Scales for Strings, Book II: Cello Book

Applebaum's scale books work because they treat technique as a means to musicality, not an end in itself. The two-level structure lets you assign material that matches your students' actual progress, and having matched books across the section keeps everyone working from the same pedagogical approach.

Working through these scales feels like structured exploration rather than punishment. Each page builds methodically, and the organization invites students to discover patterns in key relationships and fingering logic rather than simply memorizing positions.

Cellists in intermediate string classes or youth orchestras who need supplementary scale work beyond their primary method. Students preparing for chair placement auditions or building the technical foundation for more demanding solo and ensemble repertoire also benefit from this systematic, level-appropriate material.

• Use the cello book alongside your method's scale work to reinforce keys and positions in a structured progression; the 32-page format is sized for weekly assignments.
• Play through scales musically rather than mechanically; attend to intonation and tone production with the same care you would in a passage from repertoire.
• Assign scales in keys that align with your current ensemble repertoire so students feel the connection between technical work and the music they're performing together.

Integrate this as part of your warm-up routine across the string section, rotating through keys each week to keep technique fresh and connected to rehearsal repertoire. Use Book II as cellists advance beyond foundational work, ensuring your scale study matches the harmonic and technical demands of the pieces you're learning.

• Major and minor scale construction across multiple keys
• Intonation and tone production in position work
• Finger dexterity and shifting within extended ranges
• Recognition of key relationships and harmonic patterns
• Rhythmic accuracy and consistent bow distribution across sustained passages