Point in a double bass?

[mr-mungo]

Please don't take any offence at this at all! I don't mean for it to sound offensive in any way!

I'm a bass guitarist, and recently mentioned to my mother, in passing, that I'd played a double bass in a music shop. Once I'd showed her some videos of double bass playing, she asked a fateful quesion "what's the point in them?". She couldn't see why people would play a double bass over a bass guitar. I tried to explain, but I thought I'd ask the people who really know the answers!

So, why choose a double bass over the bass guitar? I'd love to play double bass, for the record, but circumstances forbid me!

Thanks a lot,
MB

[Andrew Jones]

Ask 5 women that question.


Aj

[Bassman316]

The first thing that popped into my head is sound. A double bass produces a sound that bass guitars cannot. There are BGs where you can come close to a double bass in sound, but at the end of the day you're not going to sound like a double bass on bass guitar. There will be situations were a DB is more suitable than a BG, and vise versa. My one big reason is sound. Simple.

[robobass]

A friend's grandmother once asked me, "What's the point of music you can't dance to?" I still have no answer, but would like to think there is one.

[uethanian]

well...it certainly depends a lot on what type of music you are talking about. there's some things like orchestral and older jazz where (for good or ill) a traditionalist approach is taken. same thing goes for the flip side, if you showed up to a rock audition with an upright they'd probably ask you to leave.

your mother is viewing it from a utilitarian standpoint...one electric bass can put out more volume than a group of uprights...it's smaller, easier to transport, requires less maintenance, not prone to feedback when amplified, cheaper, and considerably easier for the average joe to pick up (because of physical aspects, i'm not going to make any comment on which instrument is harder because such comparisons are pointless).

however, the only way to get the sound of an upright is to...play an upright. i'm sure most non-musicians couldn't care less what the bass sounds like (as long as they don't perceive that it's missing), but for musicians there's a big difference between the two instruments...in tone, in presence, in vibe. you really have to look at it as two different instruments, not two versions of the same.

[Matthew Tucker]

I actually like the feel of the double bass in my hands, the thing has a character to it that a bass guitar doesn't. It lives and breathes, quite literally. It is temperamental and requires some care and attention. And yes, I always get comments after a gig, and I doubt its because of my playing ;-)

So there are a few good reasons.

[eucalyptus]

what is the point of any instrument? of an oboe? a piano? drums? an electric bass? each instrument serves it's unique function. it's almost like asking 'what's the point of this person or of that person?' each has a unique presence and voice. sure, bass guitar is awesome too. but i wouldn't trade my double bass for anything..

..oh, by the way. my response kinda sounds as though i took offense to your mom's question. none taken! didn't mean it to come across that way.

[mr-mungo]

Originally Posted by eucalyptus

what is the point of any instrument? of an oboe? a piano? drums? an electric bass? each instrument serves it's unique function. it's almost like asking 'what's the point of this person or of that person?' each has a unique presence and voice. sure, bass guitar is awesome too. but i wouldn't trade my double bass for anything..

I think my mum was wondering why double basses still exist when bass guitars can "do it all, better"... those of little understanding!

I'm jealous about having such a nice double bass btw!

[padmavyuha]

...and let's not forget: double basses are beautiful!

[fingers]

apples and oranges

I play EB and DB and just consider then different totally different instruments. The technique is different enough that I don't think it is fair to compare the two. They do fulfill the same function but so does the tuba and we don't compare it to the EB.

[eucalyptus]

Originally Posted by mr-mungo

I'm jealous about having such a nice double bass btw!

i should say that my double bass is not that nice. when i said 'i wouldn't trade it for anything' i forgot to add 'except for a better one'..

[JtheJazzMan]

Originally Posted by robobass

A friend's grandmother once asked me, "What's the point of music you can't dance to?" I still have no answer, but would like to think there is one.

Better still, whats the point in music you cant f*** to?

We are primates with spare time, basically.

Need is a personal thing, we enjoy music, then we choose a tool that we have some affinity with.

Why choose a double bass over a jaw harp?

Mr mungo, only you can answer your question, noone can answer for you.

[Bijoux]

My parents didn't like bass at all, and they were very confused when they found out I wanted to play the bass guitar. So now, I was confused why anyone would wanna play a double bass myself! compared to a bass guitar, it is an incredible unfriendly instrument, and as a solo instrument it sucks, unless you are good! it's not like a guitar or piano, that if you know a few chords you can sing a few songs and entertain people at your birthday party. to be able to entertain people with the bass alone you actually better know some music!
But then, the father of a friend of mine gave me a bunch of records with Ray Brown on it, some Miroslav Vitous records, ketter Betts, leroy Vinegar, etc. and I heard this amazing sound that could not be reproduced with my bass guitar, and the music too, the setting was so much more deeper than the average pop music I was hearing. Then finally in 1986 Oscar Peterson visit Brasil and he brought Kenny Drew on drums and Dave Young on bass, whom I've had the pleasure to meet in the late 90's. anyway, after hearing those guys, and Dave's solos throughout the night I was hooked! I didn't start playing double bass myself until 1991 mostly because I couldn't understand why someone would wanna play such a big instrument, and I thought it would be really inconvenient, but I was lucky and as soon as I moved to Caracas-Venezuela the guys from the local Orchestra came to one of my shows and asked me if I'd teach them electric bass if they'd teach double bass.

[JtheJazzMan]

In regards to the solo aspect of bass and double bass especially, in this day and age we have the best opportunity to use the bass as a solo instrument or featured melodic instrument.

In terms of bass guitar theres basses with more strings than you can ever use, and a whole host of electronic signal processing available before amplification.

In terms of double bass we have many brands of strings to choose from and you can set up a low action extended range instrument, and amplify it to your needs.

In terms of electric double bass you can get a mix of both worlds, a double bass format instrument with as much signal processing available as you want.

So far from discouraging people from playing double bass Id love more people to explore all the different musical settings you can put a bass in, and how we can use technology to our advantage.

I play solo bass too, EUB with a gt10b. Never a shortage of interesting comments from the audience.

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Bijoux

Then finally in 1986 Oscar Peterson visit Brasil and he brought Kenny Drew on drums.

All these years I thought Kenny was a pianist.
Prolly meant Martin.....I hope.

I play my bass to live a fullfilling life. Not just in musical terms either.

[Ed Fuqua]

It's OK PW, Horace Parlan was playing bass...

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

It's OK PW, Horace Parlan was playing bass...

.

[forester]

quincy jones? said the fender PB was the largest single contributor in the advancement of modern music...no argument here.
dblbass is living and breathing on its' own account.. and has for centuries. it is simple,with an unplugged straightforward committment that requires more than a casual relationship between you and your instrument, (the real poop). so it's time to get off the fence...mom will understand

[Dr. Jake]

When I played EB, it was very apparent to me that the DB had a tone the EB could not duplicate. I tried different fretted EBs, fretless EBs, fretted and fretless acoustic BGs, mutes under the strings - nothing gave me the tone I wanted except the DB.

After making the switch to DB, though, I discovered something else. The DB had a rhythmic feel the EB also could not duplicate. I haven't heard many people talk about this, but I'm convinced it's one of the main reasons the DB has not yet been replaced.

[Bijoux]

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

All these years I thought Kenny was a pianist.
Prolly meant Martin.....I hope.

I play my bass to live a fullfilling life. Not just in musical terms either.

oh yeah, yeah, yeah!!! how embarrassing!
of course I meant Martin Drew! thanks Paul! (hey, you are funny too! )