in the first place! So I think I am going to slow down my exercises per day, and raise my interior “grading” standard from B+/A– (merely hitting all notes correctly) to a more solid A (hitting correctly, *and* with good quality).

Thank you for the advice! You have a really relaxing and inviting demeanor for a teacher, BTW. 🙂

[billhoff]

I started 3 years ago at age 67, kind of a bucket list type of thing. I'm renting a cello that the strings shop work very well with me on adjustments and upgrades to my bow. I can upgrade to the next level of cello or eventually buy this one. I tried the YouTube thing but that didn't work but did find a wonderful teacher!
I agree with your concepts and look forward to more insight from you!

[ospreyish]

These all make sense.

I am just starting at 74!