Playing in a Concert Band

[SteveFreides]

I played upright bass with a local community band over the summer - had a grand time doing it. I couldn't make most of the Fall rehearsals but it worked out OK - I'm doing the last three rehearsals before a concert in mid-November, and that's actually about right for me, anyway.

A couple of questions/observations about playing in a band:

First of all, just about everything is in flat keys and, man, could I use an Eb on the bottom. I actually thought about tuning my instrument down a half-step and playing up the corresponding half-step.

The music sometimes includes a string bass part, but I'd say about 1/3 to 1/2 the time, I get a tuba part, which I play up an octave compared to usual. Last night I learned that 4 ledger lines below the staff is an F.

Does anyone think a C extension is a worthwhile thing for this? I'm playing a bass I paid $1800 for, a carved 3/4-size Eberle that I love, but a C extension seems to run anywhere from $500 to twice that or more.

Any other comments about playing bass in a concert band are welcomed on this, the great playing-bass-in-a-concert-band thread. And thanks in advance.

-S-

[Quap]

I actually played bass onlyin concert bands no orchestras, in high school and in college. I never found the need for an extension. Loved being one of the only bands with a dedicated bass player. In high school we played some pretty difficult pieces(most had string bass parts that weren't just doubles of the tuba lines), and in college they were somewhat easier(a lot of tuba music.)

If you're able to play the parts you have with some changes do that, I never tuned down either, I played up an octave. IMHO gave the bass a different timbre than what was being played by the tubas. Could here my bass on recordings we did almost all the time.

[SteveFreides]

I'm just fine with my current setup, and I do play the tuba parts as they'll work on the bass. I'm just wondering if anyone has actually gone to the trouble of using a C extension in a concert band, since it really would let you get not just another note or two but take whole passages down another octave.

Never having played on a C extension, what I'm suggesting might be a complete pain in the arse, which is part of the reason I'm asking. I don't know exactly what people do with a C extension and from poking around on the Internet, it doesn't seem like you can do anything much more than just honk on a low note or two - but I really don't know.

-S-

[jordan oconnor]

I too play in a Wind Ensemble and from time to time, even the string bass parts, it requires a note lower than an low E, however, I just jump up the octave. Particularly if you are doubling brass, the string bass is often overwhelmed by the volume of the brass anyway. I find it challenging enough to be heard, or even hear myself much of the time.

In my limited experience with this type of ensemble I have never thought: man if I only had a low C. So I wouldn't worry about it unless it is something you want to do for other reasons.

all the best

[TomGale]

[quote=SteveFreides;6502165]
First of all, just about everything is in flat keys and, man, could I use an Eb on the bottom. I actually thought about tuning my instrument down a half-step and playing up the corresponding half-step.

I played many a year - bass in a military concert band. I found that tuning the E down to D was fairly easy to learn - just think of an octave lower than your reg. D - and gots lots of those low Ebs.
It's also fun being your own section!
Tom Gale

[MDEbass]

i play in my school concert band where I have to play a ton of tuba stuff up an octave...kind of annoying. I don't have an extension on my bass, although I wish i did. If you're really focused on this concert band and want to get the low notes, I think an extension would be usefull. Also, an extension would also be useful in some orchestra settings. If you play jazz too, im sure it wouldn't hurt to have an extension