Items to Purchase
Things you need now:
- Quality cello and bow
- Case (I recommended hard.)
- Stool or chair of appropriate height (Do an Amazon search for “handy folding stools” for good ideas)
- Rock stop/end pin stop
- Notebook and pen/pencil for lesson note taking (sample practice chart for more advanced students)
- Bag to hold music items
- Suzuki level 1 (or current level) reference recording
- CD player if your recording is a CD
Things you need soon:
- Rosin (Note: The cheap rosin encased in wood and plastic that comes with most student celli will get the bow to make sound in the first place, but they are really unsuitable for the type of playing we’ll be doing!) I use Hidersine, Kaplan, or Jade.
- Polishing cloth (consider microfiber)
- Suzuki book 1 (or current level) cello part
- Suzuki book 1 (or current level) piano accompaniment (opt. but recommended)
- Scale Trail Challenge for the Young Cellist by Elizabeth Marsh (I try to keep a few here, but I can also give you Elizabeth's number upon request so you can order directly.)
Things you won’t need for another 1–3 months:
- Piano/keyboard at home; electric is okay (example mvp: $25 from Amazon)
- Note Rush app ($5 from app store)
- I LOVE to Read Music!™ Complete Reading Flash Cards (cello) Note: Be sure to select “cello” from the dropdown list; otherwise you’ll end up with violin cards!
- I LOVE to Read Music!™ Music Reading Primer (cello) Note: Be sure to select “cello” from the dropdown list; otherwise you’ll end up with a violin book!
Things you won’t need for at least 3 months and more:
- I LOVE to Read Music!™ Sight Reading for Strings (cello) 3+ months
- Position Pieces for Cello Book 1 by Rick Mooney 1-2 years
- Position Pieces for Cello Book 2 by Rick Mooney 3-4 years
- Thumb Position for Cello Book 1 by Rick Mooney 3+ years
- Thumb Position for Cello Book 2 “Thumbs of Steel” by Rick Mooney 6+ years