hello all.
i just started learning the cello about 6 months ago and i LOVE it!
it`s been pretty smooth sailing so far, but now i`m stuck on extensions.
for the life of me (or those of my fingers), i can`t seem to find a way to do the extensions without lots of effort. i guess plenty of practice could take care of my difficulty, but to get to that point, does anyone have any suggestion on what type of exercises i could do to solve my problem?
thanks everyone in advance for your comments and advices.

I never really thought of that before. I guess some people aren`t as flexible as others, well in the fingers anyways. That sounds like an excuse doesn`t it? I guess strech your fingers as wide as apart you can, (as if you hands were flat on a table) like ten or fifteen times in a row without stopping, and then practice extentions on the cello.

Or better yet have your fingers slightly bent instead of flat when your streaching them (with the tips of your four fingers inline with each other) 15 times in a row.

Take a look at your elbow and your wrist... are you keeping your elbow in, or is it out the way it`s supposed to be? Is your wrist straight or is it bent? your elbow should be up and out & your wrist should not be bent... those seem to be the main thigns thatmakes extensions tricky... also, maybe you should readjust your cello/the way you`re sitting

Make sure that you are doing the extensions properly. I used to have lots of trouble with this because my first teacher never explained it right. In fact, I was doing it all wrong until I found my present teacher. He has made a point of teaching me this technique very slowly and carefully. We`re now working in a book called "Cello Extensions for the Student" which explaiins it all very well and offers many exercises and some pieces to play. This has helped me tremendously. I don`t have a very large hand, but with the proper form I have made great strides. The first finger should point back toward the left earlobe and there should be a whole step between fingers 1 and 2, but half steps between fingers 2,3 and 4.

I had the excact ptoblem as you, my teacher gave me scales that use a lot of extensions, it realy helped me. Mor of the major scales would help, they have extension.

Seeya,

p.s. Im glad you love the cello

Here`s my advice, quit now!!! The cello has gotten so boring over the last 2 years. Well that`s just me, you might like it though, but don`t say i didn`t warn you.

Also, for a forward extension make sure that you slide your thumb along the neck of the cello for a half step. It should end up behind the 2nd finger.

Wow. I haven`t checked this site for so long and lots of you are posting great advices. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I will try your suggestions and let you know how it goes.