Help - My Son Has a Concert This Eve - Need Advice

Quadzilla · #1 12-03-2007, 12:26 PM

Some of you who venture over into the electric bass side of the forum know me. I'm just an old fashioned rock and roller who has always played electric (since the early 80's).

So my son (now almost 12) started getting into bass and started playing string bass last year in his elementary school's orchestra AND band (he got so good, they wanted him for both).

He then got accepted to a performing arts middle school for playing bass in their orchestra. I bought him an nice starter 3/4 DB (Englehardt). Tonight is his first concert.

They want me to bring his DB this eve (verses the loaner one he normally uses at school) because the concert is at another location. His bass at home has no markers on the finger board for the notes, but his one at school does.

I fear that he could potentially be off-key because of this. Is there a guide somewhere as to how to put markers on his DB? Again, I'm just a dumb electric player (for 25+ years) and have always played fretted or lined fretless basses. I have little to no idea of what should be marked on his fingerboard for this eve. I'm guessing that it's prob the 3rd, 5rd, etc (where the dot markers are on a fretted), but don't know for sure.

I'm also assuming that the markers go where the note properly intonates and not sharp or flat of that. Anything you guys and gals could provide would help. I also don't want to use something that will ruin his fingerboard or that will be hard to get off.

Many thanks!

jimmyduded · #2 12-03-2007, 01:08 PM

well as far as markers go, 3m pinstriping tape works fine, you get a digital tuner to make sure the bass is in tune, then find your notes and tape them, fromt he sounds of it he will be ok, playing with markers are only guides which help you not need them, 3m can be picked up at any local painting store, or you can use any painters tape, i say painters tape because it comes off without a residue, not pinstriping like for cars either(stick on stuff), its used to mask where the gap between lines go(I pinstripe)

jimmyduded · #3 12-03-2007, 01:10 PM

and mark it like electric(well thats what i did) first is usually not needed, 3rd 5th and 7th are usually what is marked

Mingus · #4 12-03-2007, 01:40 PM

Do what they say now, but you might want to get him off those markers as soon as possible.

jimmyduded · #5 12-03-2007, 01:44 PM

i concur, part of being a double bassist is being able to play with good intonation and knowing where notes on the bass are without markers

Jake deVilliers · #6 12-03-2007, 01:47 PM

White out makes a great side marker material. I mark the 3rd, 5th, 7th and the octave using a good electronic tuner and the harmonic.

Good luck with the concert!

Silversorcerer · #7 12-03-2007, 02:06 PM

An electronic tuner is a good start, but the "real position" is where the harmonic divisions occur. Good marker placement is at the 1/2 (octave) mensur point, the 1/3 (fifth) mensur point (from the nut) and the 1/4 (2nd octave) mensur (again from the nut). These points are the just harmonic analogs of the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets. Your son could probably go off of the training wheels at this point, but these are the most solid position "markers" because one can strike a pure harmonic tone to verify the position. An electronic tuner will give you the "tempered" note, which is not quite the same thing.

If you want to just put the markers on by measuring that can be done also. Just measure the length of the string from nut to bridge and divide by two, three, and four. Put the markers at the division distances measuring from the nut.

Quadzilla · #8 12-03-2007, 02:24 PM

I'm sure he will be off the markers soon. The reality is that he has been practicing at home without them for quite some time, but uses them at school. I should have checked his intonation on his practice songs at home, but they sound pretty close or on, but I don't want to roll the dice on it at his first concert.

I'll talk with his strings teacher and ask if we can start to pull of the markers at school as well or if she thinks we should wait longer.

Thanks again,
Fred

drurb · #9 12-03-2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

An electronic tuner is a good start, but the "real position" is where the harmonic divisions occur. Good marker placement is at the 1/2 (octave) mensur point, the 1/3 (fifth) mensur point (from the nut) and the 1/4 (2nd octave) mensur (again from the nut). These points are the just harmonic analogs of the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets. Your son could probably go off of the training wheels at this point, but these are the most solid position "markers" because one can strike a pure harmonic tone to verify the position. An electronic tuner will give you the "tempered" note, which is not quite the same thing.

If you want to just put the markers on by measuring that can be done also. Just measure the length of the string from nut to bridge and divide by two, three, and four. Put the markers at the division distances measuring from the nut.

This points up what's wrong with markers. Yes, I understand that they are used by some as a learning tool. Some would certainly say that the "correct" placement of the markers is at the well-tempered positions! Of course, the beauty of no frets is that we can play perfect intervals.

NUTT · #10 12-04-2007, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quadzilla

Tonight is his first concert.

So... how did everything go?