The cello is one of the most difficult instruments out there for one to master. They require precision and patience to play, and they also require lots of devotion. It can be quite frustrating for some to learn how to play it without a teacher, but that doesn’t mean it can become completely impossible for one to do so.
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.
There have actually been lots of great methods for doing so that have been developed over the years, with some of the best out of the bunch listed below.
How To Learn Cello Without Teacher
An option that’s arguably even better than getting a personal teacher to help you get better at the cello is using online cello lessons to help you with the same thing instead. These courses about the instrument that are shared online are available in a number of thousands. There are also many great options in this variety that even a professional would recommend.
There are even online cello lessons that are provided by the pros themselves. These professional cellists obviously have many great tips and tricks to share with learners, which is why courses such as these ones are usually the best ones to pick from. With that said, one of the few great online cello lessons that are provided by a pro is mentioned in detail directly below.
With almost 200 different topics discussed in complete detail, this lesson on ArtistWorks is one of the best ones that you’ll be able to find. It is taught by Mike Block, a professional cellist that has many years of experience in his inventory.
This experience comes into play a lot in this course, which is very evident as soon as you get started with it. If any cellist at all is looking to take their skill to the next level and reach the heights of pro players, this is one of the best options to pick.
It dives into all the important details of playing the cello that one could think of, including all of the different specific techniques and the best ways of learning them. There are tips on bowing and holding the instrument, which obviously helps learners such as yourself in the grand scheme of things. That’s because these techniques make it much easier for one to improve their skill more and more in a shorter amount of time.
2. Instructional Cello Books and eBooks
Another great option for learners that wish to improve as cellists without any help from tutors is to use books. You’ll find many different books about playing the instrument by just going to any local cello or music-related stores in general.
They’re usually written by very experienced people that have lots of practice with the instrument. Some of these are even widely recognized professional cellists which have spent several years at the highest level.
Why this option, in particular, is such a great one speaks for itself. The tips that these writers have to share with learners are obviously very informative, at least a majority of the time. The things that you’ll be learning are usually up to the book in question, as all of them usually discuss many different aspects of playing the cello while featuring similar concepts. They all have the same goals as well, which is helping readers become great at the instrument.
Some of the most important things which you can expect to learn are the basics about the cello and playing it. There’s also lots of info shared regarding the maintenance and care of the cello, which every single player should know about regardless of how skilled they are.
Even universally great bowing and holding techniques are discussed too, which greatly help improve the way one plays. These books are also available to read online in the form of EBooks, which are great alternatives for all those that don’t have access to hardcopy books or simply prefer to learn through the internet.
3. Online Instructional Cello Videos
Another one of the best options that one has is learning to play the instrument with the help of instructional cello videos, which are available online in great abundance. These can be found on all sorts of different sites.
This includes websites that are dedicated to helping players learn how to get better at instruments and specifically the cello. More conveniently, they’re available on a majority of the most popular video platforms as well.
This includes all of the options that people are most familiar with and use on a daily basis, such as highly popular platforms YouTube and Dailymotion. These instructional videos go through most of the important tips and tricks that teachers would go through.
The best part is that they usually do it completely free of all charges at any time that you want them to. This is a major reason why instructional cello-playing videos are such a great method of learning, as they are highly convenient.
Even besides the convenience, they are very good options as they allow you to learn almost everything related to playing the cello while getting a visual aid. This visual aid helps players out a lot, especially newer ones that still aren’t too comfortable and familiar with their cello. It is widely regarded as one of the best ways to become a cellist without a teacher, and you can probably guess why after reading all of this.
The Bottom Line
To go back to where we started, it isn’t impossible at all to learn the cello or even master it entirely without the help of a personal teacher. The methods above are prime examples of this claim, as they’ve helped thousands develop into great cellists.
You’ll meet lots of people on the internet that have used these ways listed above to become better at playing the cello, and you’ll find that a majority of these people will only have positive things to say about the methods that they’ve tried!