Cello Notes - 2 Octave Arpeggios

Started on the arpeggios first week Saturday with a slow play through of pages 1 and 2 to familiarise myself with the 2 different groups; one starts with the first finger, the other with the fourth. Both groups use similar patterns and fingerings (first, fourth or third for higher positions and second) so it's easier to focus on intonation than searching for notes.

Positions feel further away than what is written on paper ~ something I'm still figuring out, might be a disconnection in my head. In trying to get intonation right, I notice that my fingers are turning into claws. Extensions and stretches still feel unnatural to play even when relaxed. Is the fingerboard too long? Is my hand too small? Maybe I need to stretch these fingers further apart and get used to the shape they make over the strings. Tiny shifts feel more comfortable so I've been trying that instead as a comparison.

Second week Saturday and now on pages 3 and 4. Arpeggios are getting more familiar, shifts to the different positions are more comfortable. Stretches are also more comfortable but they still resemble claws. Intonation is much better as confidence is improved; less fumbling in the dark for position changes. At times, the notes tend to veer on the flat side. Fingers seem to slide away slightly when playing which does contribute to this flatness. It could be somewhere else that is affecting slippery fingers.

An hour later and the muscles on my left arm, closer to the shoulder, are starting to burn.

Overall, bowing desperately needs attention but I was more focused on the fingering, position changes and stretching. Muscle memory is getting flexed to the max but it's slowly sinking in. Will probably need another week to fully 'get' pages 3 and 4 before I tip toe to the next couple of pages. The stretch patterns for Major and Minor scales are so similar, I found my fingers were now more prepared to play them.