Shifting Following on an earlier post about the left hand, today’s blog will explore some of the mechanics of shifting. How do we shift while maintaining an effective hand position throughout not only the neck positions, but also in thumb position. Let’s get started. The Shifting Mechanics The Shortest Distance Between Two Points or Lines and Circles The left elbow’s position is not static as we play, but rather the elbow moves based on the needs of the music. The elbow moves to allow us to play in tune, to extend, and to shift seamlessly to wherever we need to go across the fingerboard. Today let us consider the action of shifting specifically, building on the concept mentioned in the last blog that extraneous motions should be eliminated, especially in fast passages. That the elbow “leads the shift” is one point of technique about which many cellists agree in terminology, but in application this maxim can ...