Hi, I'm Ailbhe McDonagh. This is the second of four videos teaching you how to shift on the cello.
In this video, we are continuing our look at shifting with the second type: substitution shifts. This occurs when we substitute a new finger for the one that was playing (e.g., starting on a 2nd finger and shifting to a 1st finger).
The "Newton's cradle" analogy
A substitution shift works like a Newton's cradle (those desk ornaments with swinging metal balls).
- Momentum: the motion continues through the shift. You don't stop in the middle.
- Transfer: just like the energy transfers between the balls, your weight transfers from the old finger to the new finger the moment you start to move.
The "giant sausage finger"
To make the substitution smooth, bring your fingers together before you shift.
- Close the gap: if you are shifting from 3rd finger to 1st finger, bring the 1st finger close to the 3rd so they act like "one giant sausage finger."
- Slide on the new finger: once they are together, transfer the weight to the new finger (1st) and slide that finger up to the note. Never slide on the old finger.
Bowing the shift
When playing separate bows, you have two choices for where to place the shift:
- Old bow shift: (most common) do the shift at the very end of the current bow stroke.
- New bow shift: (rare) do the shift at the start of the new bow. This creates a dramatic "portamento" effect (like in the Elgar concerto) but should be used sparingly.