Nan Kemberling, Atlanta Cellist
  • Home
  • Teaching
  • Performance
  • Media
    • Videos
    • Press
    • Music
    • Television
    • Photos
    • Art
  • Blog
  • Contact
Cellist, Teacher, and Coach

Painting a Rainbow with your Tone

7/12/2018

4 Comments

 
Picture





​Just like a painter using the three primary colors to conjure any hue desired, we cellists can use three bowing variables in different amounts to create a rainbow of tone colors. 


Three Primary Colors of Tone

Here's a video explaining what I mean:

How Do You Feel Today? 

Picture Actual copy of Martha's poster!

​My teacher used to have a poster on her wall, the How-Do-You-Feel-Today poster, that she would point out to us when she felt we needed some inspiration for the sentiment in a piece we were playing.

“What mood are you going for here?” she would ask.  

​We would need at least one idea for each phrase—maybe more—and we would then have to decide how we would alter our placement, weight, and speed to create these different impressions.

I thought it was such fun to work out a way to convince the audience of the story as was telling without saying a word!

​


PictureI tended to get a little crazy with the whole color situation!

​
You can use this same technique in your own cello life!

Feel free to print and keep this poster (below) near your practice area to refer to when deciding on a mood. Or simply think of an adjective to describe the emotion in one section of the piece you are working on.

Then experiment with changing the different variables of placement, weight, and speed until you find something that seems to you to express that adjective most effectively!


You are an Artist!

Picture



This technique unearths a whole new layer of cello fun that facilitates the ultimate expression in music.


​Happy tone-painting!

​


4 Comments
Cathie Pritchard
7/13/2018 08:15:39 am

Great to get my day started off, with Cello tips from my favorite teacher!

Reply
David B Teague
7/20/2018 12:50:55 pm

Is it possible to get the image you said we could print in a larger format? I can't seem to print anything satisfying from here. Thanks.
BTW I like the emoji collection.

Reply
Nan link
7/20/2018 03:49:51 pm

David, I went ahead and emailed you the PDF. Let me know if you don't receive it. I think the address I have for you may be a few years old. Thanks for commenting!

Reply
David B Teague
7/20/2018 06:21:47 pm

Got it THANK YOU! Love your blog. So much of it applies directly to bass in 5ths., and what doesn't usually can be adapted.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Nan sequiturs

    I live and breathe cello everyday, and I want to share thoughts about it with you!

    Categories

    All
    Basics
    Bow Control
    Funny Stuff
    Inspiration
    Master Mind
    Notation
    Practicing
    Window Into My World

    SUBSCRIBE!

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

There's always room for cello...
Proudly powered by Weebly