Intonation and position playing on double bass
john emmerson
I am a novice double bass player. I have played electric bass (including
some fretless) for about 20 years.
For a little while, I used to double on electric and acoustic, but my band
love double bass so much I've become exclusively acoustic. I manage by
transferring my self taught but reasonably sound electric bass technique
onto it, and by using a lot of cheating - looking at the neck a lot and even
adding marks on the finger board - yes I know its not the way to do it, but
I'm already playing gigs and occasionally recording, and I have to get to
grips with the beast!
However, I am well aware that my double bass technique is appaling. I want
to get the basics right and I particularily want to be able to play in
tune - I've heard too many players with poor intonation (not only live -
there is an awful lot of recorded stuff out there with dubious intonation, -
from some well known players too). I've decided the key is to learn to play
in position.
I have managed to find an excellent teacher.
(By the way, he's also a qualified Alexander Technique teacher - he has the
most relaxed stance and playing technique of anyone I've ever seen, and is a
stunning player. In my limited expereince so far, I would unhesitatingly
recommend Alexander Technique highly to anyone who suffers from the physical
stresses of playing - and I'm sure that there are many double bass players
in that category).
He's a superb classical player ( Its all arco), and he is teaching me the
traditional positions, i.e. using 1st 2nd and 4th fingers, (3rd finger
supports 4th) all the way up until your thumb hits the neck body joint. I
respect my teachers advice, and he is pretty clear in his advice that using
1,2,3,4 fingering will simply lead to out of tune playing. He tells me that
there are some classical players known for using "4 finger" left hand
technique, but they don't play in tune as well as the "traditional"
fingering ones.
My fingering, it must be said, is best described as "un-disciplined" - no
fault of my teacher. Im very used to using all 4 fingers on electric bass,
even in the lowest position (I have long fingers). Currently, without even
thinking, I often apply this fingering to the acoustic bass (not in the
very lowest positions - scale length is too long), for me, its just the
natural way to play some phrases or patterns - using 1,2,4 means much more
shifting about and doesnt "flow". I workin on 1,2, 4 and will persevere
with it, but I think in time im ay move away from the pure classical
approach.
So here is a question for all you experienced double bassists - should I
persevere with a strictly 1,2,4 fingering route, or will I will I find it
limiting? Is double bass fingering a trade off between ease of fingering and
intonation? Am I crazy to even think of using 1,2,3,4 from1st position up?
Any views on this will be very welcome, in fact any hints on developinng
double bass technique will be very much appreciated!.
Thanks and Best Regards,
John Emmerson
London
Bill Merkel
and from what I understand (please correct me if I'm wrong) Francois
Rabbath is one of the main proponents. Personally I like the 1-2-4 up to
the octave, but occasionally will use all four in fifth position when the
speed of the passage necessitates it. I have large hands, too, but can't
see using the 3rd finger in first position to hit those G#, C#, and
F#'s. It's an uncomfortable stretch and doesn't allow my left hand to
maintain the arch with the thumb that's required for a good vibrato.
But, to each his/her own, your mileage may vary, do what you feel is
right, it's all good, etc etc etc....
Bill
Jón Fairbairn
> So here is a question for all you experienced double bassists - should I
> persevere with a strictly 1,2,4 fingering route, or will I will I find it
> limiting? Is double bass fingering a trade off between ease of fingering and
> intonation? Am I crazy to even think of using 1,2,3,4 from1st position up?
I'm not a double-bass player, but a fretless player with unsuitably
shaped hands. From my experience trying to use 1,2,3,4 from first
position is likely to lead to strain injury. The double bass takes
much more work and a bigger stretch, so even if your hands are a fair
bit bigger than mine you may be asking for trouble.
Stick with 1,2,(34) as your teacher suggests.
--
Jón Fairbairn Jon.Fa...@cl.cam.ac.uk
Macintosh
> Stick with 1,2,(34) as your teacher suggests.
Macintosh
>
> Stick with 1,2,(34) as your teacher suggests.
I am an professional double-bass player.
I use all my fingers from the B on the G string and occasionally below
that. I don't have intonation problems.
The main problem about playing in tune on a doublebass is not the
fingering, but the ears that come with the fingers.
So ignore your teacher and use all your fingers and your ears...
Frank
Brian Rost
>fingering, but the ears that come with the fingers.
>So ignore your teacher and use all your fingers and your ears...
I'd temper that and say try the 124 fingering as the teacher suggests for a
while longer. It has worked for a lot of players for a very long period of
time. Once you can play perfectly in tune all over the neck, then think about
disregarding what your teacher suggests <grin>
The whole reason of studying in the first place is to get the teacher to help
you advance faster than if you have to figure everything out for yourself. You
can always work on alternative fingerings on your own later, or go look for a
teacher that teaches one of the 1234 fingering methods out there (Karr and
Rabbath have both published books covering this).
Brian
"The older you live the less you're dead"