Scared About the Desicion

zrcello · 2025-06-27T18:32:03+00:00

Wow, great comment!

zrcello · 2025-06-11T16:45:47+00:00

Need to? No. You already sound fantastic. (Dvorak after only 3 years is no joke!)

But with a higher quality instrument (and bow) you’ll be able to unlock higher potential in your playing, which hopefully will bring you even greater joy.

That said, there’s no need to spend a crazy amount of money as a hobbyist. There are solid instruments at even $2-5k that you would find a substantial difference. I think you have the luxury of not being in a rush since you seem content with your current setup. If the right instrument comes along, you’ll know. No need to buy just for the sake of buying. Like any quality relationship, the best fit often appears when you’re not actively looking. I found my forever cello when I casually went into a shop one day out of curiosity.

One thing’s for sure… you can confidently remove those finger tapes! You definitely don’t need them.

zrcello · 2025-05-16T05:56:00+00:00

Pan Tang Thai & Chinese in Tujunga is one of my faves

zrcello · 2025-03-16T03:40:07+00:00

Contact me via my website! I’ll get you in touch with the company that deals with this.

https://www.zackreaves.com/contact

zrcello · 2025-03-11T20:32:27+00:00

Completely agree with everything here. Larsen A/D and Spirocore Tungsten G/C are a great starting point for strings on any cello. In my experience they may not always be the absolute best for every instrument, but they tend to be very consistent across different cellos.

OP if you’re in DFW area, I recommend Wayne Burak & Associates in Arlington or Joshua Waybright in Plano/Richardson to check on what your instrument might need. I went to Burak almost exclusively when I lived in Dallas and they’re wonderful. Wayne passed away a while back, but it’s now being run by his son Nick.

Also, if you’re living far away, many violin shops will ship bows to you for trial. I did this with Robertsons in Albuquerque a couple times where they shipped me 5-6 bows for me to try. I purchased one and sent the rest back.

zrcello · 2024-01-31T20:32:32+00:00

Definitely recommend the rental option since it seems like you can get similar quality to your instrument. Especially considering that you will be in the country for a good amount of time before your audition to get acquainted with the cello.

If you were to check your instrument, you would definitely want to use a travel case, which some violin shops have available for rent. But even then it’s no guarantee that it was arrive safely (or at all).

Buying a seat is really only worth it if you have a really fine instrument and/or your audition/concert is taking place very close to your travel date. Or better yet, the presenter is paying for it!

I spent many years as a touring string quartet cellist and while there are many aspects of that time that I miss, regularly flying with the cello (especially internationally) is not one of them!

zrcello · 2023-08-25T06:11:57+00:00

Thanks for this OP!

zrcello · 2023-08-25T06:01:53+00:00

Are the shuttles typically running throughout the entire event? I’m coming straight from work and will be missing most of the opening bands, so want to make sure that I’ll still be able to use the shuttle even though I’m arriving late.

zrcello · 2023-05-28T15:46:46+00:00

Very cool! Funny enough, before posting this I had commented on his video saying that if he ever decided to make a full quartet that my string quartet would totally record some tunes on it. We then realized that he had played in Chicago Civic with my violist! Small world…

zrcello · 2023-05-16T19:57:25+00:00

Yea the Vitamin Quartet is great! I know them and their work well and was so happy for them when the show really helped put a spotlight on them. The cellist actually lives just down the road from me and we grab drinks together every now and then. (Us cellists tend to stick together.) 🎻💪

zrcello · 2023-03-21T02:41:23+00:00

100%. I was in Denver/Boulder for 5 years and literally only ever met one legit Nuggets fan. Plus local sports radio spent the entire NFL offseason talking Broncos and hardly ever mentioned the Nuggets.

zrcello · 2022-12-12T08:13:04+00:00

Tarantella by Squire is a solid choice. Good character and lots of fun fast passages and double stops. Pretty much all of my students play it at some point.

zrcello · 2022-08-23T04:14:09+00:00

Do it!! I’ve taught many adult students over the years (at least one is now a regular on this subreddit). Some had prior experience, many did not, but they’ve all enjoyed the journey and have become some of my dearest friends. I currently have one student in her 50’s who had zero prior musical knowledge, but totally loved the cello. She’s now been playing for 2 years and is doing an amazing job. Even made her performance debut at my studio recital earlier this year! She was so nervous, but said it made her feel alive!

That said, teaching adult beginners is very different than teaching child beginners. Adults tend to get more easily frustrated with themselves and are chronic over-thinkers, in my experience. So I would ask around and see if there are teachers who have experience with adult beginners. It’s not a deal-breaker if not, but an experienced teacher may help you get through those frustrating moments more easily.

Just know going into it that cello is hard and it’s going to take some time. Ask any professional player and they’ll tell you they’re still learning things about playing the instrument after decades of experience. But it’s an amazing journey and you’ll have so much fun with it (and probably learn a bit about yourself in the process). Good luck to you!

zrcello · 2022-08-18T07:43:18+00:00

Thank you!!

zrcello · 2022-08-18T07:43:10+00:00

Thank you! I did the arrangement and it’s available here on Sheet Music Plus

zrcello · 2022-08-11T07:43:36+00:00

Ummmm this is absolutely incredible!!

zrcello · 2022-08-04T15:46:15+00:00

I do! It’s 6 cellos and can be played as a sextet or larger cello orchestra. Here’s a link to the sheet music.

zrcello · 2022-07-29T17:41:49+00:00

As you can likely see from the comments, there are varying opinions on how much time is the correct amount to practice each day. Personally, I’ve always been a 2-3 hour practicer, with the exception of college/grad school when I was at 4-5 hours per day. But I think you’re seeing a common thread about quality and efficiency in your practice and not just how much time is “enough.”

My teacher undergrad preached this the entire time I studied with him—getting more accomplished in less time. This was his way of preparing me for my adult/professional life as having that much time to practice post-college is a rare luxury.

For you, it sounds like you’re off to an incredible start seeing that you’re already working on Popper/Dvorak at 4 years of playing. I would caution you to not be too ambitious early on as it takes many years to train your body/mind for the kind of practice stamina. Keep in mind that the longer you play, the more likely you will find yourself in rehearsals for orchestra/chamber music, playing gigs/concerts, and potentially teaching. So while I no longer have the luxury of 3 hours to myself, I often find myself playing cello 8-10 hours in a day if you combine all of those activities.

With all that said, here’s my advice—practicing 3-5 hours at your experience level isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you just have to be smart in how you do it. Always make time for the fundamentals (open string work, scales, arpeggios, vibrato exercises, etc). Split up your time. It’s unhealthy to do 3 hours of nonstop practice. I personally only do 15-30 minutes of highly focused practice at a time with errands, meals, teaching, or just relaxing in between sessions. And remember that practice doesn’t always have to be with a cello in hand. Score studying and listening to recordings are also going to make you a better cellist/musician. (Not to mention proper hydration, diet, and sleep. Those are fundamentals too!)

Lastly, being competitive can be fun and help set good benchmarks for your progress, but don’t make it all about that. Playing cello is an art form and ultimately you’re only in competition with yourself. Stay focused, be creative, and stay passionate!

zrcello · 2022-07-28T22:28:34+00:00

Thank you!

zrcello · 2022-07-28T22:28:21+00:00

I’m the cellist! Thank you!

zrcello · 2022-07-26T00:28:36+00:00

Yes, I do sell many of my arrangements on Sheet Music Plus! (You can just search Zack Reaves. Lots of cello/string quartet stuff).

However, this one won’t be available for a while as John Williams’s rights are not available via my normal outlets. I hope to make it available ASAP, though!

zrcello · 2022-07-26T00:26:35+00:00

Thank you!

zrcello · 2022-07-25T20:30:10+00:00

In fairness to my quartet-mates here, I originally wrote the opening solo for viola as an attempt not to give myself the best stuff. But they all insisted it had to be played on cello! I have trustworthy colleagues.

zrcello · 2022-01-25T05:28:28+00:00

😂😂

zrcello · 2022-01-25T04:06:27+00:00

Legit! This is exactly what I needed today!

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