(Almost) 5 years of cello - the journey of an adult beginner

[@CelloDream]

Adult learner +1, good to know I'm not alone, good job, the world need more cellists :)

[@pambradbury2814]

I'm actually a beginner/intermediate violinist, but when I first started taking lessons, I taped a quote inside my violin case: "If you don't chase your dreams, you won't catch them." Bravo to you! Keep on chasing!

[@jamesjordan4796]

Well done!!! I am a cellist myself and am super impressed! I love to see others getting into the classical world...it is truly a gift to listen to/play this music :)

[@josegraca4257]

I'm soooooooo glad to see a video were the REAL process of cello learning is depicted!!!! This is exactly right! Learning for 3 years now...still messy..but loving the process :)

[@sohapilee]

Amazing progress! I just picked up the cello in August 2022 and I’m loving it! I’m always out of tune, with questionable intonation all the time but I’m loving it! I can only hope I make as much progress as you did in 5 years’ time 🤞🏻

[@isaiahmcclure8894]

I picked up Violin in 2021 at 25 years old. Still going strong. You improved a bunch

[@DJL2021]

This is so great! I just rented my first cello as an adult too. Your doing very well. Can’t wait to continue to see you progress

[@sunchoi3733]

Very impressed! I am an adult learner,too. I can see your progress and could not imagine how much you have practiced for a every single pieces. Like the other adult learners, it is great feeling that i am not alone. Now i regret a bit not record my cello journey….. you are such a positive influence + encouragement on me! Thanks! Waiting for your next pieces~~~~👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@cathygoltsoff9615]

Thank you for making this video Took up cello during Covid. I was gifted a cello (previous played a little violin as a kid). It took me 3 months to get started. The bowing and TUNING. I then got the special pegs and new strings and they quarantined my cello for a week. Even though I know the base clef, I think in treble clef. I have only had 1 lesson, I wanted more but a relative in trouble came to stay with me and this stopped my new cello lessons. The wonderful teacher put me on Suzuki book 2, and position pieces bu Mooney, she said my bowing was good. I want cello lessons I now play pop cello by ear and can play most of Suzuki cello 2 and 3. I now have a smaller 7/8 cello after the Luthier ripped apart my original cello to correct a neck problem. I am shocked at the differences and diversity in cellos Each cello seems to have a unique tone ( like a voice).

[@alicep273]

« A bit soulless sorry Bach » 🤣🤣🤣 I’m not Bach but I admire your progress very inspiring! Keep going 🥳

[@awsickler]

One of your strengths is right hand flexibility. I can see there is very little tension in your wrist and hand. Your bow stroke is very fluid. Excellent job.

[@ll1773]

Thx for sharing a real progress of learning progress. Geeez learning cello is HARD.

[@poohbear5574]

I started back in 3rd grade then stopped in 8th, I’m a senior in high school now and I want to do it again but this time I won’t quit, after a 5 year break… it’s gonna take some time to get back to where I was, very inspiring video

[@Silvian119]

What a journey, way to keep on, slowly but surely you got good at it, much better that I ever had... gotta practices again! D:

[@prasannabodhisattva2933]

i am a 32 yr old violinist from india started to learn cello as well...great progress...hope i will also make it one day...thanks for the motivation. june 8, 2024 update I joined cello classes now...learning carnatic violin now after learning western style for the past 2 and a half years

[@craigsherlin4810]

Beautiful! I admire youre persistence. bowed fretless instruments are brutal to learn. I lasted about a year. Congrats on your success!!!

[@dhouse-d5l]

Very good. Adult learner too tho stuck sounding grt in 1st pos.As soon as I stray up the board it all falls aprt....its a crazy instrument for sure.

[@zhouyiqian]

It takes time... more than one would like to admit. I spent the last 12 months working on getting okay vibrato on higher positions. It works now, so keep practicing and it's going to be worth it!

[@jairdinh7563]

Congratulation incredibly fast progress.

[@allietran6395]

I can see all the effort you put forth on practicing! My only advice is that you want to raise your left elbow to help get to those higher octaves! Keep up the good work!

[@threeleafflutes]

Fantastic journey....Thanks for sharing.

[@wxchang1247]

You've made a great progress . Very inspiring.👍

[@eileenmccarthy596]

Sounds Awesome. You've worked hard. Keep playing and enjoy it!!! 🎻👍😁

[@johnrolle6645]

I hope you find some beginning piano person to accompany you on the keyboard for some of those pieces. Making music is so enriching and with others.....well! Congratulations, this made me smile.

[@richardlevangie8733]

Im there as well ..just don't practice near enough 🥺😞

[@peteroreilly8060]

I mean no disrespect. I am an accomplished guitarist of many years and always loved the cello but never felt brave enough to make the leap. now at 75 I am brave enough, but watching this, I see the time and effort needed for me to get anywhere near as I would like on the cello is not enough to reach my goal. I had Better stick with what I have been playing for the last 60 years, after all I can play that well enough and enjoy it without any frustrations.

[@GlumpusMumpus]

@@barefacedquestions There is no such thing as a good and easy instrument, that's why practice is so important.

[@balorprice]

I don't think the point is to reach a goal! There's always something new to learn, but as long as you enjoy what you're doing it's a very fulfilling thing to do. Never too late to learn something new

[@M_SC]

No I disagree, and learning cello is good for the brain. Learning something new is.

[@BurningtunaDC]

Awesome progress! Shoot more videos!

[@stacyhackney6100]

You got so much better. Wow.

[@mooshiemars6867]

I would recommend that you first begin with easy songs, pieces, and warm ups. Smooth shifting and technique are things that take time to master. It looks like you started off with a couple of difficult pieces when you were a beginner cellist, but it’s important to slowly build up to those pieces later on. So you can focus more on learning books like “Position pieces” and “Klengel technical studies”. Stickers or tapes are pretty helpful to also put on your cello, to make sure you’re in tune. But still, you’re doing great!

[@Lifeangelina]

Nice Progress Zhouyi! Angelina

[@matthewdennett1965]

Thank you for posting! Was cheering at the swan and vocalise! Well done!!!

[@nopusnopius]

I stsrted playing the cello when I was nine and I'm still playing. I played Breval Sonata on my 4th year, and yours still sounds better than mine?!??!?!? Quite impressive, i must say

[@zhouyiqian]

Haha, thanks!

[@Ben_Poetic]

Love this video! I'm an adult learner too.

[@herrickcello1734]

good job. congratulatuions

[@kennethmccoy2167]

I'm not a adult beginner but I've been playing for roughly the same amount of time

[@Thingsyourollup]

I want to also learn to play the cello but good lord i have enough trouble with shifting and intonation on my violin, I can't imagin having to double those distances between the notes.

[@epw6679]

Extremely good progress, I do thoroughly enjoy your playing and love the fact that the joy of cello is being spread to many like you. This comment is not to disparage your progress, but I cannot help but notice from this video how much more easily children pick up skills like these. I work closely with music directors and private lesson teachers for string instruments in my area as an organizer, and over the years will occasionally notice kids who pick up cello/violin in 6th grade at essentially the same level as your first clip, and just 3 years later will be playing the Dvorak cello concerto masterfully, not far off from the recordings of the greatest cellists of all time like Rostropovich. On an adult, this progress would seemingly take place in triple or even quadruple the amount of time. Amazing video.

[@zhouyiqian]

Three years in and they can Dvorak?! That's prodigy-level progress 😱Thanks for your kind words though, will keep practicing till I can Dvorak or Shostakovich

[@epw6679]

@@zhouyiqian Yes, the teachers said to get to that level its all about mastering the etudes. Would start with Dotzauer, then Duport/Popper.

[@zhouyiqian]

@@epw6679 Hmm, maybe that's why children progress faster than adults. I've had several cello teachers and only one of them gave me etudes every time. Nowadays I treat Bach suites as etudes...

[@elisawoo3231]

@@zhouyiqian My teacher said you can do more harm in doing etudes when you haven't mastered the necessary skills. Etudes are repetitive. So, a student can doing something wrong repeatedly.

[@elisawoo3231]

Adults learn differently. Adults have life obligations, like raising children, holding a career, cooking dinners, housework and balancing budgets. Their minds are full of responsibilites and duties and worries, which children ( lucky them ) do not have. All they have to do is practice.

[@kaichannel0504]

素晴らしい ステキな演奏でした わたしも始めたばかりです！ 頑張ります^_^

[@zhouyiqian]

ありがとうございます！一緒に頑張ります🎻

[@QalinaCom]

Well done! May I suggest that you made the same video, with a short snippet of how you used to play the piece and followed up immediately with how you play it now-the contrast between you "then" and you "now" would be very encouraging to see. Also, good on you doing this while you are already a professional in another field-you earn a stable income, while enjoying playing as a hobby. Pro musicians often struggle financially and must play even when they are unwell or don't feel like it. It's gruesome sometimes. For you- it looks like you are always having fun!

[@zhouyiqian]

I'm actually planning for one! But practice does take time ;)

[@ultimateships]

i’ve been trying to decide whether i want to play the cello in orchestra next year for my elective in school, or join Technical Theatre and be a techy!! Such hard choices😭😭 I want to play so many instruments because i love music, and musical theatre, but also since i love musical theatre, i wanna be part of it and make friends who are also in theatre, but i wanna learn so many instruments!! It’s such a difficult decision 😭😭

[@QalinaCom]

do the tech-this might lead to a solid profession while you can still play the instrument for fun. There is no money in playing music professionally. Having a steady job will also buy you the best instrument possible. Whatever you decide to do-good luck! the longer you play, the more is the possibility that you might do both-your trade AND music. You will never be able to pick up trade if you don't do it now. You can always pick up music.

[@SWilla00946]

I'm going to college for music education and im studying cello. I say try both for a year if you can but still chose what calls to you the most. If you do pick up cello, there is absolutely money in music if you know what you're doing and make connections. Plus, a perk of cello is that if you work on it you could eventually play in music theater pit orchestras :) And yes you can absolutely pick up a trade when you're older. Trade schools dont limit by age

[@M_SC]

Do the tech thing, it’s easier to do cello at any time in life than that which may only be an opportunity now

[@antoniomanicardi6702]

​@@QalinaComwtf, I don't know what you mean by professionally, but I am pretty sure that it means that you make a living with it. I don't know about the us since I am from Italy, but there are orchestras in Europe were you get paid more or less like a doctor, + you have reasonable amount of free time and the opportunity to do other stuff like teaching or doing concerts on your own. Anyways I think that like in the chicago or LA orchestras player get paid a lot

[@QalinaCom]

@@antoniomanicardi6702 LOL there is no such thing as "free time" when you are a musician, I feel. You are either listening music in preparation or practising for a performance. I am glad some orchestra musos are paid well enough not to have other jobs, somewhere...

[@SleepDeprived67]

Great job!!!

[@lamalarguez]

Ayudame, conoces a Queens of the stone age? Estoy aprendiendo a tocar cello y esa banda (por cierto es de mis bandas favoritas) tienen varias canciones con cello, cómo domesticated animales, el final

[@Mrbravoforever]

Hi ! I'm a profession musician & cello teacher in Singapore , its very happy that you love cello so much ,and can be carry on so many years ! but I'm sorry to say , you really need a professional teacher if you wish to Improve your level,because there are many mistakes of your intonation , phrase , fingering , tempo ,and musically also . hope you enjoy your music life !

[@drmarx999]

I'm really struck by how much your position with the instrument has changed! Very square to the body at the start, now very much angled. Has it helped? You've made wonderful progress!

[@zhouyiqian]

Great observation and thanks! Well, I changed the cello. And I tend to play it angled to make sure the bow is not crooked on the A string. But maybe it's too angled now...

[@MRods47]

I've been teaching myself over a year now. I always wondered if keeping the cello at an angle would help with the A string as the bow arm gets tired if I keep it squared to the body. Your comment just opened up a new possibility for me. Thank you. Great job OP and thanks for sharing this with us.

[@twinicebear775]

@@MRods47 It's a common mistake, bc it can feel more "comfortable" but youre just hurting yourself in the long run by making it more difficult to get around and be in a stable stance with the instrument. That being said, everyone is different, and u may have a slight angle, but you don't want to be totally angled. u can see how when she vibrates and shifts, the instrument moves, that's because she has it angled and not stable between her legs. it's what makes her shifts sound almost slushy

[@play150]

For me I need it to be super angled because of a rotator cuff injury... Either angled or no playing at all (can barely play any more even if angled for me)

[@eleanorcm7033]

Well done - nice work!

[@s.n.2797]

WOW. It was amazing. Thx for the video. I want to learn to play cello too. I am 22 years old so your video made me hope that I could learn it too. How many hours did you exercised per day?

[@zhouyiqian]

The first clip was film when I was 22, so you can definitely do it! It depends on how much time I have, 1-3 hours I'd say, but nowadays usually around 1

[@s.n.2797]

@@zhouyiqian Thanks 💐

[@NellasxElensar]

Another adult learner here, have an academic year of lessons behind me now! :)

[@cristals87]

I started the cello almost two years ago, I'm not nearly as good but I also post videos on my channel

[@NoBrainer457]

Nice progress! I noticed that you kept your eyes closed on the last piece, did you memorize all that? If so, impressive!

[@ronwhitehead3824]

I been learning for 10 yrs and i still can't play Bach prelude 1. correctly.

[@P0110X]

I got my cello in 2018, had a terrible start so technically speaking I've been playing properly for almost 3 years. While I do like using vibrato, I still try to avoid it while I try to play in tune. I haven't recorded myself yet but as my teacher suggests it's better to play in front of a wall. Is it me or your A string is a bit high compared to the fingerboard? doing vibrato from 4th position and beyond should not be painful. If I'm not mistaken, 5-8mm should be the average distance there but I may be wrong.

[@zhouyiqian]

Spot on! I changed the bridge once and the A string was slightly raised...

[@Ikattcat]

Im not adult but im 13 turning 14 im starting to get cello lessons in my birthday in September im happy :)

[@dominikajaros7685]

Hi, tomorrow I'm going to buy my cello, as an adult. May I ask you, what was the price of your cello?

[@trinidad808]

Before i start learning cello y have to end learning bassoon 😪 it Will be like in 1 year and some months Damn i forgot to say that now you play beautiful, nice job 👏👏

[@bonzodachimp6897]

i think its funny how ur cat rolls around by you when you play lol, my cat despises my cello and she always books it out the door when i start playing

[@artviolino7251]

❤🎶🎶👏👏🤗

[@lucilenepereirasoares1377]

Hello! Did you play every single day? If yes, so, how much hours/day? Thank you. You're amazing.

[@zhouyiqian]

I tried to make sure that I practice 4-6 days per week. In my second year, I could do 2-3 hours per day, but other than that, about 1 hour per day. I also take a long break every year, like a cello-free month

[@lucilenepereirasoares1377]

​@@zhouyiqianThank you! :D

[@wishyouwerehere82]

I am an adult learner. May I know what size of cello you play. My height is about 155cm and my body size is plus size women.

[@codycardboard9191]

Usually cello sizing goes by height (with some exceptions) :)) I'm not sure on an exact size chart but you might be fine with a full size, it's just kinda hard to get used to. If that's too big though they make a 7/8 cello that works for adults that are too small for a full size!

[@codycardboard9191]

also not all cellos are the same even though they're the same size my full size cello is pretty wide even though I'm a pretty small person so the jump from a 3/4 was pretty hard lol

[@trollther7342]

Yay... Im depressed now, I dont feel like I play like that at all even after almost 3 and a half years while you were only on year 1 and a half. And im 17, and kids learn faster or something so... maybe im straight up garabanzo beans, lets gooooo... wish I started practicing more since earlier because on the first and most of the sencond year I didn't practice at all at home, just school and orquestra because I started one year before covid so when the lockdown happened I didnt really know how to practice on my on, just suzuki one 100 times... thats all they had given me on the first year...

[@trollther7342]

Either way, mad respect, you play amazing

[@lenyaya3534]

Hey, how is it going now, two years later? Still at it? ;)

[@trollther7342]

​@@lenyaya3534 oh wow, what timing, exactly that day I was chosen to play in the nutcracker on the youth orquestra of uruguay (Sodre) and I was extremelly happy, exactly this year has been superb for me and the cello, even dough I still feel like I'm not good enough for my age... I'm still very happy to be part of this music world... thank you for the message, It really took me back and made me see how far I've come

[@Cloudkick85]

I swear you're your hardest critic

[@zhouyiqian]

haha, probably true

[@lizxiao1111]

Do you think vibrato is the hardest thing for adult learner. I'm working for it more than 2 years, but I still don't master it

[@zhouyiqian]

I don't think vibrato is the hardest to learn, but it's the hardest to teach. Every hand is different and you really need to feel the motion in your fingers. It took me a long time (over a year) to get the hang of it in the first four positions. I'm still working on it in higher positions - doubt I'll ever master it!

[@lizxiao1111]

@@zhouyiqian couldn't agree more!!

[@idktbh2318]

Vibrato is very easy tbh

[@jamiezeluff2903]

Fantastic! How long do you practice each day?

[@zhouyiqian]

Between 1-3 hours, but more recently just around 1 hr

[@musicgamer8024]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@jnsn_paint]

do you still play on 3/4 cello?

[@zhouyiqian]

Nope, the current one is a 7/8

[@danielstayton7899]

I think you picked wrong pieces to start with. Suzuki is the best way to go for beginners. If too complicated you won’t develop an stable, rich sound and most important intonation. Doesn’t matter what you play it’s more about quality than quantity.

[@elisawoo9838]

Do you have a teacher?

[@zhouyiqian]

Not at the moment. I had regular lessons up till about a year ago. But I do plan to go back to that later this year.

[@elisawoo3231]

@@zhouyiqian Isn't the cello an amazing instrument? I started cello when i was 64. I have had 5 years of lessons. i have learned many pieces in the more advanced level, but I am spending the next few months revisiting everything I have had learned from the beginning. It's about playing with perfect intonations, fluidity and musically. I started back with Twinkle Twinkle, Suzuki series level 1. And i love every minute of it.

[@scubababe8109]

I started cello at 50. Took grade 5 at 55. Taking grade 6 under a teacher....As for this video, ouch to my ears.

[@Mrbravoforever]

Hi ! I'm a profession musician & cello teacher , its very happy that you love cello so much ,and can be carry on so many years ! but I'm sorry to say , you really need a professional teacher, there are many mistakes of your intonation , phrase , fingering , tempo ,and musically also . hope you enjoy your music life !

[@zhouyiqian]

Yes, I do plan to get back to taking lessons once I can do it face-to-face. But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making mistakes while learning.

[@Mrbravoforever]

When you find a professional teacher that you will understand what I pointed out your problems! Then you will be improve a lot! Good luck!

[@elisawoo9838]

@@zhouyiqian true. but, if you make the same mistakes over and over, it's hard to correct. Anyway, it's much better to play an easier piece beautifully than to slaughter a difficult piece. A professional teacher can be so helpful as amateurs do not know what's good and what's bad.

[@pippijane20]

Hi, any advice for someone who took cello all through childhood and even beyond school to begin a music degree..and then stopped. For 15yrs. No idea where to even begin.

[@elisawoo3231]

@@pippijane20 As an adult learner myself, my suggestion is to adjust your mindset. Lower your expectations of yourself. Stop comparing yourself with some fabulous 8 year olds. Second, stop thinking of the grade level of the pieces. So, start with Twinkle Twinkle, Lightly Row…some very simple pieces and try out the bow movements. Just enjoy the sound that you can make. Even YoYo Ma plays simple pieces. Know the importance of getting the foundation pieces under your belt. Feel good first. Record yourself. Do some deep listening. When I was a raw beginner at age 65, I wished my teacher had done that for me. She started me at about grade 5 simply because she thought adult learners would not like to do the simple foundation pieces. It has taken me 5 years of lessons, struggled through intonations and finger agility. I must have sounded just horrid. Only problem was I really didn’t know I sounded so bad. With a great patient teacher, I now sound decent and sometimes I feel good enough to participate in recitals. Learning is not a race. Even now, when I can play at an advanced level, I continue to start my day with pieces way below my skill levels and I enjoy them tremendously. I play the foundation pieces at varying speeds. Play them in different mood…mad, happy or bored…etc. Just have a lot of fun with your cello.

[@嘟嘟-x4d]

I have learned cello for four years. Still easily out of tune😂

[@zhouyiqian]

No worries, even Yo-Yo Ma once admitted that intonation is always a work in progress. Though I've heard him play out of tune...

[@philippemaury1689]

Except that Bach is played detached and not linked...

[@lamalarguez]

Ayudaaaaa

[@mitcherny6965]

You need a bigger cello, and a glass of limoncello.

[@zhouyiqian]

Haha, I wish. Small hand + short fingers :(

[@m.m.c.9463]

I like how you criticize yourself so others won’t criticize you 😂

[@zhouyiqian]

I like your i n t e r p r e t a t i o n

[@MrAkifusion]

Horrible.

[@Yaechiiro]

Your mom

[@MrAkifusion]

Your whole family.