Solid pieces to recomend

mcnaire2004 · #1 12-29-2006, 10:12 PM

Hello all....

After a while of playing I have determined that I lack several tonality fundamentals that I think I need.

I can play Bottesini, Koussevitzky, and Dragonetti but I can't perform it. I believe there is a difference.

My teacher has been working with me on some of the Vivaldi sonata's. Not to play them specifically (they are crazy easy) but for tone and use of bow. (I have a bad habit of using as little bow as possible)

I am looking for a few decent things to play. Don't care if they are hard or easy just something to help me work on fundamentals. From first position to past the fingerboard in harmonics.

I personally don't think I can make it at the next level with out this (Though I have friends in college playing bass that I think I'm better than, but then again most of them aren't looking to get past college on the bass).

Currently I'm chilling out for a year (working at sears) to prepare for college. Though I mite be attending Lee University for that year.

Basically I'm just trying to get better. Daily I'm not doing the most practicing but I am spending about 2-4 hours on scales, Kreutzer, Vivaldi, CYS rep, Bottesini, and a little Bach for fun.

I'm seeing results but not quite sure if there is something to add to help me develop a better sound. I'll be done with Vivaldi soon and I need something else.

Any Ideas???????

sibass89 · #2 12-29-2006, 10:24 PM

Well if you can't perform it you can't play it. So go back to the basics.

Work through your baroque sonatas and short pieces. Learn all the Marcello, then the Vivaldi, Scarlatti, and finally some Sperger sonatas. Forget about Bottesini and Koussevitsky they are very difficult pieces. So is Bach. Work through your baroque sonatas. Focus on these not only to be able to play them through, thats not important. Think about how much bow to use for each note. In the baroque sonata's each eight note should get the whole bow. In order to achieve this start slow and work your way up. 16th notes should be in the middle third of the bow and dotted rhythms should use the whole bow. This is very important.

After you work through your baroque sonatas I'd say work on Dittersdorf. This is not a very difficult concerto but is great for technique. Work a lot on this every single detail. This will now cover from first position through harmonics.

It sounds to me like you skipped some steps along the way so go back to the begining. There is no short cut in learning this stuff, some just learn it faster than others.

Best,
Nick

bassman1489 · #3 12-29-2006, 10:27 PM

I LOVE AL LASZLO

mcnaire2004 · #4 12-29-2006, 10:48 PM

I have skipped steppes I have been self taught for a while and then had a jazz teacher for a year that didn't work out. Since August I have had a very good teacher helping me with this. I obviously have to go back and fix things.

I'll defiantly do the Dittersdorf after I finish Vivaldi (my teacher expects things done perfect by our next lesson first week of January).

I don't think I can stop the Bottesini simply because I have spent more time on that than I have anything else ever. And I could probably perform the first and second movements. I don't want you to think I'm disregarding your advice because I'm not.

Probably my teachers biggest gripes are my pinky bent in thumb position, my arm resting on the body of the bass, and what I'm trying to achieve here... tone. dynamics, articulations with contrasting styles (He sais I'm stuck on romantic autopilot).

Thanks again Nick. Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Bassman1489 what exactly is "Al Laszlo"??? Composer? I'll do a search.

Cory Palmer · #5 12-29-2006, 11:38 PM

Unless you have to perform the Bottesini soon it might do you good to put it on hold. There are a few pieces that I have done that with. Mainly the Vanhal Concerto. I worked on the Vanhal for about three years off and on. I'd usually pull it back out whenever my technique had advanced. New things would become apparent that I probably wouldn't have realized if I had been working on it continuosly for those three years.

Also, Al Laszlo is the bass teacher at CCM and Juilliard. He is sibass89's teacher.

mcnaire2004 · #6 12-30-2006, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cory Palmer

Unless you have to perform the Bottesini soon it might do you good to put it on hold. There are a few pieces that I have done that with. Mainly the Vanhal Concerto. I worked on the Vanhal for about three years off and on. I'd usually pull it back out whenever my technique had advanced. New things would become apparent that I probably wouldn't have realized if I had been working on it continuosly for those three years.

Also, Al Laszlo is the bass teacher at CCM and Juilliard. He is sibass89's teacher.

I performed the second movement of Bottesini a month ago and I will be performing the first in April. I wish I can perform the whole thing but my finger stamina isn't there and the 3rd movement sounds like poop from my fingers. Bottesini is like a addiction. My teacher personally thinks that it is ok for me. I did have 2 successful college auditions with it it but I'm going to sit out a year to get better for the big time schools.

I know I sound like I'm addicted to crack with the Bottesini. Please forgive me.

bassman1489 · #7 12-30-2006, 08:37 AM

yeah I said that because every time Nick comments, it is pretty much exactly the stuff I hear in my lessons (I also study with Mr. Laszlo), so I get really excited.

sorry, it was late

sibass89 · #8 12-30-2006, 09:16 AM

McNaire -

I understand what you are saying. It is tough to stop everything you have worked on and go back to easier and more boring things. If you want to keep working on Bottesini then keep it going but the important thing then is to go back to the very beginning with Bottesini as well. Make sure on every single note that your hand position is right, your fingers are curved, your bow has flat hair, is in the right place, and any other technical issues that are more easily addressed in easier pieces.

Best of luck,
Nick

mcnaire2004 · #9 12-30-2006, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sibass89

McNaire -

I understand what you are saying. It is tough to stop everything you have worked on and go back to easier and more boring things. If you want to keep working on Bottesini then keep it going but the important thing then is to go back to the very beginning with Bottesini as well. Make sure on every single note that your hand position is right, your fingers are curved, your bow has flat hair, is in the right place, and any other technical issues that are more easily addressed in easier pieces.

Best of luck,
Nick

I will do that thanks for the advice. What other easier pieces do you think can really address these problems? I do have time to work on more than one.

sibass89 · #10 12-30-2006, 02:35 PM

Well it's not necessarily what pieces you work but how you work on them. You would be more beneficial putting your full efforts into Bottesini. It's really a piece that should be completely focused on. If you want to work on other pieces at the same time, Bottesini really isn't the piece to do that with unless its really close to performance level.

I'd say work on all the Marcello sonatas. They are easy and repetitive but there are no better works to drill technique on then Marcello. Also start playing some etudes. Get the Sturm books. They are all short etudes, aren't that terrible sounding and are great for left hand and right hand technique.

Best of luck,
Nick