Cello Left Hand Position

The thumb should be placed on the back of the neck opposed from the 2nd finger. The position is very similar to holding a cup, an orange, or a tennis ball. I keep a sixteen ounce plastic cup in the room and when students have problems, I hand them the cup. They take the cup and hold it naturally, with the thumb opposed to the fingers.

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• Introduction to Left Hand Position
• Preliminary Exercises for Violin and Viola
• Developing the Shape of the Left Hand
• Developing Hand Shape Exercise No. 2
• Preliminary Finger Exercises Cello and Bass
• Placement of Fingers Violin and Viola
• Thumb Placement for Violin and Viola
• Common problems Violin and Viola
• Common problems - Collapsed wrist
• Common problems - Hyperextended Wrist
• Common problems - Poor Thumb Placement
• Worm Hole
• Three Points of Contact
• Cello Left Hand Position
• Bass Left Hand Position
• Elbow and Shoulder Cello and Bass
• Common LH Problems Cello and Bass
• Cello/Bass Problems -- The Sagging Elbow
• Cello/Bass Problems --Thumb hugging the neck of the instrument
• Cello/Bass Problems -- Collapsed Wrist
• Cello/Bass Problems --Sloped Fingers
• Hand Frame
• Finger Shape
• Finger Placement Markers
• General Left Hand Position Principles for All the Strings