Sit up straight on the edge of the chair. Position the ribs, or sides, of the cello between your legs and keep your shoulders relaxed and free of tension.
Hold the bow out straight in front of you and balance the bow between your right thumb on the bottom of the grip and middle finger on top. This is where the majority of the weight of the bow should fall. Wrap the remaining fingers loosely around the bow stick. Remember that the remaining fingers are just for support.
Hold the neck of the cello with your left hand and wrap your fingers around to play the required string for your music. Use a fingering chart to learn the correct fingerings for each pitch. Remember that you play one string at a time on a cello. Keep some distance between each finger to avoid cramping your hand and creating tension. Use the pads of the fingers to play, not the tips.
Pull the bow across the string from the frog to the tip for a down-bow and from the tip to the frog for an up-bow. Use a consistent pressure and try and maintain a stable sound.
Practice playing major scales by holding each note for eight seconds. Do this throughout the entire range of the instrument to develop a high-quality sound. Practice vibrato on each note by rocking your left finger back and forth and keeping an open hand.