Thomb

Position
iortor Cello
Book 1

by Rick Meeney

SUMMY-BIRCHARD INC
 Contents

A Note to Students.... ...3

Thumb Position Pattern I Thumb Position Pattern IV

Daily Warm-ups... 4 Daily Warm-ups.... ... 38
French Folk Song. 6 French Folk Song. 40
May Song May Song * * * . . . 4|
Oh Susannah. .8 Oh Susannah... ******.* 42
Are You Sleeping?.. 9 Clair de Lune... ****** 43
I l Always Remember You. ....10
*****

My Wild Irish Rose. 44

Soldier's Joy... ..11 Garry Owen.... 45
Arkansas Traveller.. ..12 Eat My Dust... 46
The Hundred Pipers. ...14

Thumb Position Pattern II

Various Patterns
Daily Warm-ups.. .17

Minuet.
French Folk Song. . 1 9

May Song. ..20 Rigadoon..

Oh Susannah. .21 Old French Song. 50
German Dance... 51
Old Folks at Home... ..22
.

Highland Hoedown. 52
The Blue Bells of Scotland.. ..23
***"

Chorale.......s .*****. 55
Crawdad.. ..24
Brich Entzwei, Mein Armes Herze
The Devil's Dream. .25
The Irish Washerwoman.... 56
The California Traveller.. ..26
Go Down, Moses.
58
Thumb Position Pattern III Chorale.....
Gott, Wie Gross Ist Deine Güte
Daily Warm-ups... ...27 Walking Music from Appelbo...
The Coyote's Bark. 60
French Folk Song. ..29 * * * * * *

...62
May Song. ...30 Chorale...
Die Bittre Leidenszeit
Oh Susannah. ...31
Chorale..
.63

Cockles and Mussels.. ...32

Jesu, Deine Liebeswunden
Larry 0' Gaff ..... ...33 Boil Them Cabbage Down... *****
64
Battle Hymn of the Republic.. ...34 ... 67
Fisher's Hornpipe .. ...35 Chorale...
Jesu, Jesu Du Bist Mein
The Piper of Dundee. ...36 The Triumph... * * *
.. 68
 A Note to Students
This book has been designed to give you a solid understanding of the four basic thumb position
fingering patterns. In the first part of the book, each section deals with one pattern. The pieces in
the last section have a variety of patterns in them. It will be up to you to figure out which ones to
use!

Please follow your teacher's instruction about playing in thumb position. Here, though, is a sum-
mary of some important points to observe:
Let the side of your thumb lie across two (and only two) strings.
Keep your thumb in a natural, loose "straight" position. Your thumb should neither bow back-
ward nor bend at the first joint. Both of these things usually indicate tension - which you should
avoid at all costs.
Use the weight from your back to stop the strings. Be careful that your fingers do not poke
down into the string causing the knuckles to stick up. Your hand shape should be curved and the
base knuckles should be soft and flexible.
Since yourthumb will be resting.on harmonics in this book, it is not required that you firmly
stop the strings with the thumb. However, I usually recommend that you try to balance some
weight from your back onto the thumb. That way it will remain in one spot on the string and not
wander around the harmonic spot. Be sure that you do not collapse your knuckles or tighten your
thumb as you do this.

Here are a few practice hints:

The Daily Warm-ups at the beginning of each section are designed to help you establish each
finger pattern carefully and correctly. Please practice them slowly with careful attention to into-
nation. Practice them every day, but don't feel that you must finish all of them before starting on
the pieces.
As you play the pieces, notice the names of the notes and the distances between them so you
will know which finger pattern you must use. Then pay attention to how each pattern feels. If
you memorize the feelings, you can successfully use these patterns in other pieces.
You will notice that there are very few fingerings in this book. That is because your hand will
remain basically in the same place on the fingerboard all the time. Since there is no shifting, you
should be able to figure out the fingerings for yourself.
In addition to the fast fiddle tunes in this book, I have included several pieces in each section
which are slow and melodic. Please try to vibrato on these pieces. Using a mellow, relaxed vi-
brato will help make sure that your hand stays loose and balanced.

I hope you enjoy playing these pieces. I really believe that developing good technique can be a lot
of fun!
- Rick Mooney
 Thumb Position Pattern I
half step between 2nd and 3rd fingers

Daily Warm-ups
3

2.
3 2 2 3
3
3
 5

Thumb Position Pattern I-- Daily Warm-ups (continued)

4 E

6.

.
10
 French Folk Song

16
 May Song
(Alle Vögel Sind Schon Da)

13
B

Oh Susannah
Stephen Foster

sempre piZz.

E
 9

Are You Sleeping?

(Frère Jacques)
T'll Always Remember You
Rick Mooney

sempre pizz.

2
 11

Soldier's Joy

=
12

Arkansas Traveller
 13
Arkansas Traveller

Page 2
14

The Hundred Pipers

1. Il2

11
 15
The Hundred Pipers

1. 2
1

1.

2.

31 1.

Page 2
16
The Hundred Pipers

2.

1. 2

46,

50 2

Page 3
 17

Thumb Position Pattern II

half step between 1st and 2nd fingers

Daily Warm-ups

1.

3 2 3 2
P 3 2 2 3 2

2
18

Thumb Position Pattern II-- Daily Warm-ups (continued)

2
2 9 21 21
3

4.
5
6

9
 19

French Folk Song

16
20

May Song
(Alle Vögel Sind Schon Da)
 21

Oh Susannah
Stephen Foster

sempre pizz.

1 2.
22

OldFolks at Home Stephen Foster

EF

E
 23

T h e Blue Bells of Scotland

9
24

Crawdad
 25

The Devil's Dream

| 1. 2

10,

1. 2.
14

Afjizarkay
26

The California Traveller

Rick Mooney
3

1. 2

14 1. 2
 27
Thumb Position Pattern III
half step between thumb and 1st finger

Daily Warm-ups
1

1.
91 2 12 21 1 1 2
2.
3 3 3

3
28
Thumb Position Pattern II - Daily Warm-ups (continued)

s.
6.

. 5

10
 29

French Folk Song

2

16,

E
30

May Song
(Alle Vögel Sind Schon Da)

9
 31

Oh Susannah
Stephen Foster

Sempre pZZ.

| 1. 2
E

14A
32

Cockles and Mussels

V V
 33

Larry O' Gaff

1. 2.

10

1. 2
34

Battle Hymn of the Republic

VV

12A
 35

Fisher's Hornpipe
V

1. ||2.

10

14
1. 2.
36

The Piper of Dundee

1. 2

=
1. 2

Fine
 37
The Piper of Dundee

19

2.

32 ||2.

D.S. al Fine

Page 2
38
Thumb Position Pattern IV
no half steps

Daily Warm-ups

2
 39

Thumb Position Pattern IV- Daily Warm-ups (continued)

2 3

3. EE E E

1 2 39 2

s
6

7.
40

French Folk Song

2

16
 41

May Song
(Alle Vögel Sind Schon Da)

13
42

Oh Susannah
Stephen Foster

sempre pizz.

E
| 1. l2

14
 43

Clair de Lune

sempre pizz.
 My Wild Irish Rose

E
 45

Garry Owen

1. 2

1. 2
46

Eat My Dust
Rick Mooney
1. .

1. 2
 47

Minuet
J. S. Bach

19
A8

Rigadoon
Henry Purcell

E
 49
Rigadoon

29

Page 2
SO

Old French Song

P.I. Tchaikowsky
Andantino

PP

P mf
arco
pizz.
 51

German Dance
P. I. Tchaikowsky
Moderato assai
RVV

semprepiz2.

1. 2 V VV
52

Highland Hoedown
1.

V V

V
 53
Highland Hoedown

18 1.

22.12.

30
E
V

Page 2
54
Highland Hoedown

47

Page 3
 55

Chorale
Brich Entzwei, Mein Armes Herze J. S. Bach

mf

Cresc.

11

P
56

The Irish Washerwoman

1 12 V

10

14
|1. 2

E
 57

Go Down, Moses

13
 Chorale
Gott, Wie Gross Ist Deine Güte
J.S.Bach

poco rit
 59

Walking Music from Appelbo

(Gånglåt Fráân Appelbo)
V

1. 2

10

2.
60

The Coyote's Bark

Rick Mooneyy

9
 61
The Coyote's Bark

Page 2
62

Chorale
Die Bittre Leidenszeit J.S.Bach

17
 63
Die Bittre Leidenszeit

22

Chorale
Jesu, Deine Liebeswunden J. S. Bach

5
64
Boil Them Cabbage Down
sempre pizz.
1 2.
12
18
 65
Boil Them Cabbage Down
24
30
35
42
Page 2
66
Boil Them Cabbage Down
49.
61
66
Page 3
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