Doubling on upright, good idea?

[Heavystringsguy]

Hi! I'm a electric bass player seriously considering doubling on the upright bass, and I thought that this is the best place to ask a few questions, the idea being that TalkBass (especially this forum) could steer me in the right direction on where to start.

I've been studying jazz and other styles privately for a couple of years, began learning to read and have gained a good level of proficiency all on the electric bass. I started to consider doubling on acoustic and electric bass after I joined my high school's jazz band and looked into schools like UNT (which don't seem to have a place for electric bass. Please correct me if I'm wrong.) Also, I've been recommended to start doubling by my jazz band director, bass teacher and several friends.

Personally, I really want an upright because it seems like a great choice for a plethora of reasons. Most importantly because I want to study at UNT, I could get more gigs, and it would probably improve me overall as a musician.

Anyways, I've also learned that upright basses are very expensive, and this has stopped me from even trying to look for a good upright. Recently however, a buddy recommended that I simply rent an upright. I didn't even know that was an option. So I wanted to ask if you had any advice on where to look for a good upright to rent, and what sort of prices I should expect. I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision, since I've only got a year and a half till I'm out of high school and the ways I spend my money and time now are very important.

So basically, where could I rent an upright? (I live in Houston, Texas and I'm more than willing to make a drive to check anything out.) How much does it cost to rent? should I just save up and buy an upright bass, or is it diffidently a better idea rent one? Should I even double in the first place?

I'm sorry for any confusion, and for asking a bunch of questions that might have already been asked on this forum, but I'm very confused and I don't know who else to ask.

Thank you for your time. I appreciate it! Thanks Lynn!

[Lynn Seaton]

Hi,
Thanks for your inquiry. Yes, doubling on upright is a great idea. Renting one would give you a chance to see if you like it. Later you can buy one after saving. In Dallas, many young students rent from Brook Mays. A quick internet search of "string instrument rental Houston, TX" revealed several places including Brook Mays.
Here is a link:
Brook Mays (Dallas ,TX)

Here is a link to the search page I found as well:
instrument rental houston tx - Google Search

I do recommend taking lessons on upright. Trying to play upright with electric technique is not a good idea for reasons of physical damage and intonation.
Paul Sharpe has some excellent videos on first year technique for double bass on this website fro D'Addario strings: Click all the videos with a bass.
D'Addario Bowed Strings : Media Search


UNT is an upright oriented program with required upright classical and jazz lessons. Most of the ensembles require both electric and upright to be played well. More about the UNT auditions for bass can be found at:
Bass Auditions for Admission | UNT Division of Jazz Studies

Consider attending a summer workshop like the one at UNT. The registration form will be updated before the end of the year. Here is a link:
Lynn Seaton Jazz Double Bass Workshop at UNT | UNT Division of Jazz Studies

There is a good listing of Houston bassists at this webpage:
JazzHouston | Players by Instrument | acoustic bass

I hope this helps.

[Ed Fuqua]

Hi Lynn! Not to unduly kibbitz, but to offer another view:

I started on bass guitar and finally bought an double bass in 1980. I was playing both but, when I went to Berklee in 81, found myself practicing and playing DB more. I still got calls for BG so I was gigging and doing sessions on either, depending on the music. Likewise when I moved back to Georgia, being in a small town, the "jack of all trades" approach was OK. I didn't have to be great on either one, just had to be able to "take care of business". It was enough to sound "OK".
But when I got to NYC in 87, I quickly found that 1. nobody wanted me to "take care of business", they wanted to hear what I sounded like, what I personally could bring to the table and 2. there were a LOT of cats who were putting serious work into BG and sounded GREAT on it.
The gigs I was getting calls for BG on were not music I was particularly interested in and (since I wasn't shedding BG) the sound I was getting on the instrument wasn't particularly great. Plus, I was, more and more, hearing DB as my "voice". So I decided to NOT be a doubler.
There are a lot of cats who sound GREAT on both instruments and, I think (at least from talking to the few I know personally), that they LOVE the way both instruments sound and the music they get to play on both. And they've developed strategies that allow them to shed as much as they need to so that they maintain a very high level of musicality on both.
But I still feel that life is WAY too short to not play the instrument (or instruments) you love. And the only person that can answer the question about whether or not you LOVE the DB is you. You have to ask yourself how happy you're going to be, in the long run, playing an instrument you don't like, with music you don't like,just to make a buck.

You won't know unless you try, so I'd definitely see about rentals. You may also want to try Phil Palombi's page Rent a Bass

[Lynn Seaton]

Ed,
Thanks for your reply. I love the fact that people can share their thoughts on this forum. Please continue to contribute any time you want to!

[Heavystringsguy]

Thank you for the help! That information is exactly what I was looking for. I'll look into the summer workshop, and possibly a tour of the UNT campus soon also. In the meanwhile, I'll go research double bass more. The D'Addario videos look helpful, but I don't have a double bass to practice on just yet. I've been talking to an upright teacher about lessons that happened to be on the Jazz/Houston list so maybe that's a good omen haha.

Also, Ed, that's very insightful and encouraging. I suppose if DB isn't for me in the long run, then its simply not meant to be, but I sure hope it is.

Anyways, thank you thank you thank you!

[HunterBrodt]

Originally Posted by Heavystringsguy

Thank you for the help! That information is exactly what I was looking for. I'll look into the summer workshop, and possibly a tour of the UNT campus soon also. In the meanwhile, I'll go research double bass more. The D'Addario videos look helpful, but I don't have a double bass to practice on just yet. I've been talking to an upright teacher about lessons that happened to be on the Jazz/Houston list so maybe that's a good omen haha.

Also, Ed, that's very insightful and encouraging. I suppose if DB isn't for me in the long run, then its simply not meant to be, but I sure hope it is.

Anyways, thank you thank you thank you!

One thing to realize is that there wont be any instant gratification on upright. Its months of technical exercises and playing time before you will even know if it's something that you want to continue with. I strongly advise to give it like a year or two (depending on how much you practice) before deciding which instrument is for you.

I personally gave up electric to play the db because I decided to be a jazz musician. Also if you want to play jazz professionally then play the db. It will be a uphill battle to try to convince people why they should have electric in there band. Really no high level jazz groups even use electric except for some fusion groups like kneebody.
Good look, and either instrument at least your playing music this is just my opinion, take it with a grain of salt. I just feel like the best thing you can do is identify where your musical goals are. If you want to do studio work you will get more work if you play both.

Best of luck