Day 2

Bad practice session. Was roughly 30 mins but it was distracted.

Watching TV while doing some bow work.  Trying to get more familiar with hand positions.  Spent time with note ties across open strings.

My right hand isn't as sore -- i think i've improved my hand posture, will continue tomorrow.

Todo:
Start learning first position with the left hand while continuing bow improvement and string isolation.

Day 1

Initial search of 'beginning the cello' begins -- this looks promising: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eySmCWYBlnU

10 min investment.  If it yields itself well, I may watch more than a few times at the beginning to boost basic skills.

Lesson TODOs:
 * practice right-hand motion by holding the bow with the left-hand on the string - each string for a couple minutes each lesson (maybe by starting each lesson).
* open string notes.  combine notes with single strokes.  e.g. 3 notes per stroke, 4 notes per stroke.

Retro:
My bow hand oddly is strained -- i figured 15 years of piano would have put some muscle in my hands.  The could be because I'm holding the bow wrong as well.

Next time:
Minor research on a few other videos on how to hold the bow to see if I'm close.

Begin.

The idea/challenge is to spend 30ish minutes each day on the cello going from the stage of a complete beginner (such as how to hold the instrument properly) to something more while keeping up with a full time startup and family obligations.

The hope is to utilize youtube as a teacher and myself for self-discipline while falling back on my piano experience to provide basic musical theory/thought.

Basic starting checklist of items as I see it, which I'm sure are the change as I before more familiar with the instrument:

• Hold the instrument
• Hold the bow
• Tune the instrument
• Tune the bow
• Beginning hand positions
• Getting noise out of the instrument
• Proper bowing technique?
• Basic Major scales (C major, G major, D major)
• Basic songs (row your boat, twinkle little start, etc)