Even though we play a lot of classical music on the cello, sometimes we just want to play something different. Playing pop songs or movie tunes can be a nice break. Having a new fun piece to play can even inspire more practice! Check out these beginning to intermediate level movie books that we (and more importantly our students!) are enjoying this summer.
One quick note to remember about books like these: When you play these songs on the cello, they are going to sound like they are played on the cello! In other words, if you’re expecting it to sound exactly like the movie when you play these songs, you might be disappointed. It can’t sound like the movie, because you’re playing them on a solo cello (or perhaps with the accompaniment). The movies feature a full-orchestra version. It’s best to use your imagination and enjoy playing melodies you recognize!
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Harry Potter Instrumental Solos for Strings by Alfred Music – Already taken the quiz to know whether you’re a Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or (gasp!) Slytherin? You should probably check out this book. Click Here for Pricing and More Information
Lord of the Rings Instrumental Solos for Strings by Howard Shore – If you are a big Lord of the Rings fan (we are!), this book is for you. It’s got all the most recognizable tunes from all three movies. Click Here for Pricing and More Information
Moana – Lots of kids have been loving Moana lately and this book has a collection of seven tunes from the movie. Click Here for Pricing and More Information
Star Wars Instrumental Solos for Strings, Movies I-VI by John Williams – No explanation necessary! It includes Imperial March, The Throne Room, and CelloGuide’s favorite, Cantina Band. Click Here for Pricing and More Information
Easy Popular Movie Instrumental Solos for Strings by Alfred Music – A collection of tunes from many different well-known movies (yes, including one each from Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings). It’s a nice mix of old and new movies, with the one head-scratcher being a song from Music and Lyrics (a movie starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore if you, like CelloGuide, hadn’t heard of that one). Click Here for Pricing and More Information