The end of the upright bass?

**Matthew Tucker** · #1 08-04-2006, 02:35 AM

http://www.activebass.com/articles/item.asp?i=57

Peck_Time · #2 08-04-2006, 02:47 AM

That is a badly written/ researched article!

Mr Prentice says that bass guitars can replace uprights in jazz and bluegrass, well maybe if you think margarine replaces butter. He then says "Classical music will surely follow.", can't see that happening.

He has been playing since May...

M Ramsey · #3 08-04-2006, 05:37 AM

I sent him a short but I hope effective reply to his article. It said

BULLS__T!

He needs to wake up and get some callouses!

mje · #4 08-04-2006, 06:29 AM

Rather than simply characterizing the writer as pooly informed, perhaps we should note that he may be simply reflecting a number of commonly held beliefs outside the UB playing world. Certainly the one-word reply accomplished little besides convincing Prentice that the writer was not worth replying ti.

EFischer1 · #5 08-04-2006, 06:57 AM

Many of his contentions are not terribly well thought out. For example, his example that piano has replaced other instruments in baroque music is only marginally true. In the baroque period, especially in early opera, parts written for keyboard instruments did not designate which instrument it was to be played on. As a result the disparity could be as large as one person playing the part on organ and another playing it on harpsichord. Most baroque music was written "to be played", no matter by what instrument. Corelli's trio sonatas, for example, were written with violin in mind, but the composer himself said that they were written with a tessatura that would allow many instruments to play them. Accordingly, I don't think that many baroque composers would object to their music being played on the piano.

In short, I think that signore Ramsey hit the nail on the head.

KSB - Ken Smith · #6 08-04-2006, 07:05 AM

That is a totally stupid article. The Bass, DB is actually thriving now more than ever. The guy who didn't know what a DB is probably doesn't know what the difference between a Bagle or Bialy either or the difference between Lox and Nova. Neither is dying but no one knows everything there is to know.

Uncletoad · #7 08-04-2006, 07:48 AM

In the Land of Cows there are more Double Bassists now than there were 10 years ago. Mark Morton's school is turning out some capable talent that is spreading within the middle and grade school ranks. With the advances in amplification Rock and Blues players are getting into the act. The growing undercurrent of "americana" music prefers the Double Bass. Bluegrass is spreading like wildfire and at a recent local bluegrass fest most of the bass noises were played on DB.

I see the DB in a resurgence.

Poor guy's got some early player growing pains. Good for him. He's playing it.

It reads like he is trying to beat the bushes for more players and that's a good thing. I prefer they surface somewhere else so I can keep my gigs.

**Damon Rondeau** · #8 08-04-2006, 09:21 AM

What's an ActiveBass? Never heard of it. Is it some sort of slab or pogo stick?

Aaron Saunders · #9 08-04-2006, 09:40 AM

I went to ActiveBass a little bit in my first few months of playing. Beyond an absolute beginner, it's really not of much use. Because the lessons are all user-submitted and not really checked, there's a lot of really bad misinformation on the site (as per this article by Mr. Prentice.)

Useful site for people new to the instrument? Yeah, maybe. "Leader of the bass community?" -- uh, no. I haven't been there for 4 years other than reading this article.

Also, I'm going to second Uncie Toad's statement about a resurgence. I see more coverage of DB players now than I ever have...even if you crack open Bass Player Magazine, you'll see at least one article of decent length on a DB player every month, and they frequently feature them. Check out Downbeat or Jazz Improv magazine -- both feature DB players almost as much as guitar or horns.

I applaud the passion for which he has for the issue, but it'd be better put to use practicing.

bribass · #10 08-04-2006, 10:08 AM

Geez, totally uninformed.

All I know is that I see more and more out there working than ever. Way more than when I started back in '80. The demand is definately there. That's what got me working more and more on DB rather than BG (where I started), but now there are definately many more of us to fill those spots.

BG