La Mer by Debussy, R.9

[Chazoboist]

Virtousic and clean!

[kenigrit]

it was nice and clean, but for auditions you should really focus on the dynamics and accents and such. Also the dots. Thats what they're really listening for.

[fluxions]

could you comment some more on the way you mic your cello? how many mics do you use? how are they placed? what pre's do you use? what interface? any other processing?

thanks, all your recordings sound beautiful.

[cellohonkey]

@fluxions Thanks, glad you like the videos. I used a pair of SM81s going to an E-MU 1616m interface. They were placed about ear's width apart. I used reverb for some videos but not most of the excerpts.

[sweetlikeADAM]

With your left hand, your fingers should be perpendicular to the strings alllll the way up the fingerboard.

[Piancello182]

nice vibrato ^^

[Triangularmeerkat]

I feel stupid when I scroll to the bottom of the page and I see this long, intelligent looking argument in the comments where the debaters know (or think they know) what they're talking about. And then all I have to say is: "Good job!"

How bland.

[yasuisaaan]

this really helps with the aspen auditions to know what i sounds like

[jeffharvick]

you should record all four parts and put them together split screen style haha

[Triscuity]

2 months since last comment, I think I will end it on a positive one. Very pretty :]

[zwolftonmusik]

I'm not talking about portando or portamento. I'm talking about portato. Look it up. No good orchestral string player does portato.

[zwolftonmusik]

This excerpt ALWAYS starts two before rehearsal 9. You need to consolidate your separated eighths and not do any portato on the slurs.

[Nitroidus1]

Really exaggerate the dynamics on this one. They'd notice that you've studied the score properly rather than just learning the notes.

[Kurtyoungblood]

Gotta love reverb.

[charlesbrooks]

Well I made a recording... I actually think yours is better! It's a tougher passage than it looks. After I clean up a few things maybe I'll do it again - funny how 20 seconds can be so akward...

[charlesbrooks]

hahaha

Check out the youtube clip with Abbado and the Lucern Festival playing this - cello solo starts at 4:38 - it's called "Debussy "La Mer" -movement 1- Abbado Lucerne". You'll notice the speed.

And the cello solo really does start at 2 before 9, although there is a tempo change right on 9 so be careful (it's a common mistake for cellists to play this whole excerpt at the same tempo).

I'm being picky tho - your playing really is good.

[cellohonkey]

I like the faster tempo. I've been using a recording of Davis conducting the Boston Symphony but it is really too slow in comparison to the Abbado clip and the metronome marking, as you pointed out. I double checked the audition requirements and it definitely starts right at #9. I wonder if that's a mistake.

[charlesbrooks]

You can always write to them and ask - won't do any harm.

[nickysaxpiccolo]

WOW

your sound is so amazing

so mature sounding.

its amazing!!!!!!!!!

[charlesbrooks]

Well done - I'm planing on recording this as well soon ;-)

Couple of things - usually orchestras ask people to start 2 bars earlier than you just did, check what's required. Also your dynamics at the start were good but you suddenly get quiet at the high Eb, that spot should still be loud.

And you're quite under tempo - debussy wrote crotchet=104 here - it's faster than you think!

But nice tone and great intonation (as usual!)

[fchu]

whoa, you study with jensen? I'm auditioning for northwestern in a few weeks as a freshman undergrad.

[starryeyed95]

jensen student...

[deedeeraree]

awesome that ur still at it

[fchumusic]

is that the first cello part? if i remember correctly i had to play the second cello part which was the coolestt. Btw, just wondering, what are you using to record this on?

[cellohonkey]

I use a Canon A560 digital camera for the video and some Shure microphones plugged into an audio interface for the audio. I have to mix the video and audio together, which is kind of annoying, but it beats buying an expensive video camera.

[NRob84]

Well done!

[ayalovesea]

i like your steady playing! i want to play like you!