"How do you know where to put your fingers?" "PRACTICE!"
Catapults are the foundation of in-tune first position playing. Pianists have it easy – all they do is push a button. Guitarists have to hit somewhere between two frets to get it right. Even violinists get to look at their fingers while they play. Cello is only for the noble and brave — those brave souls willing to do 20 Catapults a day until their hand just falls onto the fingerboard perfectly spaced and ready for action!
The process of consistently finding your first position tapes starts with creating the same, correct sitting posture each time you sit down to play. See the lesson on natural cello posture and if you are struggling to land your catapults reliably after a few days of practice, consider making a cello carpet or mat to make sure that you are consistently sitting properly. If your fingerboard lands in a different spot each time you practice then it is near impossible to master this exercise. As you do get better at finding all four targets at once. That’s when you have to start getting picky with yourself. Ask these questions:
- Are my fingers arched like a “C”?
- Is my thumb slightly bent out, not collapsed or straight, again making a “C”?
- Is my thumb perpendicular to the neck of the instrument?
- Is my thumb more or less underneath my 2nd finger (middle finger)?
- Did all four fingers land on the targets on the same string? No adjusting!
- Am I keeping my elbow out like a kickstand or “airing out” my armpit? It doesn’t help if you get used to playing in tune with bad posture!
Pro Tip
Practice in front of a mirror so you can see your left hand in the mirror without having to look down and ruin your posture. Check that each finger is arched and not collapsed. You may need to practice the catapult exercises in the left hand posture video to build strength and the right hand shape.
Before moving on from the exercise, try catapults with your eyes closed or if working with a younger beginner put a piece of paper between their eyes and the fingerboard so they can’t look! You need to be able to consistently find first position without looking. Once you can, a world of music that covers more than two octaves opens up to you! All of Suzuki Book 1 is in first position.
HAPPY PRACTICING CELLISTS!