The Bass Bar Double Bass Stand

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Performing on bass can be physically demanding, because the strings are under relatively high tension. Also, the space between notes on the fingerboard is large, due to scale length and string spacing, so players must hold their fingers apart for the notes in the lower positions and shift positions frequently to play basslines. As with all non-fretted string instruments, performers must learn to place their fingers precisely to produce the correct pitch. For bassists with shorter arms or smaller hands, the large spaces between pitches may present a significant challenge, especially in the lowest range, where the spaces between notes are largest. However, the increased use of playing techniques such as thumb position and modifications to the bass, such as the use of lighter-gauge strings at lower tension, have eased the difficulty of playing the instrument. In the 1970s, 1980 and 1990s, new concerti included Nino Rota's Divertimento for Double Bass and Orchestra (1973), Alan Ridout's concerto for double bass and strings (1974), Jean Françaix's Concerto (1975), Frank Proto's Concerto No.2, Einojuhani Rautavaara's Angel of Dusk (1980), Gian Carlo Menotti's Concerto (1983), Christopher Rouse's Concerto (1985), Henry Brant's Ghost Nets (1988) and Frank Proto's "Carmen Fantasy for Double Bass and Orchestra" (1991) and "Four Scenes after Picasso" Concerto No.3 (1997). Peter Maxwell Davies' lyrical Strathclyde Concerto No.7, for double bass and orchestra, dates from 1992. If you are seeking to do most of your learning at home, many of the method books also have CDs included or access to online accompaniments, and some even include free access to the Smart Music interactive practice software. Bass parts have relatively fewer fast passages, double stops, or large jumps in range. These parts are usually given to the cello section, since the cello is a smaller instrument on which these techniques are more easily performed. time. The bass also maintains the chord progression and harmony. The Engelhardt-Link (formerly Kay) brands of plywood laminate basses have long been popular choices for bluegrass bassists. Most bluegrass bassists use the 3⁄ 4 size bass, but the full-size and 5⁄ 8 size basses are also used.

Jazz bassist Charles Mingus was also an influential bandleader and composer whose musical interests spanned from bebop to free jazz. In his A New History of the Double Bass, Paul Brun asserts that the double bass has origins as the true bass of the violin family. He states that, while the exterior of the double bass may resemble the viola da gamba, the internal construction of the double bass is nearly identical to instruments in the violin family, and very different from the internal structure of viols. [14] Clean your double bass every time you play. Wipe the strings, fingerboard and body clean of fingerprints and oil from your skin, and to restrict the chance of rosin dust building up on either the strings or the body. Reinhold Glière wrote an Intermezzo and Tarantella for double bass and piano, Op.9, No.1 and No.2 and a Praeludium and Scherzo for double bass and piano, Op.32 No.1 and No.2. Paul Hindemith wrote a rhythmically challenging Double Bass Sonata in 1949. Frank Proto wrote his Sonata "1963" for Double Bass and Piano. In the Soviet Union, Mieczysław Weinberg wrote his Sonata No.1 for double bass solo in 1971. Giacinto Scelsi wrote two double bass pieces called Nuits in 1972, and then in 1976, he wrote Maknongan, a piece for any low-voiced instrument, such as double bass, contrabassoon, or tuba. Vincent Persichetti wrote solo works—which he called "Parables"—for many instruments. He wrote Parable XVII for Double Bass, Op.131 in 1974. Sofia Gubaidulina penned a Sonata for double bass and piano in 1975. In 1976 American minimalist composer Tom Johnson wrote "Failing – a very difficult piece for solo string bass" in which the player has to perform an extremely virtuosic solo on the bass whilst simultaneously reciting a text which says how very difficult the piece is and how unlikely he or she is to successfully complete the performance without making a mistake. An early bluegrass bassist to rise to prominence was Howard Watts (also known as Cedric Rainwater), who played with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys beginning in 1944. [49] The classical bassist Edgar Meyer has frequently branched out into newgrass, old-time, jazz, and other genres.In the first decade of the 21st century, new concerti include Frank Proto's "Nine Variants on Paganini" (2002), Kalevi Aho's Concerto (2005), John Harbison's Concerto for Bass Viol (2006), André Previn's Double Concerto for violin, double bass, and orchestra (2007) and John Woolrich's To the Silver Bow, for double bass, viola and strings (2014).

Modern playing styles [ edit ] A mid-sized bass amp used to amplify a double bass at a small jazz gig The double bass is probably one of the most versatile instruments in an orchestral lineup simply for the fact that you’ll find it in a lot of other genres of music. If you’re brand new to double bass, we have lots of resources to help you get started, right here on our blog. We’d recommend having a read of our size guide to see which size may suit you best. We offer double basses in all the different sizes and prices to ensure you can find the perfect fit. Many upright bass players have contributed to the evolution of jazz. Examples include swing era players such as Jimmy Blanton, who played with Duke Ellington, and Oscar Pettiford, who pioneered the instrument's use in bebop. Paul Chambers (who worked with Miles Davis on the famous Kind of Blue album) achieved renown for being one of the first jazz bassists to play bebop solos with the bow. Terry Plumeri furthered the development of arco (bowed) solos, achieving horn-like technical freedom and a clear, vocal bowed tone, while Charlie Haden, best known for his work with Ornette Coleman, defined the role of the bass in Free Jazz.A smaller version of the Upton Bass Stand is available for cello and viola da gamba. Having trouble finding a stand for your unique string instrument? Give us a call at the shop: +1 (860) 535-9399 . Beginning around 1890, the early New Orleans jazz ensemble (which played a mixture of marches, ragtime, and Dixieland) was initially a marching band with a tuba or sousaphone (or occasionally bass saxophone) supplying the bass line. As the music moved into bars and brothels, the upright bass gradually replaced these wind instruments around the 1920s. [44] Many early bassists doubled on both the brass bass ( tuba) and string bass, as the instruments were then often referred to. Bassists played improvised "walking" bass lines—scale- and arpeggio-based lines that outlined the chord progression. Being a transposing instrument, the bass is typically notated one octave higher than tuned to avoid excessive ledger lines below the staff. The double bass is the only modern bowed string instrument that is tuned in fourths [5] (like a bass guitar, viol, or the first four strings of a standard guitar), rather than fifths, with strings usually tuned to E 1, A 1, D 2 and G 2.

The double bass is the only modern bowed string instrument that is tuned in fourths (like a viol), rather than fifths (see Tuning below). The instrument's exact lineage is still a matter of some debate, and the supposition that the double bass is a direct descendant of the viol family is one that has not been entirely resolved. Owing to their relatively small diameters, the strings themselves do not move much air and therefore cannot produce much sound on their own. The vibrational energy of the strings must somehow be transferred to the surrounding air. There are thousands of options on the market, so it’s important that you shop with a reputable violin store or maker. Here at Simply for Strings, we pride ourselves on setting up each and every double bass for success. Our professional set up ensures that it is easy to play and sounds great. Your first double bass doesn’t have to cost hundreds of thousands - but it does need to be professionally set up to ensure your starting your musical journey on the right foot. Prior to the 20th century, double bass strings were usually made of catgut; however, steel has largely replaced it, because steel strings hold their pitch better and yield more volume when played with the bow. [17] [18] [19] Gut strings are also more vulnerable to changes of humidity and temperature, and break more easily than steel strings.The earliest known concerto for double bass was written by Joseph Haydn c.1763, and is presumed lost in a fire at the Eisenstadt library. The earliest known existing concertos are by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, who composed two concertos for the double bass and a Sinfonia Concertante for viola and double bass. Other composers that have written concertos from this period include Johann Baptist Wanhal, Franz Anton Hoffmeister (3 concertos), Leopold Kozeluch, Anton Zimmermann, Antonio Capuzzi, Wenzel Pichl (2 concertos), and Johannes Matthias Sperger (18 concertos). While many of these names were leading figures to the music public of their time, they are generally unknown by contemporary audiences. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's concert aria, Per questa bella mano, K.612 for bass, double bass obbligato, and orchestra contains impressive writing for solo double bass of that period. It remains popular among both singers and double bassists today. A typical double bass stands around 180cm (6 feet) from scroll to endpin. Whereas the traditional "full-size" ( 4⁄ 4 size) bass stands 74.8 inches, the more common 3⁄ 4 size bass (which has become the most widely used size in the modern era, even among orchestral players) stands 71.6 inches from scroll to endpin. [9] [10] Other sizes are also available, such as a 1⁄ 2 size or 1⁄ 4 size, which serve to accommodate a player's height and hand size. These names of the sizes do not reflect the true size relative to a "full size" bass; a 1⁄ 2 bass is not half the length of a 4⁄ 4 bass, but is only about 15% smaller. [11]

However, you might also hear composers and musicians refer to it as the contrabass, the string bass, the upright bass, bass fiddle, stand up bass, or the bull fiddle. Accessories [ edit ] A wooden mute attached to the bass bridge to make the tone darker (a drawing from 1900)

Varnish is another consideration in this price range - many modern instruments nowadays are varnished with an antique finish. Be careful to ensure the varnish is of a high quality and isn’t inconsistent in any areas. In the 19th century, the opera conductor, composer, and bassist Giovanni Bottesini was considered the " Paganini of the double bass" of his time, a reference to the violin virtuoso and composer. Bottesini's bass concertos were written in the popular Italian opera style of the 19th century, which exploit the double bass in a way that was not seen beforehand. They require virtuosic runs and great leaps to the highest registers of the instrument, even into the realm of natural and artificial harmonics. Many 19th century and early 20th century bassists considered these compositions unplayable, but in the 2000s, they are frequently performed. During the same time, a prominent school of bass players in the Czech region arose, which included Franz Simandl, Theodore Albin Findeisen, Josef Hrabe, Ludwig Manoly, and Adolf Mišek. Simandl and Hrabe were also pedagogues whose method books and studies remain in use in the 2000s. Built by Erwin Lustenberger in 2006, the largest double-bass to ever be constructed was called an Octobass and was over 18-feet tall and 7-feet wide!