Question for string teachers/players
Discussion
My 8 yr old daughter has been selected by her school to learn to play the cello. The council employ a teacher to come to the school once a week to teach the selected children. Her lessons started in September so everything is still very new to her - especially since neither myself or her father are in any way musical, but she does seem to have an ear for music.
The question I have is whether the fingers used for chords can be adapted? My daughter has bent little fingers, especially when she curls her fingers into a fist - the little ones bend into her ring finger. She has managed to play the correct notes so far by using her ring finger instead of her little finger when 3 fingers are needed. When 4 fingers are needed she is fine. Is it possible for her to continue to adapt which fingers she uses or not? I have written in her cello homework book to her teacher about this, but her teacher has replied that 'adapting finger positions at this stage would complicate things, and cause problems in the future'. Is this correct? If so, I feel my daughter sould give up soon, to avoid disappointment later. My daughter keeps getting told off for using the wrong fingers, which I feel is a little harsh when we have pointed out that it causes her alot of pain.
In the future there is an option of her having her fingers operated on, but since they don't cause her problems with anything else that this option is far too drastic to consider. It is something she can decide herself when she is old enough.
The question I have is whether the fingers used for chords can be adapted? My daughter has bent little fingers, especially when she curls her fingers into a fist - the little ones bend into her ring finger. She has managed to play the correct notes so far by using her ring finger instead of her little finger when 3 fingers are needed. When 4 fingers are needed she is fine. Is it possible for her to continue to adapt which fingers she uses or not? I have written in her cello homework book to her teacher about this, but her teacher has replied that 'adapting finger positions at this stage would complicate things, and cause problems in the future'. Is this correct? If so, I feel my daughter sould give up soon, to avoid disappointment later. My daughter keeps getting told off for using the wrong fingers, which I feel is a little harsh when we have pointed out that it causes her alot of pain.
In the future there is an option of her having her fingers operated on, but since they don't cause her problems with anything else that this option is far too drastic to consider. It is something she can decide herself when she is old enough.
If it is causing her pain and the teacher is ignoring it, stop the lessons and complain to the head of music. If your daughter has a condition that prevents her from doing the normal fingering positions, this must be taken into account by a teacher and adapted into the teaching.
If your daughter has been 'chosen',then I am guessing she didn't ask for the lessons, therefore any lesson will be wasted unless she has enthusiasm to learn.
If your daughter wants to continue, I would find a private tutor and explain the situation, I am sure that a good teacher would be able to find away around your daughters condition.
If your daughter has been 'chosen',then I am guessing she didn't ask for the lessons, therefore any lesson will be wasted unless she has enthusiasm to learn.
If your daughter wants to continue, I would find a private tutor and explain the situation, I am sure that a good teacher would be able to find away around your daughters condition.
Thank you for your response.
My gut feeling was that it should be possible to adapt finger positions, but not being musical I have no idea. Unfortunately I am not sure whether complaining to the school will help as it is just a village primary school and the musical teacher is supplied by the council. We have parent teacher interviews next week, so I will definately mention it to them and I will put another comment in her cello homework book.
In the meantime we will withold payment until this is resolved. Our daughter definately wants to continue to learn music, but if this teacher will not help her then we will look into private tutition.
Thanks again.
My gut feeling was that it should be possible to adapt finger positions, but not being musical I have no idea. Unfortunately I am not sure whether complaining to the school will help as it is just a village primary school and the musical teacher is supplied by the council. We have parent teacher interviews next week, so I will definately mention it to them and I will put another comment in her cello homework book.
In the meantime we will withold payment until this is resolved. Our daughter definately wants to continue to learn music, but if this teacher will not help her then we will look into private tutition.
Thanks again.
AMLK said:
Thank you for your response.
My gut feeling was that it should be possible to adapt finger positions, but not being musical I have no idea. Unfortunately I am not sure whether complaining to the school will help as it is just a village primary school and the musical teacher is supplied by the council. We have parent teacher interviews next week, so I will definately mention it to them and I will put another comment in her cello homework book.
In the meantime we will withold payment until this is resolved. Our daughter definately wants to continue to learn music, but if this teacher will not help her then we will look into private tutition.
Thanks again.
I think at this early stage it would be best to talk to someone very experienced, perhaps phone some music stores and ask if they have the numbers of local cello teachers, they often do, look online also. But no tutor should tell your daughter to position her hand if it hurts, of course some techniques will feel strange or hurt a little but that is quite different from a medical issue.My gut feeling was that it should be possible to adapt finger positions, but not being musical I have no idea. Unfortunately I am not sure whether complaining to the school will help as it is just a village primary school and the musical teacher is supplied by the council. We have parent teacher interviews next week, so I will definately mention it to them and I will put another comment in her cello homework book.
In the meantime we will withold payment until this is resolved. Our daughter definately wants to continue to learn music, but if this teacher will not help her then we will look into private tutition.
Thanks again.
Your best bet is to speak to an experienced teacher, they may have encountered students with missing fingers, who would need the same attention.
If you are struggling post back on this thread, I'll find out from a friend whos family is full of music teachers they should have some experience with this sort of thing!
Good luck
Fantuzzi said:
If your daughter has a condition that prevents her from doing the normal fingering positions, this must be taken into account by a teacher and adapted into the teaching.
/\ this but do remember that the council's peripatetic 'cello teacher has probably a number of schools to cover in the day, and a number a pupils in a group lesson that lasts effectively for maybe 15 minutes for the whole group.No musical instrument is easy to play and the 'cello is no exception, there can be some big left hand stretches and it can require a lot of strength in the left hand fingers.
Thanks.
Elderly you are right about the teaching. There are 5 of them being taught together for 1/2hr once a week. Maybe I am asking a bit too much, but I resent her being told off for using the wrong fingers, especially if she is playing the correct notes. The tone of her teachers comments in her homework book has got my back up, she is basically saying she is not willing to teach my daughter if she doesn't conform to the proper way.
As I see it, as long as she is able to play the correct notes, surely the teacher can 'overlook' her finger positions, at least for now. Maybe when she has been playing longer she will get less pain, and be able to use her fingers correctly. I want to get this sorted as we have just got the invoice from the council to pay for the whole years lessons - something I am reluctant to do if the teacher doesn't want her to learn.
We are looking to get her a keyboard for christmas - when she splays her fingers out flat, the bend isn't as noticable, and she has a reasonable span, so hopefully she can play the keyboard without issues. If so, we will look at getting piano lessons or such like.
I would like her to continue as she really enjoys it. To my novice ears I feel she is doing quite well for just a few weeks teaching - I can recognise what she is playing and it sound pretty good. I also feel learning music is a valuable skill.
Thanks again for your help.
Elderly you are right about the teaching. There are 5 of them being taught together for 1/2hr once a week. Maybe I am asking a bit too much, but I resent her being told off for using the wrong fingers, especially if she is playing the correct notes. The tone of her teachers comments in her homework book has got my back up, she is basically saying she is not willing to teach my daughter if she doesn't conform to the proper way.
As I see it, as long as she is able to play the correct notes, surely the teacher can 'overlook' her finger positions, at least for now. Maybe when she has been playing longer she will get less pain, and be able to use her fingers correctly. I want to get this sorted as we have just got the invoice from the council to pay for the whole years lessons - something I am reluctant to do if the teacher doesn't want her to learn.
We are looking to get her a keyboard for christmas - when she splays her fingers out flat, the bend isn't as noticable, and she has a reasonable span, so hopefully she can play the keyboard without issues. If so, we will look at getting piano lessons or such like.
I would like her to continue as she really enjoys it. To my novice ears I feel she is doing quite well for just a few weeks teaching - I can recognise what she is playing and it sound pretty good. I also feel learning music is a valuable skill.
Thanks again for your help.
AMLK said:
Thanks.
Elderly you are right about the teaching. There are 5 of them being taught together for 1/2hr once a week. Maybe I am asking a bit too much, but I resent her being told off for using the wrong fingers, especially if she is playing the correct notes. The tone of her teachers comments in her homework book has got my back up, she is basically saying she is not willing to teach my daughter if she doesn't conform to the proper way.
As I see it, as long as she is able to play the correct notes, surely the teacher can 'overlook' her finger positions, at least for now. Maybe when she has been playing longer she will get less pain, and be able to use her fingers correctly. I want to get this sorted as we have just got the invoice from the council to pay for the whole years lessons - something I am reluctant to do if the teacher doesn't want her to learn.
We are looking to get her a keyboard for christmas - when she splays her fingers out flat, the bend isn't as noticable, and she has a reasonable span, so hopefully she can play the keyboard without issues. If so, we will look at getting piano lessons or such like.
I would like her to continue as she really enjoys it. To my novice ears I feel she is doing quite well for just a few weeks teaching - I can recognise what she is playing and it sound pretty good. I also feel learning music is a valuable skill.
Thanks again for your help.
I think the teacher is clearly ignoring your daughters condition, I would phone the school ask for his number, and tell him that it is not your daughter failing to listen, but a medical condition that forces her to use different fingering positions. If he then says that it is impossible for her to learn in this way, I would consult another cello tutor. Elderly you are right about the teaching. There are 5 of them being taught together for 1/2hr once a week. Maybe I am asking a bit too much, but I resent her being told off for using the wrong fingers, especially if she is playing the correct notes. The tone of her teachers comments in her homework book has got my back up, she is basically saying she is not willing to teach my daughter if she doesn't conform to the proper way.
As I see it, as long as she is able to play the correct notes, surely the teacher can 'overlook' her finger positions, at least for now. Maybe when she has been playing longer she will get less pain, and be able to use her fingers correctly. I want to get this sorted as we have just got the invoice from the council to pay for the whole years lessons - something I am reluctant to do if the teacher doesn't want her to learn.
We are looking to get her a keyboard for christmas - when she splays her fingers out flat, the bend isn't as noticable, and she has a reasonable span, so hopefully she can play the keyboard without issues. If so, we will look at getting piano lessons or such like.
I would like her to continue as she really enjoys it. To my novice ears I feel she is doing quite well for just a few weeks teaching - I can recognise what she is playing and it sound pretty good. I also feel learning music is a valuable skill.
Thanks again for your help.
In all honesty the tutor sounds rather horrid, a teacher should be friendly, someone you are comfortable with, who you can ask stupid questions to without fear of ridicule, someone you can be honest with and will make you a better player. If she has a harsh teacher she wont enjoy.
With regards to the importance of correct fingering, yes it is important, and getting into bad habits are something that teachers try and make sure students avoid, but changes can be made, although it might be trickier later on when she is making loner stretches with more technically demanding pieces.
If you can afford to let her try various instruments, thats great, but remember not be shocked if she decides she dosnt like the piano/cello/whatever and decides to stick with one instrument or none at all! Many of my friends learnt right up to grade 8 on an instrument/s, but as soon their parents stopped making them go to lessons at school, they just stopped! However my younger brother well into his teens is blitzing through the piano because he loves it.
The best students are ones who learn of their own will, they practice more and get better quickly, if your daughter is enjoying the cello then change teachers as he may sap her enthusiasm for the instrument, I certainly wouldn't pay for the lessons if your daughter doesn't get on with him.
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