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Could someone provide me with the fingering for this sequence of double-stops (it's bass clef)? I put together a quick shot on "When I'm 64" for my daughter, but since I can't play cello, I can't really tell what the right fingering would be. Or maybe it won't work at all for some reason?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Bass clef:

Sequence of double stops

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    Since this is your own arrangement, you might want to consider flipping these intervals so that they’re sixths instead of thirds (i.e. the notes currently on bottom up one octave so that they’re on top). Thirds—especially minor thirds—are a big stretch on cello often necessitating the thumb like in the answer. Sixths, however, are super easy in both minor and major form. (Standard fingering for parallel sixths is a cycle of 1/2, 2/4, 1/3, 3/4, repeat). Also that means you won’t have the problem of the impossible D–F double stop at the end since it will be F–D.
    – Pat Muchmore
    Commented Jun 12, 2018 at 11:48
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    I agree with Pat here, or with Carl’s suggestion of moving the whole thing up an octave. As it is written at the moment, these thirds will be pretty muddy.
    – Bob Broadley
    Commented Jun 12, 2018 at 13:36
  • thank you all! I´ll give the 6ths a try seems to sound better anyway ...
    – DrSvanHay
    Commented Jun 12, 2018 at 14:10
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    The 6ths worked out very well. Because they are much easier my daughter even managed to sort out the fingering on her own and they sound pretty good too.
    – DrSvanHay
    Commented Jun 12, 2018 at 18:52

3 Answers 3

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Maybe there's a better way, but to me it would come naturally as:
- 1+4 (3rd position),
- thumb+2 to avoid moving hand or 1+4(2nd position),
- 1+4 (1st position),
- 0+3,
- 1+4, (3rd position)
- 1+4, same alternatives as before - the D+F chord is impossible on the standard-tuned cello since it requires two strings lower than F2, therefore only one of the two notes can be played on the low C2 string.
- Last note would come down to 3+0.

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I agree with Alessandro's answer. Just thought I'd drop in to suggest you move the whole thing up an octave. Not only will it be closer to vocal pitches, but then you can play that D-F doublestop. And if you're comfortable in higher positions, you can play the chords in "pairs" without shifting, i.e.

Moving down first chord 1+3, next chord down thumb+ 2 Moving up: first chord thumb+2, next chord up 1+3

Now, purely as a matter of taste, I'd rather flip a few so you don't have interminable parallel thirds.

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This passage is impossible to play: the penultimate D+F (or is it D+F♯) has two notes that both have to go on the C string.

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