Cello Video Lesson: How to approach Etude Op. 31 No. 3 by Sebastian Lee

Hello and welcome to this study challenge number eight. Today I started with study number three actually called the melodic exercise number three from 40 Progressive and Melodic Studies for Cello by Sebastian Lee, Op 31. I've been wanting to discuss the extension technique already for a while and there's nothing better for that than B flat major key or E flat major. So I've been looking for a study that would introduce this challenge, but it's actually not that easy to find something which is quite enjoyable and only in the first position, which would be in a way even better. So this one goes a little bit further up but still very useful for practicing this particular problem. The main thing about the extensions that they are not really comfortable, and it's quite hard to get them in tune. And there are mainly two goals of extending. The first goal is to simply turn your hand and extend your first finger like that.

And the problem with this technique is that if you look at the shape of the hand, what happens is that if it starts like that, quite sort of square shaped and evenly distributed, when you just turn your hand to extend, everything changes shape, everything changes position a little bit, especially the second finger. So if you play on the D string the following notes and you try to do it this way, you will end up with your second finger probably just a little bit sharp. So it requires special effort to really just move it back. And so it's not very stable in terms of intonation I find, and also it's still not very comfortable. The other technique, and this I think was quite favored by Paul Tortelier, and so the French cello school, is to simply stay with your square hand position, as it is called, sort of round and evenly distributed, and then simply extend your first finger back. To do that, you will have to remove your thumb, so you cannot really stay with the thumb attached to the neck. You will have to remove it.

So stay in that sort of position, and the hand will have to come off in a possibly most relaxed way. And you will have to be able to do it quite quickly and uncomfortably if you practice that. But the advantage of this position is that actually it stays well in tune with the fourth and second fingers. So nothing will change for those fingers. You will only change the position of the first finger, and I personally favor this technique. So you will have to practice to be quite good and fast adapting that position. So starting from the beginning, and the first note of the study is actually long and out. So you can start normally to vibrate it a little bit and then, as you vibrate, you can remove your thumb. So the thumb will come off and do sort of this sort of movement. Remember you are aiming for basically first position but with the first finger backwards. So once again, you basically need to make that movement. You need to simply extend only the first finger and remain with this sort of square hand.

It's what's called square hand, also by Paul Tortelier. So it won't be sort of twisted, but it will arrive in that position. Now, one more time in slow motion. Yes. So aim for the second finger but you also try to make sure that your far finger will easily reach if needed that position. So if I try to do it with the other technique, personally I don't find it any easier. I don't find it any more comfortable, but I think it's slightly less reliable in terms of intonation. So I find that actually it's quite difficult to get the F in tune and also it will be slightly twisted. So even for the quality of sound, it's not great. So I would really recommend practicing your extensions this way. So you start with let's say G and F, and then you play your E normally and then play those same notes. And then simply stretch back first finger by extending your thumb. So instead of removing your thumb from underneath, it has to just come loose. Don't think about it too much.

Just as long as you accept that it has to leave the finger from... Sorry, the neck of the cello. And then as you reach the note, you can just sort of come back to the normal position. If you have to play slow, at least when you want to vibrate. If it's something fast, you simply stay in that position for as long as you need. And then when you finish fragment of extension, you go back to the normal position, but the only thing affect it will be your first finger. This technique will be even more useful as you play your faster passages. So for example, when the study speeds up in a fragment next to the one I just played, so whenever you have that B flat, I find it quite safe to simply lean on my forefront, second finger back, simply stretch the first finger back. Going forward, then the study slows down again and the team comes back again.

So you don't have to have those extensions all the time, but you do have them from time to time. And I think it is a nice way to practice our extensions when later it's interesting when you have to go to the fourth position with extension. So you will come to E flat, then you extend to the fourth position G. But you do it in the same way as you did in the first position. So rather than twisting, do try to sort of let your thumb come off and come round like that. Once you have learned it, actually it's quite comfortable. And what's most important is that actually it's quite nice to arrive with the solid feel of the fourth finger.

Actually very important point is that the fourth finger is the one that really gains confidence in that position because if you turn your hand for the other type of extension, you will find that fourth finger that is already quite short and weak gets even shorter and weaker. Whereas in that sort of square position, you simply use the normal position. So it will be a lot stronger than playing like that. So another very big and important reason to use that extension technique is to have your fourth finger strong and confident. So I hope you enjoy this challenge. It's a nice way to practice your extensions and happy practice and see you next month.

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