The actress played the cello with enough skill so that we all didnt just roll our eyes and get ripped out of the scene by obvious faking. She took the time to learn enough to fool the average veiwer, so kudoos to her that she pulled it off; to at least make people ask the question. That the written score didnt match what she was playing is just icing on the cake . . . poor Thing! I can just picture its emphatic tapping on the page. . .
The cover of Paint It Black they sampled is by a group called Apocalyptica. Is played by multiple Cellists as part of a medley. That's why it has plucking and bow simultaneously.
Hi Wendy! I worked with Jenna for this role two summers ago through an academy in LA - I gave her biweekly lessons for a good chunk of the summer (I think we did somewhere between 12-15 lessons?) She continued studying with a teacher in Romania when filming there started but I got her set up technique-wise and got her cruising through the first Suzuki book. She was a pleasure to work with - she didn't really have any prior music knowledge besides a little guitar, so we were pretty much starting from scratch. She was doing cello and fencing to prepare for the role, and was really dedicated to our lessons - she practiced a ton and was really enthusiastic and just a delightful human being! She was always asking for videos of cellists to emulate / watch, and recordings of classical pieces to listen to. I remember she loved Jacqueline du Pre's Elgar :) The goal was never to get her to actually record/play the music, but to be adept enough to mime the techniques and look believable. I've been really happy with all of the positive reactions that thought she did a great job! I had no idea who she was when I was working with her, nor how big of a show this was going to be. I should probably make a video on it. Thanks for doing this!
Unsure what piece she was actually playing but I think we also have to give props to the editors as well because it would have looked horrible if the parts they edited in were not matching the music at all even if she was doing the parts correctly. Maybe they will call you in for season 2 if they do want additional practice so make sure you don't burn that bridge :P
I think you did a great job because honestly, it’s not like we expected her to know how to play professionally. I simply admire the dedication it takes to even want to learn something new for a role. A for effort! I still enjoyed what she did. I love the cello! Such an underrated instrument.
she had two month twice a week that makes it 16 lessons in total, then she had fencing classes also twice a week and german language class... people are always on about talent but i see lots of hard work and determination.
No doubt that she put in a lot of work! She's very talented. The German part was pretty bad though :-D She nailed the first few sentences but then it didn't sound much like German anymore. But I'm not critizing her :-) That's pretty much what every american movie attempt at speaking German sounds like if it's not a native or experienced speaker. People can't just learn perfect German pronounciation in a couple of weeks.
@@imaginationlande8889 the fun part is all the other things she was training to do simultaneously so she could play a convincing character on screen. Actor skill-cramming is actually pretty interesting, seeing these actors have to master the basics of a skill in a short period of time so that it looks passable I. Camera. I actually have respect for it
@captainara4849 as a German I understood perfectly what she was saying. She has a very thick American accent though while speaking German and got the 258 years wrong. We say two hundred and eight and fifty instead of two hundred and fifty eight. Her German really wasn't bad at all. She did almost sound Austrian or Bavarian though.
I mean it kind of had to because Jenna said on set she played the songs to the best of ability, only learning how to play for a few months before filming
@@ItzDave__ like I said, in the video, she did a phenomenal job, imitating Cello playing in only two short months. But since everybody asked me what I think as a professional cellist, I made this video just sharing my thoughts from my perspective as a cello teacher, and a cello performer
Jenna (the actor) has actually said she’s probably going to continue learning Cello, even though she doesn’t need to anymore. I find that a pretty cool fact.
It was dubbed by a professional cellist, however Jenna's bow work and finger placement is pretty darn accurate. She will probably turn out to be a fairly decent musician if she decides to further pursue the instrument.
Thanks!! I was super proud of her (I taught her for ~16 lessons two summers ago and got her set up), and I actually joked with her that if acting gets boring she could go into cello XD
She obviously studied the basic , just enough to look convincing on scene. The real magic is making people to think shed be this talented. By this point of view she totally got it!
Stop being insecure she's an actress not a hard core musician. Her art is to act not to technically play the music. The way she act like she's a pro is art of acting and that's worth a million dollar, you got respect that. Thats her market. Love her and respect her.
Stop being insecure she's an actress not a hard core musician. Her art is to act not to technically play the music. The way she act like she's a pro is art of acting and that's worth a million dollar, you got respect that. Thats her market. Love her and respect her.
I wouldn't be surprised if Jenna studied 2Cellos' style of playing while playing a number of songs to help create how Wednesday would actually play, especially when she's playing while frustrated and in thought.
Loved the video!! And loved the show. I'm legit impressed she was able to imitate that piece (which seems quite hard for a beginner) in only 2 months. Do more reactions pleaseee
Tremendous props to Jenna for learning that much cello in 60 days. And all the while she is working away at the cello, she has that look of legitimate intense concentration. THAT is acting. She is going places.
For violin/viola vibrato, it's possible to use wrist or arm. Arguably in the Galamian method, there's also finger vibrato but the fingers would need to be used for wrist or arm vibrato. Some violinists or violists have preferences for the type of vibrato that they use, and may find one to be more helpful in reducing the possibility of creating performance related injuries. Fantastic video, and I learned a lot more about cello technique!
The Lower String Professor at my University, taught Jenna Ortega cello in preperation for her role! He actualy said that she was a really good student, determined, and practiced a lot!
I think the "pizzicato" part is actually pizzicato. The problem is the audio itself is all from a sample library and is likely programmed, not played by a real cellist, which is why all the pizzes sound so clean.
@@WendyLaw That being said, I though you did an awesome job with the solo arrangement of something that wasn't written with the concern of a real person playing it!
That could explain why some of it would be impossible to play for a cellist, instead of blending different takes perhaps the composer wasn't even a cellist. Damn good sounding library if that's the case though! For the parts that Wendy shows notes at opposite ends of the neck... Could that not be done by changing the tuning of the instrument so the notes are closer? That section made me wonder.
Now this may sound crazy. If the low notes are in the first position on the C string you can use your chin. This allows you to play the high notes on the A string while allowing you to play the low notes on the C string. It is really difficult but I think it is do able. I agree that it is probably different tracks though.
She said that she enjoyed the cello so much and she wants to keep up with it. She did learn with playing Bach. We have all violinists in the family but I love the cello. You can definitely hear the fuller orchestration and multiple cellos playing. I look forward to seeing her grow in playing the second season.
Really enjoyed this video. Every musician hears what those not trained in music can perceive. It really enhances, in my opinion, our enjoyment of music. We not only hear music, we see the structure of the music and even can tell when structuring or composition match other music, and subconsciously note these similarities. It really never turns off. Being classically trained makes it not only easier to understand, but most importantly explain music to others. Great job.
bout time someone said it everyone has their own way of playing i play the bass slap and pluck do you think i play it the same way as flea from the red hot chilli peppers this woman is talking out her ass to say they all play the same way
I agree that the actress is brilliant. I also think Wendy has made it abundantly clear in this video that it's not just pointing out that Wednesday is playing in an unorthodox style, but purely from a technical standpoint, what was not playable on the cello, not even by Yo Yo Ma, and was probably computer mixed.
@@danielsmith5250 Seems rather unkind to say when Wendy makes it clear it's not a critique on anyone's individualistic style but what is humanly possible to actually play on the instrument and what is not. This was meant to be fun, not to be a knock against Wednesday Adams style. As a cellist myself, I can definitely appreciate that certain gestures and postures are also liable for play related injuries.
Good breakdown. Jenna did a good job of acting the part. She clearly had some fundamental training to learn how to hold the bow and cello correctly and make necessary movements. But yes the soundtrack was mixed and again that just gives more praise to Jenna and the tight editing of the scenes ... it was just a pleasure to watch and listen to all round. Good fun. Thanks Wendy.
For what it’s worth, I was made aware of “octave strings” for a violin, that put it in the range of a cello. I did that to a spare fiddle, it doesn’t quite resonate like a cello, but either by set up or maybe a bit of electronic enhancement, I bet it could be brought closer. Possibly some of those impossible stretches might be possible on a smaller instrument,
Her's sounds different with the plucking and bow area...because Thing was helping below camera ;) It would be really cool if you and Wednesday could do a duet on youtube...that would be wicked.
I think they did an amazing job with the camera angles and audio sync to make it believable for the average viewer, WAY better than a lot of scenes we see in most movies :)
In my opinion the instrument that fits the most with the Addams family would be the Hurdy Gurdy, for the name and because it is such an obscure instrument today, most people don't know is even more obscure than the cello and the sound of the Hurdy Gurdy is just so magical.
Having watched interviews with Jenna, she spent only three months learning the cello to play Wednesday... at no point did I think she was actually playing the rendition of "pain ti black" but she was putting her fingers and body into the effort and looked like she was playing. This scene is far above many fir the effort and style other films and "bands" have managed.
Displaying extremely impressive dedication to the role, Ortega learned a host of new skills for Wednesday, including fencing, German, archery, boxing, and playing the cello. She told Wired that she began taking cello lessons twice a week, two months before filming for the series began.
To answer the question posted, the answer is :”Of course not”. The real artist on the recording actually does some pizzicato while Wednesday is till sawing away with the bow! Vibrato is apparent on the soundtrack while she only remembers some overly slow vibrato at the very end. That being said, this is one of the better attempts at an actor pretending to play the cello. It is obvious she has had lessons (my understanding is 8 months) but no way would she truly be able to play at virtuosic level after so little study.
Besides, even if she were playing it herself they wouldn’t be using the live audio from the set - they’d record it in a studio and play it back for takes. Fully agreed that it’s synthesised.
For the unplayable parts. While the cello is playing solo in the beginning of the scene, as the scene progresses, and the shots of different characters are shown an accompanying orchestra joins in. I had just assumed while watching that a second cello was playing a counterpoint or something. I don't play cello so had no way of knowing, but I do remember thinking during that scene how different it would have sounded for the characters who were actually in the scene since they would have only heard Wednesday playing, not the orchestral backing that we the viewers got to hear as well.
I think what's going on during that part where the person (I forget who lol) is walking down the stairs is string plucking, but maybe what they did was isolate the sound of the strings being plucked so it sounds more staccato. There's also moments of hand claps in there or at least what sound like it, right before the instrumentation of the lines "I have to turn my head, Until my darkness goes." and we don't even see the Thing aka the severed hand make any kind of sound, which I think was a missed opportunity. I think what makes the scene work, coming from a filmmaking perspective, is all the camera spins. The camera stays on Jenna juuuuust long enough to see her play, but not SEE her play. Thus giving the audience the illusion it's actually her. There are some extreme close ups, but again the camera is always moving, always shifting. Then there are the wide sweeping angles of her on the roof, and since the camera is always in motion, it's hard to focus on her actual playing, so you then turn to what else is going on in the scene, how this scene narratively ties EVERYTHING together. It's rather brilliant. It allows Jenna to be able to show off what she's learned so far, but it doesn't FORCE her to have to do anything too crazy, and let the professionals play.
Well the answer is yes, she play. But no, you are not listening to what she plays. It's just how movie making works. Even if the entire song was possible to be recorded at one take (it is, but only if you have few cello players), they shoot the scene like 10-15 or more times and gather the frames they like, even if she really recorded the song the thing she recorded would not match the video footage because of the montage. However, it is extremely beautiful to see the actor at least knowing the instrument they are suppose to play, the cello scenes would look a lot more blend if she didn't took the extra time.
as a violinist watching those scenes it was not as obvious as it could have been, and Jenna did a great job for only having 2 months of prep for those scenes. I wasn't taken out of it like I've seen in other series with people playing string instruments.
I played the cello for 10 years. It obviously wasn't her because there's no way she'd learn that in 2 months. But i give credit to her acting abilities, because that's the best portrayal I've seen in a while. Most of the time you can tell actors aren't playing. Jenna looks like she might actually be playing.
You should react to her doing a modified version of Vivaldi’s winter in a different scene in the series. I would be interested to know if what she does in the show looks realistic
Thank you for sharing your insight and opinion! Been a cello student for only a month and a half now so I'm still fairly impressionable by all things cello, but I agree she did a great great job. Like when learning a sport or new physical activity it feels like we need to learn a whole new body language of sorts so we don't hurt ourselves and at the same time are able to play efficiently. As an actress, Ortega was simply tasked with creating an ilusion but still she committed to all that she learned in terms of cello technique and was still able to juggle it with the performance of a character so iconic/specific in its demands as Wednesday, that's what I call hard work. I wouldn't be surprised if she was either directed to or added that bad neck posture on her own accord because it makes the whole thing look more somber/dramatic, but it sure looks painful while playing. Hope she at least had the chance to do that scene in a couple of separate takes with some rest inbetween. Needless to say, I also learned a lot from you. Love from Portugal
Y'aaall in the comments..jeez..No the actress didn't fool anyone to believe she's playing the cello ofc, we all know she doesn't and that this is not just cello. This is just a video commenting on the scene and the skilled and talented actress is a separate fact.
...It's not a solo cello piece...it's a full orchestration. there's violin, harp, cymbol, synth, choir, timpani (or other large orchestra drum, and something else I couldn't quite place. So she's not jumping registers, she's just playing melody, the lower octave is a different instrument. You can hear the rest of the orchestra come in at around 22 seconds in. At 50 seconds in, there's a short bit where it's just a duet of strings (cellos), and then violin rejoins along with the rest of the orchestra shortly after. Choir jumps in at about a minute for just a few seconds and then it's back to just the cello. It goes on like this for the rest of the piece...alternating between cello, duet, full orchestra, and full orchestra with choir.
@@dermotmccorkell663 Yeah, so? typing this out on a cellphone with hands that could crush your windpipe is hard. So I had to go back and fix some typos.
One of the joys of composing to picture is that there will probably never be a concert hall performance, so you can cheat like crazy. That might include playing in three passes, or playing partly with a live musician, then sampling some of the notes to fill in the impossible bits. And of course, sometimes we treat the recording to change the note lengths, chop off reverb tails, mess with tuning, modulation, and anything else that makes the picture shine. Because that is the job - making the picture better. It is a lot of fun, but it can end up unplayable! You get this other places too. Paul Simon's "You can call me Al," has a wonderful and short bass solo in the middle. Live, on stage, the bassist actually plays it, but they can never reproduce the sound on the album exactly, because in the studio, the bassist plays the first half of the solo, then the sound engineer copies it, turns it backwards, and sticks it in for the second half. It's a lovely production moment, but it needs a compromise live. Great video, Wendy.
Jenna went to cello class every day for two months to learn enough to be able to make viewers think she’s playing it for real, which in my opinion, is still absolutely incredible, Jenna Ortega is awesome ❤
Lol I’m glad someone pointed this out. I’m not a cellist but a violinist. I did notice that some of the finger placements were off and the bowing didn’t sink up with how it was being played, but I’m glad she took the time to learn how to hold the bow properly and how to actually make it seem believable… unlike a bunch of other actor who are playing roles that are music centric. (Edits: sorry forgot to add a few things)
I really how Wednesday is a cellist. It makes me love this show even more, as a beginner violinist and someone who loves music. I also enjoyed noticing some classical pieces being incorporated in this show, it was very exciting. There are the pieces i’ve heard in Wednesday: Bach: Partita no. 2 in D minor, V. Chaconne Brahms: Symphony no. 3 in F major, III. Poco Allegretto Chopin: Piano Concerto no. 1 in E minor, I. Allegro Maestoso Vivaldi: Four Seasons, Violin Concerto no. 4, I. Allegro non molto Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, I. Adagio - Moderato
Perhaps Wednesday neck movement is her way of feeling music, despite of her feeling anything. What I got from that clip was her being able to express herself and let herself feel the rhythm.
Exactly Valeria!!! I totally agree. So many people missing the point that this is Wednesday's character. Geez people just try to enjoy the show for what it's supposed to be.
Thanks for your analysis! Jenna ortega did an amazing job learning the corporeality of the playing. I really appreciate your insight because learning an instrument requires so much time and energy, this is a "movie" performance where its goal is to make it fictionally seem true. Maybe some people feel inspired to play cello because of this show but with the understanding that is a long process
I have made the pizzicato noise before with the *back* wooden side of my bow. Edit: You are correct; in playing my violin (which was before the cello), vibrato is all in the wrist. Reteaching my muscle memory to move ENTIRELY differently *was more difficult* than learning the cello.
My friend was Jenna's cello double. The song is mostly made by a computer. My friend also filmed this part and some of the hand shots are hers, like holding the bow and putting the correct fingers on the strings. She also filmed the cello painting part from the last episodes. I appreciate Jenna trying to learn cello for the role, but I can't stand behind her not giving credit to the right people and bragging in interviews about not having doubles on set.
I'm a teen who has been playing for seven years, I somehow got my hands on the sheet music for free, and have been trying to play for an hour. All I can do is up to after the weird pizzicato part
I love how she commited to learning the basics on how to play cello. I have been playing the violin for about 20 years now and I always hate that sometimes filmmakers don't put as much thought into it, when you see something that just isn't possible
I've always wanted to learn to play the violin, but for some reason I've always put it off (mostly cause of cost, but thankfully that's no longer an issue). I honestly never considered cello as an option until I watched this show and I fell in love with the sound. Now Im hoping to get a cello within the next few months and learning! :)
@Vivien Mae I'm gonna be honest, I used to think they were the same thing (violins and a viola) but I found out they all have really cool, unique sounds. I was confused when people would say violinists and violists
Well, i did not need to be told that she did not played that, since she just began to learn the cello. At some parts you can also hear, like its played by two people. I have no musical background and i knew this is impossible to play by single person, let alone beginner. But it is still nice to see such detailed breakdown.
She learned to play little cello for the role. How well, who knows? But I doubt she can play well after just a few lessons. I can't play cello so this is just a guess. But her teacher should told her to not do that with her neck. So my guess is that they wanted her to act like that, because it suits the character. By the way you are a really great teacher :). Cello is a very beautiful and sensual instrument.
This was my introduction to you and I am so impressed. While I did not pursue it as a career, I play guitar and keyboards. I only mention this because I have enough musical ability to realize the depth of your incredible talent.
Watching and listening to your playing tips has me thinking ... Besides not playing for 20 years, my wrists are super weak as well, making it harder for me to play certain music. I'm so out of shape. Not sure what to do about my wrists though but you've brought up some tips that I will try when practicing. Thanks! 🙏🏾💖 That is amazing she learned the cello. Haven't watched it yet though.
I absolutely loved and enjoyed her performance. Her dedication, compassion and commitment to her art is extraordinary. She is without a doubt a talented individual, and her work ethic's is out of this world I'm a fan. I must say that the whole cast did a fantastic job. They all deserve to win an award. I hope that they do a sequel.
I have a friend - a studio musician - who has been doing a cover of Paint it Black for years, and he does the high registers and lower registers no problem. Melora Crieger of Rapsutina routinely plays seeming impossible runs up and down the neck of her cello all the time.
Wow you're good! Thanks for the insight and explanations. Fun story, I worked on a movie where they shot the pro's hand doing the notes on the violin while the main actor was holding it and mimicking playing (the shot was from an angle from behind), and it was mostly working apart for the tiny hand when you know about it :) Also on some frontal shots we had to take the whole professional shot when he was playing and we replaced his head with the one of the actor! Hollywood magic yet again :) That violin solo was awesome! And so was Wednesday's solo, sounds great and she nailed it for the visual!
Ya she is actually playing it. her fingers were real and moving she had train how to play the Cello. before they filmed it. I mean think about if i knew how to play the cello it would take say 2 or 3 days or 24hrs just for me get it right. and if you watch her interviews she even said it herself she had practice the cello. when it was still covid
I love your explanations and demonstrations 😆 When I heard this song in the show I thought it sounded like a duet (though I know almost nothing about cello).
Wendy, it is possible that that staccato was actually played on a keyboard with a string plug in in post process (EastWest Hollywood Strings). It sounds like it. Those plugins are super real.
Loved the explanation for the impossible parts, they were actually my favourite parts of the music, bloody typical taht I like something that's not real 😭😭
*obsessed with show, watches reaction vid *now minorly obsessed with cello, watches 5K, 180K, 1M shootout, subscribes *watches Pasion trailer, immediately goes to Apple Music to get *new fan minted? ✅
@@WendyLaw 4:52 I figured out a different fingering to make that work. I just gotta get it up to speed first. 💯 (is an unconventional non classical style though with mute techniques used for it but When I got it. Ima tag ya. :) ) wish me luck. Thanks for the videos. :)
I also saw an interview of her talking about playing Wednesday in general how she was keeping he movements very stiff and rigid vs like how you would normally hold yourself so maybe that’s why she is playing so stiffly in this scene
Thanks for the video and info! Very interesting. I played in middle school and 9tu grade. .. makes me miss playing the cello. .. the most beautiful sound!
I heard it was unplayable.. but I had to laugh when I actually saw just how ridiculous it actually is 😂 Great analysis & commentary - super interesting! (also massive props to Jenna for learning so much in such a short period, she did a fantastic job 💯)
Nice review. I wish they would use a real cellist like you. They can always cgi the actors head on. The end of master and commander is quite convincing but the worst has to be one of the old bond movies where the main bond girl is supposedly a cellist. Cello hugs
Awww thanks. Now I want to do the Bond girl review now. Is there a video link to it? Maybe I'll just do a bunch of reviews of cellists on screen. This is really fun for me.
I’ll have to rewatch Living Daylights. I always thought the worst cello fake playing was in the movie Witches of Eastwick, Susan S practicing the Dvorak concerto.
As a musician myself (mainly guitar) I figured most of it was dubbed over like most Films and TV shows do. I understand that they don't want to waste time and money but it would be a nice treat for us to see something actually being played correctly for once. I was pleasantly surprised by how convincing her playing looked though, sure it was a little exaggerated but you have to do that when filming. Especially when it's a spin off of The Addams Family, they are creepy and kooky after all
It was really enjoyable watching your video and listening to your reaction and explanations. As a keyboardist playing synthesizers since the '80s, I fell in love with strings and especially the cello right away. There's something truly magical about the sounds that a cello makes. It's been a lot of fun watching the episodes of Wednesday and the cello scenes certainly top my favorites. Do you think that a talented keyboardist could have made that soundtrack? I know that with certain string instruments a keyboardist can play the sounds, but it is very very difficult to replicate the correct note sequences on a keyboard and make it sound right. Thanks again!
The fact that the actor took lessons gives her enough credibility i’d say. Like when Daniel Radcliffe took the time to learn the accordion for his portrayal of Weird Al
Interesting. Q: Which string instrument do you think is most popular in entertainment? It seems like the cello. I wrote a novella in October in which the main character is a cellist. Second to her career as an astrophysicist. I think the cello is musical trope in entertainment, or literature. Researching the cello for my writing, I was blown away to learn of the numerous techniques.
Thanks for making this, I am not a Cellist I am an electric bassist. I think considering the time Jenna Ortega had to make this look believable is really mid blowing I can only imaging how much work that took. The parts that are not possible only sets up the stage for Wednesdays skills later on. So really not a failing. Also its a great piece of music
In a recent interview it was revealed by the set designer and director of cinematography that she did actually play the pieces. Not very well but she did play them. That's why the motions sync up so well. They also revealed that the cello will make a return in season 2.
Great analysis. Personally, I think proper posture would have been out of character for Wednesday who is typified by a combination of intensity and introversion, for which a more crouched posture seems more appropriate, like a black cat stalking prey. Also, Wednesday would probably relish neck pain, lol. And let's not forget that she's not a "normie" and her family displays superhuman agility.
Download Wednesday Paint It Black Sheet Music here: wendylaw.com/shop
That's how you make a living? Criticize others to sell your recordings? LMAO! Get a life girl, you're not that good.
Wendy te admiro mucho ❤, y quiero preguntarte cómo lograste descargar la partitura por qué a mi me sale que hay que comprarla gracias ❤
The actress played the cello with enough skill so that we all didnt just roll our eyes and get ripped out of the scene by obvious faking. She took the time to learn enough to fool the average veiwer, so kudoos to her that she pulled it off; to at least make people ask the question. That the written score didnt match what she was playing is just icing on the cake . . . poor Thing! I can just picture its emphatic tapping on the page. . .
Yesss you are so right!
She learned to play on cello in just 2 months
@@iwillconsumeyourflesh5882 she learned to imitate playing the cello in 2 months
The cover of Paint It Black they sampled is by a group called Apocalyptica. Is played by multiple Cellists as part of a medley. That's why it has plucking and bow simultaneously.
Thanks. That makes sense, seeing they used Apocalyptica's Metallica "Nothing Else Matters" cover complete at the end of Episode 3.
Hi Wendy! I worked with Jenna for this role two summers ago through an academy in LA - I gave her biweekly lessons for a good chunk of the summer (I think we did somewhere between 12-15 lessons?) She continued studying with a teacher in Romania when filming there started but I got her set up technique-wise and got her cruising through the first Suzuki book. She was a pleasure to work with - she didn't really have any prior music knowledge besides a little guitar, so we were pretty much starting from scratch. She was doing cello and fencing to prepare for the role, and was really dedicated to our lessons - she practiced a ton and was really enthusiastic and just a delightful human being! She was always asking for videos of cellists to emulate / watch, and recordings of classical pieces to listen to. I remember she loved Jacqueline du Pre's Elgar :) The goal was never to get her to actually record/play the music, but to be adept enough to mime the techniques and look believable. I've been really happy with all of the positive reactions that thought she did a great job! I had no idea who she was when I was working with her, nor how big of a show this was going to be. I should probably make a video on it. Thanks for doing this!
Thank you for sharing
Unsure what piece she was actually playing but I think we also have to give props to the editors as well because it would have looked horrible if the parts they edited in were not matching the music at all even if she was doing the parts correctly.
Maybe they will call you in for season 2 if they do want additional practice so make sure you don't burn that bridge :P
@@dtracers paint it black rolling stones
I think you did a great job because honestly, it’s not like we expected her to know how to play professionally. I simply admire the dedication it takes to even want to learn something new for a role. A for effort! I still enjoyed what she did. I love the cello! Such an underrated instrument.
@@MA-ti6dg I'm with you! I think it's cool Wednesday chose Cello!
she had two month twice a week that makes it 16 lessons in total, then she had fencing classes also twice a week and german language class... people are always on about talent but i see lots of hard work and determination.
No doubt that she put in a lot of work! She's very talented. The German part was pretty bad though :-D She nailed the first few sentences but then it didn't sound much like German anymore. But I'm not critizing her :-) That's pretty much what every american movie attempt at speaking German sounds like if it's not a native or experienced speaker. People can't just learn perfect German pronounciation in a couple of weeks.
@@issadsalloum3337 she didn't need to learn how to play it. She needed to learn to look like she was playing it
@@Grizzlox I mean where's the fun in that
@@imaginationlande8889 the fun part is all the other things she was training to do simultaneously so she could play a convincing character on screen. Actor skill-cramming is actually pretty interesting, seeing these actors have to master the basics of a skill in a short period of time so that it looks passable I. Camera. I actually have respect for it
@captainara4849 as a German I understood perfectly what she was saying. She has a very thick American accent though while speaking German and got the 258 years wrong. We say two hundred and eight and fifty instead of two hundred and fifty eight.
Her German really wasn't bad at all. She did almost sound Austrian or Bavarian though.
Kudos to Jenna for actually taking cello lessons to make it look realistic. That’s some real commitment!
Yes, indeed Owen! 💪🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
And a compliment!
@@pear7777 ??????
@@erweiquek8518 isn't this a compliment to Jenna?
Surely it's the bare minimum, she's literally just doing her job
Kudos to the show for at least making an effort to make it look realistic, I've seen far far worst in ads and movies.
100%!!! They did a great job!!!
I mean it kind of had to because Jenna said on set she played the songs to the best of ability, only learning how to play for a few months before filming
@@ItzDave__ like I said, in the video, she did a phenomenal job, imitating Cello playing in only two short months. But since everybody asked me what I think as a professional cellist, I made this video just sharing my thoughts from my perspective as a cello teacher, and a cello performer
She actually played it stop the hate
@@toejamdovah40 she played Some if it not all of it
About the "unplayable" part: we didn't see Jenna/Wednesday playing it, so maybe Thing gave her a helping hand...
Yessss 🤣
I came here to say that.
Totally believable in the context of the Addams Family World! Thing totally could have been a third hand on the neck of the cello!
They need to make this cannon in season 2 Oml..
Too bad Thing is a right hand, but he could probably still make it work.
Jenna (the actor) has actually said she’s probably going to continue learning Cello, even though she doesn’t need to anymore. I find that a pretty cool fact.
Hopefully season two will have more cello so she can use it again
It was dubbed by a professional cellist, however Jenna's bow work and finger placement is pretty darn accurate. She will probably turn out to be a fairly decent musician if she decides to further pursue the instrument.
She said she wants to continue to learn the cello.
She has said she video recorded the hand motions of her instructor at every lesson to help get better
Thanks!! I was super proud of her (I taught her for ~16 lessons two summers ago and got her set up), and I actually joked with her that if acting gets boring she could go into cello XD
@@JasonPegis actually???
Michael J Fox didn't play Johnny B Goode in Back to the Future. He finger sync'd. No-one questioned that.
She obviously studied the basic , just enough to look convincing on scene. The real magic is making people to think shed be this talented. By this point of view she totally got it!
Exactly! For me it looks like Michael J Fox in BTTF where he played the guitar, obviously they dubbed the track, but his fingering was correct
Michael J Fox didn't play Johnny B Goode in Back to the Future. He finger sync'd. No-one questioned that.
Stop being insecure she's an actress not a hard core musician. Her art is to act not to technically play the music. The way she act like she's a pro is art of acting and that's worth a million dollar, you got respect that. Thats her market. Love her and respect her.
Is this girl for real. She seems annoyed that Jenna got the role. I want to see Wendy play a whole piece....with feeling!
The real cellist (from the group Apocalyptica) played this piece wonderfully. The actress made it realistic. She did good!!
Yes. Exactly. Thank you.
I think Apocalyptica just made a quick reaction to this piece, but one of their cover songs is on the soundtrack (Nothing Else Matters).
I think ölveti mátyás made the cello version of painted black and Apocalyptica made the cello solo of nothing else matters.
Stop being insecure she's an actress not a hard core musician. Her art is to act not to technically play the music. The way she act like she's a pro is art of acting and that's worth a million dollar, you got respect that. Thats her market. Love her and respect her.
Love Apocalyptica!!
I wouldn't be surprised if Jenna studied 2Cellos' style of playing while playing a number of songs to help create how Wednesday would actually play, especially when she's playing while frustrated and in thought.
2 cellos is what i thought of as well during this scene
Thank you! They’re classically trained but have the same body language when they play.
I thought the same thing!
After 2set's videos on bad string acting, I'm just so happy that Jenna's bow hold looks so good and her hand placement is generally pretty alright.
she did an excellent job
She might have seen the vid and thought "Yeah boys that's not going to happen with me" 🤣
Loved the video!! And loved the show. I'm legit impressed she was able to imitate that piece (which seems quite hard for a beginner) in only 2 months. Do more reactions pleaseee
Yes, it is very impressive indeed
Tremendous props to Jenna for learning that much cello in 60 days. And all the while she is working away at the cello, she has that look of legitimate intense concentration. THAT is acting. She is going places.
For violin/viola vibrato, it's possible to use wrist or arm. Arguably in the Galamian method, there's also finger vibrato but the fingers would need to be used for wrist or arm vibrato. Some violinists or violists have preferences for the type of vibrato that they use, and may find one to be more helpful in reducing the possibility of creating performance related injuries. Fantastic video, and I learned a lot more about cello technique!
Thank you Esther!
I can't believe that you knew a viola existed.
@@kellyhi4539 as a violinist we know y’all exist don’t worry 🤭
@@kellyhi4539 How could violinists make fun of you if we didn't know you existed? 😂♥
The Lower String Professor at my University, taught Jenna Ortega cello in preperation for her role! He actualy said that she was a really good student, determined, and practiced a lot!
I think the "pizzicato" part is actually pizzicato. The problem is the audio itself is all from a sample library and is likely programmed, not played by a real cellist, which is why all the pizzes sound so clean.
Yes, I agree with you!
@@WendyLaw That being said, I though you did an awesome job with the solo arrangement of something that wasn't written with the concern of a real person playing it!
I don’t think its samples, it sounds like someones bedroom to me
It is the magic of - The Thing, 3rd hand
That could explain why some of it would be impossible to play for a cellist, instead of blending different takes perhaps the composer wasn't even a cellist. Damn good sounding library if that's the case though! For the parts that Wendy shows notes at opposite ends of the neck... Could that not be done by changing the tuning of the instrument so the notes are closer? That section made me wonder.
Now this may sound crazy. If the low notes are in the first position on the C string you can use your chin. This allows you to play the high notes on the A string while allowing you to play the low notes on the C string. It is really difficult but I think it is do able. I agree that it is probably different tracks though.
🤣🤣🤣
Using the chin works for the beginning of the Saint-Saens concerto #1.
I've been a cellist for two YEARS
and yet I would never be able to fake so accurately- even if there were flaws
She said that she enjoyed the cello so much and she wants to keep up with it. She did learn with playing Bach. We have all violinists in the family but I love the cello. You can definitely hear the fuller orchestration and multiple cellos playing. I look forward to seeing her grow in playing the second season.
Really enjoyed this video. Every musician hears what those not trained in music can perceive. It really enhances, in my opinion, our enjoyment of music. We not only hear music, we see the structure of the music and even can tell when structuring or composition match other music, and subconsciously note these similarities. It really never turns off. Being classically trained makes it not only easier to understand, but most importantly explain music to others. Great job.
Thank you for your kind words Chuck
Thanks. Love to see you play some crazy goth vibes. The cello is the empress of strings.
Yes cello is awesome! :)
I love it being called that
She's brilliant, everyone has their own style of playing a instrument and she did a fantastic job.
bout time someone said it everyone has their own way of playing i play the bass slap and pluck do you think i play it the same way as flea from the red hot chilli peppers this woman is talking out her ass to say they all play the same way
I agree that the actress is brilliant. I also think Wendy has made it abundantly clear in this video that it's not just pointing out that Wednesday is playing in an unorthodox style, but purely from a technical standpoint, what was not playable on the cello, not even by Yo Yo Ma, and was probably computer mixed.
@@danielsmith5250 Seems rather unkind to say when Wendy makes it clear it's not a critique on anyone's individualistic style but what is humanly possible to actually play on the instrument and what is not. This was meant to be fun, not to be a knock against Wednesday Adams style. As a cellist myself, I can definitely appreciate that certain gestures and postures are also liable for play related injuries.
I like the part where you showed that no human could play the music because it leaps around from high to low.
Yesss
Watching this video helps me a bit cause I need to hold a presentation about the cello and the contrabass!
My goodness, for you playing by ear, what a phenomenal talent you are!
Wendy is the best! I'm honored to learn from her.
Good breakdown. Jenna did a good job of acting the part. She clearly had some fundamental training to learn how to hold the bow and cello correctly and make necessary movements. But yes the soundtrack was mixed and again that just gives more praise to Jenna and the tight editing of the scenes ... it was just a pleasure to watch and listen to all round. Good fun. Thanks Wendy.
For what it’s worth, I was made aware of “octave strings” for a violin, that put it in the range of a cello. I did that to a spare fiddle, it doesn’t quite resonate like a cello, but either by set up or maybe a bit of electronic enhancement, I bet it could be brought closer. Possibly some of those impossible stretches might be possible on a smaller instrument,
Her's sounds different with the plucking and bow area...because Thing was helping below camera ;)
It would be really cool if you and Wednesday could do a duet on youtube...that would be wicked.
Haha Thing was helping! And yes great idea to do a duet with Wednesday. That would be amazing. :)
Great idea, how about a Wednesday cello scene duet on tiktok?
Playing with 3 hands... That would be something!
Jenna is acting like Wednesday so she looks like she's in rage tense. It looks good tho
De todos los comentarios el primero que veo coherente!! Bien dicho
The whole thing with her leaning forward craning her neck was probably at the directors request to 'make it look more intense'
I think that’s very possible!
I think they did an amazing job with the camera angles and audio sync to make it believable for the average viewer, WAY better than a lot of scenes we see in most movies :)
In my opinion the instrument that fits the most with the Addams family would be the Hurdy Gurdy, for the name and because it is such an obscure instrument today, most people don't know is even more obscure than the cello and the sound of the Hurdy Gurdy is just so magical.
Funnily enough, I probably know more hurdy-gurdy players than cellists.
Having watched interviews with Jenna, she spent only three months learning the cello to play Wednesday... at no point did I think she was actually playing the rendition of "pain ti black" but she was putting her fingers and body into the effort and looked like she was playing. This scene is far above many fir the effort and style other films and "bands" have managed.
Displaying extremely impressive dedication to the role, Ortega learned a host of new skills for Wednesday, including fencing, German, archery, boxing, and playing the cello. She told Wired that she began taking cello lessons twice a week, two months before filming for the series began.
"I look inside myself and see my heart is black 🎵
I see my red door, I must have it painted black" 🎶
Perfect song for Wednesday Addams.
To answer the question posted, the answer is :”Of course not”. The real artist on the recording actually does some pizzicato while Wednesday is till sawing away with the bow! Vibrato is apparent on the soundtrack while she only remembers some overly slow vibrato at the very end. That being said, this is one of the better attempts at an actor pretending to play the cello. It is obvious she has had lessons (my understanding is 8 months) but no way would she truly be able to play at virtuosic level after so little study.
Besides, even if she were playing it herself they wouldn’t be using the live audio from the set - they’d record it in a studio and play it back for takes. Fully agreed that it’s synthesised.
For the unplayable parts. While the cello is playing solo in the beginning of the scene, as the scene progresses, and the shots of different characters are shown an accompanying orchestra joins in. I had just assumed while watching that a second cello was playing a counterpoint or something. I don't play cello so had no way of knowing, but I do remember thinking during that scene how different it would have sounded for the characters who were actually in the scene since they would have only heard Wednesday playing, not the orchestral backing that we the viewers got to hear as well.
The show already confirmed she wasn't playing it, although she did take cello lessons to prepare for it, which is maybe why it looks good.
I think what's going on during that part where the person (I forget who lol) is walking down the stairs is string plucking, but maybe what they did was isolate the sound of the strings being plucked so it sounds more staccato. There's also moments of hand claps in there or at least what sound like it, right before the instrumentation of the lines "I have to turn my head, Until my darkness goes." and we don't even see the Thing aka the severed hand make any kind of sound, which I think was a missed opportunity.
I think what makes the scene work, coming from a filmmaking perspective, is all the camera spins. The camera stays on Jenna juuuuust long enough to see her play, but not SEE her play. Thus giving the audience the illusion it's actually her. There are some extreme close ups, but again the camera is always moving, always shifting. Then there are the wide sweeping angles of her on the roof, and since the camera is always in motion, it's hard to focus on her actual playing, so you then turn to what else is going on in the scene, how this scene narratively ties EVERYTHING together. It's rather brilliant. It allows Jenna to be able to show off what she's learned so far, but it doesn't FORCE her to have to do anything too crazy, and let the professionals play.
I used to play cello from 3rd to 11th grade. This scene made me hyped for the series and gave me chills
Well the answer is yes, she play. But no, you are not listening to what she plays. It's just how movie making works. Even if the entire song was possible to be recorded at one take (it is, but only if you have few cello players), they shoot the scene like 10-15 or more times and gather the frames they like, even if she really recorded the song the thing she recorded would not match the video footage because of the montage. However, it is extremely beautiful to see the actor at least knowing the instrument they are suppose to play, the cello scenes would look a lot more blend if she didn't took the extra time.
as a violinist watching those scenes it was not as obvious as it could have been, and Jenna did a great job for only having 2 months of prep for those scenes. I wasn't taken out of it like I've seen in other series with people playing string instruments.
I played the cello for 10 years. It obviously wasn't her because there's no way she'd learn that in 2 months. But i give credit to her acting abilities, because that's the best portrayal I've seen in a while. Most of the time you can tell actors aren't playing. Jenna looks like she might actually be playing.
You should react to her doing a modified version of Vivaldi’s winter in a different scene in the series. I would be interested to know if what she does in the show looks realistic
Thank you for sharing your insight and opinion!
Been a cello student for only a month and a half now so I'm still fairly impressionable by all things cello, but I agree she did a great great job. Like when learning a sport or new physical activity it feels like we need to learn a whole new body language of sorts so we don't hurt ourselves and at the same time are able to play efficiently.
As an actress, Ortega was simply tasked with creating an ilusion but still she committed to all that she learned in terms of cello technique and was still able to juggle it with the performance of a character so iconic/specific in its demands as Wednesday, that's what I call hard work.
I wouldn't be surprised if she was either directed to or added that bad neck posture on her own accord because it makes the whole thing look more somber/dramatic, but it sure looks painful while playing. Hope she at least had the chance to do that scene in a couple of separate takes with some rest inbetween.
Needless to say, I also learned a lot from you.
Love from Portugal
Y'aaall in the comments..jeez..No the actress didn't fool anyone to believe she's playing the cello ofc, we all know she doesn't and that this is not just cello. This is just a video commenting on the scene and the skilled and talented actress is a separate fact.
...It's not a solo cello piece...it's a full orchestration. there's violin, harp, cymbol, synth, choir, timpani (or other large orchestra drum, and something else I couldn't quite place. So she's not jumping registers, she's just playing melody, the lower octave is a different instrument. You can hear the rest of the orchestra come in at around 22 seconds in. At 50 seconds in, there's a short bit where it's just a duet of strings (cellos), and then violin rejoins along with the rest of the orchestra shortly after. Choir jumps in at about a minute for just a few seconds and then it's back to just the cello. It goes on like this for the rest of the piece...alternating between cello, duet, full orchestra, and full orchestra with choir.
Edited. Lol
@@dermotmccorkell663 Yeah, so?
typing this out on a cellphone with hands that could crush your windpipe is hard. So I had to go back and fix some typos.
One of the joys of composing to picture is that there will probably never be a concert hall performance, so you can cheat like crazy. That might include playing in three passes, or playing partly with a live musician, then sampling some of the notes to fill in the impossible bits. And of course, sometimes we treat the recording to change the note lengths, chop off reverb tails, mess with tuning, modulation, and anything else that makes the picture shine. Because that is the job - making the picture better. It is a lot of fun, but it can end up unplayable!
You get this other places too. Paul Simon's "You can call me Al," has a wonderful and short bass solo in the middle. Live, on stage, the bassist actually plays it, but they can never reproduce the sound on the album exactly, because in the studio, the bassist plays the first half of the solo, then the sound engineer copies it, turns it backwards, and sticks it in for the second half. It's a lovely production moment, but it needs a compromise live.
Great video, Wendy.
Jenna went to cello class every day for two months to learn enough to be able to make viewers think she’s playing it for real, which in my opinion, is still absolutely incredible, Jenna Ortega is awesome ❤
Every day. That's interesting cos her actual teacher said it was biweekly :)
Lol I’m glad someone pointed this out.
I’m not a cellist but a violinist.
I did notice that some of the finger placements were off and the bowing didn’t sink up with how it was being played, but I’m glad she took the time to learn how to hold the bow properly and how to actually make it seem believable… unlike a bunch of other actor who are playing roles that are music centric.
(Edits: sorry forgot to add a few things)
You should talk about the Bach 6th suite. The Prelude is pretty awkward in a couple of spots without that open E string that most cellists don't have.
I really how Wednesday is a cellist. It makes me love this show even more, as a beginner violinist and someone who loves music. I also enjoyed noticing some classical pieces being incorporated in this show, it was very exciting. There are the pieces i’ve heard in Wednesday:
Bach: Partita no. 2 in D minor, V. Chaconne
Brahms: Symphony no. 3 in F major, III. Poco Allegretto
Chopin: Piano Concerto no. 1 in E minor, I. Allegro Maestoso
Vivaldi: Four Seasons, Violin Concerto no. 4, I. Allegro non molto
Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, I. Adagio - Moderato
Perhaps Wednesday neck movement is her way of feeling music, despite of her feeling anything. What I got from that clip was her being able to express herself and let herself feel the rhythm.
Exactly Valeria!!! I totally agree. So many people missing the point that this is Wednesday's character. Geez people just try to enjoy the show for what it's supposed to be.
@@wbj41 no one is saying it ruins the show.. just that it isn't proper
It stuck out because every other time we see Wednesday she has such straight posture.
Thanks for your analysis! Jenna ortega did an amazing job learning the corporeality of the playing. I really appreciate your insight because learning an instrument requires so much time and energy, this is a "movie" performance where its goal is to make it fictionally seem true. Maybe some people feel inspired to play cello because of this show but with the understanding that is a long process
She went method and actually learned some… she’s going to be a superstar
I have made the pizzicato noise before with the *back* wooden side of my bow.
Edit: You are correct; in playing my violin (which was before the cello), vibrato is all in the wrist.
Reteaching my muscle memory to move ENTIRELY differently *was more difficult* than learning the cello.
My friend was Jenna's cello double. The song is mostly made by a computer. My friend also filmed this part and some of the hand shots are hers, like holding the bow and putting the correct fingers on the strings. She also filmed the cello painting part from the last episodes. I appreciate Jenna trying to learn cello for the role, but I can't stand behind her not giving credit to the right people and bragging in interviews about not having doubles on set.
proof????
Yea, okay bro 🙄🙄😆😆
Search for ac1alexandra
Source: Trust me bro
I'm a teen who has been playing for seven years, I somehow got my hands on the sheet music for free, and have been trying to play for an hour. All I can do is up to after the weird pizzicato part
I love this kind of videos! I used to play the cello but left it and your videos inspire me to pick it up again.
Pick it up.
yes!! I'm thinking of going back to violin
I love how she commited to learning the basics on how to play cello. I have been playing the violin for about 20 years now and I always hate that sometimes filmmakers don't put as much thought into it, when you see something that just isn't possible
I've always wanted to learn to play the violin, but for some reason I've always put it off (mostly cause of cost, but thankfully that's no longer an issue). I honestly never considered cello as an option until I watched this show and I fell in love with the sound. Now Im hoping to get a cello within the next few months and learning! :)
Same thing happened to me! I’ve wanted to play violin since I was a toddler but I ended up falling in love with the viola :)
@Vivien Mae I'm gonna be honest, I used to think they were the same thing (violins and a viola) but I found out they all have really cool, unique sounds. I was confused when people would say violinists and violists
Well, i did not need to be told that she did not played that, since she just began to learn the cello. At some parts you can also hear, like its played by two people. I have no musical background and i knew this is impossible to play by single person, let alone beginner. But it is still nice to see such detailed breakdown.
She learned to play little cello for the role. How well, who knows? But I doubt she can play well after just a few lessons. I can't play cello so this is just a guess. But her teacher should told her to not do that with her neck. So my guess is that they wanted her to act like that, because it suits the character.
By the way you are a really great teacher :). Cello is a very beautiful and sensual instrument.
Yeah I guess that was an acting choice. It does fit Wednesday Addams no doubt about it.
This was my introduction to you and I am so impressed. While I did not pursue it as a career, I play guitar and keyboards. I only mention this because I have enough musical ability to realize the depth of your incredible talent.
Watching and listening to your playing tips has me thinking ... Besides not playing for 20 years, my wrists are super weak as well, making it harder for me to play certain music. I'm so out of shape. Not sure what to do about my wrists though but you've brought up some tips that I will try when practicing. Thanks! 🙏🏾💖
That is amazing she learned the cello. Haven't watched it yet though.
I absolutely loved and enjoyed her performance. Her dedication, compassion and commitment to her art is extraordinary. She is without a doubt a talented individual, and her work ethic's is out of this world I'm a fan. I must say that the whole cast did a fantastic job. They all deserve to win an award. I hope that they do a sequel.
8:14 im not sure but thing probbably helped her with the other notes
I have a friend - a studio musician - who has been doing a cover of Paint it Black for years, and he does the high registers and lower registers no problem. Melora Crieger of Rapsutina routinely plays seeming impossible runs up and down the neck of her cello all the time.
can you play the entire song? It sounds amazing.
Wow you're good! Thanks for the insight and explanations. Fun story, I worked on a movie where they shot the pro's hand doing the notes on the violin while the main actor was holding it and mimicking playing (the shot was from an angle from behind), and it was mostly working apart for the tiny hand when you know about it :) Also on some frontal shots we had to take the whole professional shot when he was playing and we replaced his head with the one of the actor! Hollywood magic yet again :) That violin solo was awesome! And so was Wednesday's solo, sounds great and she nailed it for the visual!
thanks for sharing the story. Yes, there is a lot of magic involved for sure.
Ya she is actually playing it. her fingers were real and moving she had train how to play the Cello. before they filmed it. I mean think about if i knew how to play the cello it would take say 2 or 3 days or 24hrs just for me get it right. and if you watch her interviews she even said it herself she had practice the cello. when it was still covid
I love your explanations and demonstrations 😆 When I heard this song in the show I thought it sounded like a duet (though I know almost nothing about cello).
Wendy, it is possible that that staccato was actually played on a keyboard with a string plug in in post process (EastWest Hollywood Strings). It sounds like it. Those plugins are super real.
could you play a cover of the entire song, just like how it sounds in the series?
Loved the explanation for the impossible parts, they were actually my favourite parts of the music, bloody typical taht I like something that's not real 😭😭
Cellos are awesome!!!!
Yes they are!! 🔥
*obsessed with show, watches reaction vid
*now minorly obsessed with cello, watches 5K, 180K, 1M shootout, subscribes
*watches Pasion trailer, immediately goes to Apple Music to get
*new fan minted? ✅
I feel they did the plucks in a non classical style similar to Jacob Szekely or Eugene friesen slap style
More likely computer generated
@@WendyLaw oh okay. :) thanks for responding.
@@WendyLaw 4:52 I figured out a different fingering to make that work. I just gotta get it up to speed first. 💯 (is an unconventional non classical style though with mute techniques used for it but When I got it. Ima tag ya. :) ) wish me luck. Thanks for the videos. :)
I also saw an interview of her talking about playing Wednesday in general how she was keeping he movements very stiff and rigid vs like how you would normally hold yourself so maybe that’s why she is playing so stiffly in this scene
At least its not canon in d
🤣🤣🤣
As an upright player, honestly her miming abilities are really impressive.
Thanks for the video and info! Very interesting. I played in middle school and 9tu grade. .. makes me miss playing the cello. .. the most beautiful sound!
It’s never too late to start again 🫶🏼
I heard it was unplayable.. but I had to laugh when I actually saw just how ridiculous it actually is 😂
Great analysis & commentary - super interesting!
(also massive props to Jenna for learning so much in such a short period, she did a fantastic job 💯)
Nice review. I wish they would use a real cellist like you. They can always cgi the actors head on. The end of master and commander is quite convincing but the worst has to be one of the old bond movies where the main bond girl is supposedly a cellist. Cello hugs
Awww thanks. Now I want to do the Bond girl review now. Is there a video link to it? Maybe I'll just do a bunch of reviews of cellists on screen. This is really fun for me.
The bond movie is Living Daylights. Hilarious cello miming and novel uses of a (Stevenson?) Cello case. Enjoy🤗
I’ll have to rewatch Living Daylights. I always thought the worst cello fake playing was in the movie Witches of Eastwick, Susan S practicing the Dvorak concerto.
As a musician myself (mainly guitar) I figured most of it was dubbed over like most Films and TV shows do. I understand that they don't want to waste time and money but it would be a nice treat for us to see something actually being played correctly for once. I was pleasantly surprised by how convincing her playing looked though, sure it was a little exaggerated but you have to do that when filming. Especially when it's a spin off of The Addams Family, they are creepy and kooky after all
(she took two cello lessons a week for 8 months fwi)
Yes, she did so that she could imitate looking like a cellist. But she did not play the actual audio track.
I thought it was 2?
I watched an interview and she said 2 months before she started filming.
Looks like we have somebody with nothing better to do than to critique a single scene in a TV series. Fantastic.
It was really enjoyable watching your video and listening to your reaction and explanations.
As a keyboardist playing synthesizers since the '80s, I fell in love with strings and especially the cello right away.
There's something truly magical about the sounds that a cello makes.
It's been a lot of fun watching the episodes of Wednesday and the cello scenes certainly top my favorites.
Do you think that a talented keyboardist could have made that soundtrack?
I know that with certain string instruments a keyboardist can play the sounds, but it is very very difficult to replicate the correct note sequences on a keyboard and make it sound right.
Thanks again!
The fact that the actor took lessons gives her enough credibility i’d say. Like when Daniel Radcliffe took the time to learn the accordion for his portrayal of Weird Al
Interesting.
Q: Which string instrument do you think is most popular in entertainment?
It seems like the cello. I wrote a novella in October in which the main character is a cellist. Second to her career as an astrophysicist. I think the cello is musical trope in entertainment, or literature. Researching the cello for my writing, I was blown away to learn of the numerous techniques.
Thanks for making this, I am not a Cellist I am an electric bassist. I think considering the time Jenna Ortega had to make this look believable is really mid blowing I can only imaging how much work that took. The parts that are not possible only sets up the stage for Wednesdays skills later on. So really not a failing. Also its a great piece of music
Thanks this was super informative :)
So glad you found it informative! :)
In a recent interview it was revealed by the set designer and director of cinematography that she did actually play the pieces. Not very well but she did play them. That's why the motions sync up so well. They also revealed that the cello will make a return in season 2.
Would love to have learned the cello or violin but could never afford it so I learnt the harmonica 😂
I also loved vivaldi's winter in this show! “Winter is coming”
that forward neck is what gave the play intensity to me
Great review, thank you for your pro insights and your epic cover 😍
Great analysis. Personally, I think proper posture would have been out of character for Wednesday who is typified by a combination of intensity and introversion, for which a more crouched posture seems more appropriate, like a black cat stalking prey. Also, Wednesday would probably relish neck pain, lol. And let's not forget that she's not a "normie" and her family displays superhuman agility.