Simply Sitting

Sitting with the cello should be simple. But as we teachers have struggled to find a uniform method to prescribe for every student, it's only gotten more mysterious!  

What does your nose have to do with cello?

This would make my neck hurt!

The following examples are just a taste of the countless methods one may find on this issue:

We teachers have the best intentions with our instructions, but the reality is that the variables involved are too numerous for us to pack it all neatly into an easy description.   

Too many variables

We can think of so many differences in body types.  Long torso, short arms, little hands, long legs, barrel chest...  It's mind boggling!  

But that's not all...

I also try to take into consideration different chair heights, heel height, and on occasion even trouser material!  My goal as a teacher is to get my students to be as comfortable as possible with real-world cello situations,  so I must include these realistic (and sometimes not ideal) variations.  Not all of us are able to take a custom cello-chair with us wherever we play (the most I can get away with for most concerts is a subtle seat cushion addition!).

Your comfort is key

Everyone's body is different.  Every situation is different.  The best we can do is make sure we can accommodate our own body.  We must get as comfortable as possible within the confines of the situation while still being able to effectively manipulate our instrument.  

Keep in mind that you must fit the cello to you.  Not the other way around!

Head, shoulders, knees and toes

I have tried to distill the act of sitting with the cello into a simple set of instructions involving three main points of contact.  These are only guidelines to help facilitate your getting comfortable with the cello. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on sitting with the cello.  Do any of you use Posture Pegs?