Question for Edgar Meyer fans

[mcnaire2004]

Originally Posted by Jake

McNaire, about the dots, everybody in the bass world has seen Edgar's dots. MANY bass players have followed his lead and had dots installed. In fact, a really good bass player I went to school with has dots on his Jim Hamm bass. Has he lost credibility? Well, he is now the recently appointed professor of double bass at the University of South Carolina so the board who hires there obviously did not count it against him. The only people who would knock you for dots are macho, cheeseball, old school bass players and teachers who you do not want to study with or listen to anyway. By the way, good luck with your college auditions, McNaire. Let us know how they go. I actually auditioned a Curtis. I think Hal was a little suprised to see a chubby kid from north Florida with an orange plywood bass playing German bow. Hal was very nice and helpful. He sent me full notes of the audition and gave me a lot of support and encouragement. I ended up auditioning for Jeff Bradetich at UNT by tape late in the summer and getting the green light about 2 weeks before school started. Jeff is a great teacher/player and an equally great guy. I studied with him for 7 semesters and am planning on returning to UNT in order to finish my degree. Again, keep us posted, McNaire.

Wow! I will definatly be looking to you for advice in the neer future. Right now I'm just focust on Bottesini for the concerto competition here in TN. I honestly want to take a year off to get ready for the audition but my dad wants me to do it this spring (he just wants me out of the house lol).

[Jeff Guevin]

I think my credibility concern was taken too seriously. But the electrician's tape is a great idea--easy way to find out whether they'll actually be any use to me!

-Macho, Cheeseball Jeff

[Johnny L]

Originally Posted by Jake

Jeff is a great teacher/player and an equally great guy.

There was a guy who played one of Edgar Meyer's compositions at a UNT music symposium 3 or 4 years ago...I think he was one of Jeff Bradetich's students. He had dots on his fingerboard, and his performance was jawdropping. Nobody failed to clap enthusiastically as I could tell.

Anyway, the only argument I see in support of being able to play the bass without dots that makes any sense is where the player must focus on something else, like what's on the music stand or whatever.

Otherwise, why not? It's tantamount to arguing against using the French bow instead of the German bow to play arco.

[Jake]

The student was Craig Butterfield. I was not at that symposium, but I know he can play. He landed a sweet teaching gig in S. Carolina. He is the bass player I was talking about in the earlier post. He's also an inspiration to me because it took him like 9 years to get a Bachelor's Degree. I believe he was working on a DMA when he got the university job. Anyway, he's got an old website that hasn't been updated for a while but it still has some cool music clips and photos. It's called www.craigbutterfield.com.

[damonsmith]

Yeah, that guy sounds awesome. I think the dots matter less when you play on that level. I mean, playing in tune is just one of many things Edgar Meyer is great at.
I don't think it would fly for a Chuck Haden clone to have dots...

[nicklloyd]

chuck?

[Johnny L]

Thanks Jake for the info and link.

[jdapodaca]

anybody happen to be positive about where exactly the famous edgar inlay dots are placed on the fingerboard? i mean..on which notes/frets or what have you.

[mcnaire2004]

Originally Posted by jdapodaca

anybody happen to be positive about where exactly the famous edgar inlay dots are placed on the fingerboard? i mean..on which notes/frets or what have you.

well the ones starting in thumb position (as I can see from the pictures) are based on the main harmonics (G,D,G......)

[jdapodaca]

Originally Posted by mcnaire2004

well the ones starting in thumb position (as I can see from the pictures) are based on the main harmonics (G,D,G......)

anybody happen to be positive about where exactly the famous edgar inlay dots are placed on the fingerboard?

i'm wondering if anybody's asked edgar, "hey, which notes do you have inlays on?"

and he's said: "i have inlays on....."

anybody?

[Justin K-ski]

In a masterclass last year he said that up to the G harmonic the dots are in minor 3rds i.e. Bb Db Fb/E and G after the harmonic they are on G D and high G.

[purpletoupee]

If dots make you sound better, I say use them. Anything that serves the music is what it's all about (for me)

[Simandl Fan]

I have one of those fingerboards...but my 60-year old left shoulder keeps me from reaching for those highest notes.

[jberretta2000]

Ray Parker of Brooklyn Ny has dots, I have dots, I have never not been hired because of it, more electric players would play upright if people weren't so uptight and that's good. Also, Ray Parker uses a paint pen, you can get water based and oil based, both come off easy and I have never had then leave marks on the fretboard

[flowinowen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV-65UMPMMA

If you haven't seen this video, its worth watching. Its the Bach documentary done a few years back, it shows some interesting angles as well