Start a brand new 12-year-old on French or German?

[SteveFreides]

I can see absolutely no reason to lean more towards one or the other, and now I find myself in the position of having to recommend one or the other to a new 12-year-old student. He's playing a rental instrument, but it's much too small, a 1/8 size. The young man can easily play the 1/4 size I have here, and might even be good for a 3/8 as his parents are tall and he is, too, for his age.

So he'll be returning his instrument and bow and getting new ones - which style of bowing to recommend? He's completely inexperienced and, when I had him try both styles today, he did a little better with German but I think he could easily learn to play French as well.

A war-weary subject, I realize, so thanks for your opinions in advance.

BTW, who would give an average-sized 12-year-old a 1/8 size bass? Aren't those usually for 7-9 year-olds or so? The thing is basically a cello in size, although the sticker on the inside does indeed identify it as a 1/8 sized bass.

-S-

[smithal3]

I'm not too familiar with the topic, but if the teacher knew one method (much) better than another, then the teacher should recommend what he knows best. After all, isn't your job as a teacher to teach a student what you know (best)?

I would love to take lessons from many famous bassists and Double Bassists, but to be honest, many of them don't play a style I care for, and therefore wouldn't be a good match.

But if I did take a lesson from someone who I respected as a musician, I would expect them to teach me THEIR preferences and techniques, not other people's.

[SteveFreides]

Originally Posted by smithal3

I'm not too familiar with the topic, but if the teacher knew one method (much) better than another, then the teacher should recommend what he knows best. After all, isn't your job as a teacher to teach a student what you know (best)?

I would love to take lessons from many famous bassists and Double Bassists, but to be honest, many of them don't play a style I care for, and therefore wouldn't be a good match.

But if I did take a lesson from someone who I respected as a musician, I would expect them to teach me THEIR preferences and techniques, not other people's.

No. My job description say do what's best for my student. I view my job as giving someone the skills with which to play whatever kind of music they want.

There are plenty of people who teach their own style; I'm just not one of them. It's not what I want to do when I teach. I know plenty of things, some better than others, and I don't feel like I should limit my students only to what I know or do best. If someone comes to me like you're describing yourself, I'd send them to another teacher - with no hard feelings, just not my thing.

I think we've just proven there is no good answer to my question, d#$% it!

-S-

[koricancowboy]

Originally Posted by SteveFreides

No. My job description say do what's best for my student. I view my job as giving someone the skills with which to play whatever kind of music they want.

There are plenty of people who teach their own style; I'm just not one of them. It's not what I want to do when I teach. I know plenty of things, some better than others, and I don't feel like I should limit my students only to what I know or do best. If someone comes to me like you're describing yourself, I'd send them to another teacher - with no hard feelings, just not my thing.

I think we've just proven there is no good answer to my question, d#$% it!

-S-

I agree do what's best for the student. Teaching your style is not creating an independent musician. Having said that, if you are not equally adept at both holds then have him use the one you are more adept at using.

There are no hard fast rules other than "DO NOT TEACH BAD HABITS. ESPECIALLY IN BASS BOW HOLDS." I see far too many players who have learned from school string teachers using french bows in entirely the wrong way. Conversely I've seen an equal amount of German players who learned from teachers who really don't know what the hell they're doing and use a bow to practice scales only.

So I think a bit of what the last responder rings true in that you should teach those things you know.

ymmv, imho, my 2¢, blah, blah, blah

[Jake]

Maybe try both and see what comes more naturally for the student. My first bass teacher and his teacher who later became my teacher both played exclusively German. This was a stroke of luck because a couple years after I started upright, I broke my wrist in three places. Whenever I pick up a French bow I feel some of the residual stiffness in my wrist when moving side to side. A know a terrific bass player who struggled with French for a long time. Turns out years earlier he had steel rods surgically placed in his right hand. When he tried German he was instantly a lot more comfortable and he sounded better.

[SteveFreides]

Thank you, everyone. I have recommended German to the student's parents because I will do a better job showing him that since I'm better at it. I know how to bow French and can do it and own a French bow and all that, but I find it difficult to get a good forte playing French.

Many thanks to everyone who responded in this thread and also to the poll.

-S-