FAQ's Part 2: Questions smart cello students ask before starting!

Here is part two of the top frequently asked questions about learning the cello! See part 1 here!

When you will see results

Q: Is the cello something you can learn quickly, or what is the learning process like?

A: This is such a fantastic question, because it shows that you believe that things worth learning should take longer to learn. You are entirely right. Let me explain:

What do you think is more worth it? Instantly having a skill without having to work for it, or enhancing every day of your life because you are building a skill?

I would say it definitely more worth it to work for a skill and then reap the rewards. Life is made up of years which is made up of days. If we focus on the destination of our work instead of the journey to our destination we will be unhappy all the time and no accomplishment or skill learned will feel like it is good enough.

Instead, imagine a world in which you focus on the work it takes to build skills and focus on the process.

Think about the skill that you are most proud of. Now think back to how many years you have spent working on that skill. I can almost guarantee that you answer was not “oh just a few weeks and I was a pro”… The skills you work on most are what give you the greatest sense of accomplishment and pride.

Now, the best kind of skills to work on are the kinds that will filter into other areas of your life. That is why learning the cello is SO. WORTH. IT. It is the kind of skill that you don’t need to master in order to reap the benefits, but the longer you stay at it, the more accumulating joy you will feel. Taking 15 minutes of your day to practice cello will help you with focus, discipline, creativity, and most importantly, develop your brain so that you can be a better mother, entrepreneur, teacher and more.

It is the kind of skill that will give you both instant gratification as you practice AND exponential joy as you get better over time.

Just think of the sense of accomplishment you will feel having spent time on a skill that I admit is hard, but is SO worth it!

So to answer the original question: While the cello is a harder instrument to learn, you can absolutely start building the foundation while experiencing brain and life changing benefits while you are at it. After completing the initial 8 week program you will transition into the monthly class cycle inside Inner Voice Academy to keep progressing with calm confidence.

Q: How long does it take to learn the cello?

A: I admit, learning the cello is definitely a process and one that can take several years to truly feel free while you play. The things in life that are most worth it takes time. Imagine with me for a moment the pure, beautiful sound that is leading you to make this decision. As one cello student described it:

“...the resonance against my chest and under my fingers, the miracle of the sounding of the harmonics. Sympathetic vibrations gave me goosebumps.”

What I will tell you is that you can achieve this experience within 8 weeks of starting the cello and that you will deepen your ability to produce this sound for a lifetime. About 1 year in, you will feel confident learning new songs, and about 5 years in you will be able to play the wide range of notes that the cello offers. After the 5 year mark the joy deepens beyond what you can even imagine now. Looking back you will be incredibly grateful to the person you are today that you made the choice to play the cello.

Even for me as a professional cellist, I am still learning more about how to create this beautiful sound. Each practice session you will catch more and more glimpses of the beauty available to you, and you WILL have breakthroughs if you learn the foundations of cello really well. That is why Simply Sound is titled the way it is and why the curriculum is designed to help you achieve that goal of a beautiful sound.

Q: How soon can I play duets with my kids?

A: If your kids play an instrument themselves, this can be one of the most bonding & rewarding experiences of learning an instrument yourself. I would say by the end of the initial 8 week course you will have the skills to play a basic bass line to do a duet with your kids. In the free cello library that you get with the course there is a folder titled “duets” that have lots of different duets to play for several different skill levels. If your child does not play the cello, but perhaps the violin, piano, or another instrument, just reach out to Ine at any time during the program and she will help you find something suitable to the genre, skill level and instruments you have.

Qualifications/Prior Experience

Q: I’m not a musical person, is this course for me?

A: Fantastic question! I also want to remain authentic in the activities I do.

Let me explain. Your brain is made up of two sides, the analytical left side as well as the creative right side. Learning the cello uses both sides of the brain simultaneously. What that means for you is the ability to be more creative in analytical situations such as during a presentation at work. In a study done at McGill University, a cellist was put under an MRI scanner as she was playing. To the surprise of the neuroscientists both sides of her brain lit up at the same time. What they found is when you strengthen both sides of the brain at the same time, you are able to remain logical during emotional conflicts AND keep what is important top of mind when thinking analytically. So for you, learning the cello as a “non-musical” person will actually enhance your analytical strengths and give you an edge.

Being competitively better at your analytical skills is what you want, right?

Q: Do I need any kind of prior music experience to enter Inner Voice Academy with the cello?

A: There is no prior music experience (or musical talent!) necessary to take this course and have success. Whether you have never touched an instrument before, or played an instrument when you were a kid, you will learn the foundations of playing the cello and all the music knowledge you need to see results right in the program. You will come out at the end of the initial 8 week round feeling confident in the basic skills needed to produce a beautiful sound and have the skills needed to create a healing practice in your day to day life.

The best way to see results with learning the cello is by doing as many of these as you can:

Jon Gordon's 10 Ways to Succeed with Zero Talent:

1. Be on time
2. Show up & do the work
3. Give your best
4. Be positively contagious
5. Have an attitude of gratitude
6. Seek solutions
7. Have passion
8. Be coachable
9. Do more than what's required
10. Believe in yourself

What’s my next step?

1. Book a discovery call with Ine using this link or scanning this QR code:

2. Send Ine a message with the word "cello" on Instagram HERE!