First double bass lesson...a bust??

[Don Higdon]

There are about 6 pictures, and they're not very helpful. There's a grand total of 2 pictures of the beginning position, 1 almost useless picture of each bow hold. What the teacher shows you is 99% of what you need.

[amcrory]

Well, I might as well chime in on my first doublebass lesson (last Sunday).

It was great. Like Senor Childree, I have a ton of electric experience (16 yrs) but very little on doublebass. I had been teaching myself (I know, I know...), but was getting nowhere.

My teacher first sussed out what my goals were (mainly jazz, but I want to learn arco, and also be able to play some classical music), then we proceeded. I've had the Simandl (Book 1) and Reid books for a long time, and that's what I've been teaching myself out of. With the teacher, I'm now using Berryman's "Intonation Plus," Thomas Gale's "Practical Studies" and George Vance's "Progressive Repertoire, Vol 1". The Vance book in particular seems really good for my arco practice. I've since bought a better bow (my previous one was a child's bow, I think... really short and light). My new bow is a Meinel, French-style, and I'm already noticing a difference in my tone. I'm really excited to learn arco, because I think there's nothing more gorgeous than a bowed head in a jazz ballad.

I'm pretty much learning strict Simandl fingering with some of the Rabbath position theory thrown in there.

For homework, I'm working on specific exercises in the Vance method, I learned a 2-octave G major scale, and I'm transcribing PC's bass line to "If I Were a Bell".

Taking just one lesson has really helped me.

-a

[AlexFeldman]

I started with the Evolving Bassist from the very beginning. No Simandl. The teacher moved out of town and the next guy I tried had me get Simandl right away. I had one lesson with him and then he stood me up cause he didn't have enough time. But I still have Franz's evil looking red book. I often use it to torture myself. But the real trick will be to see what my conversatory teacher makes me learn out of in the fall.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Well when people are talking about the "Evolving Bassist" - are they talking about the old one or the new "Millenium" edition, issued in 2000?

I have this and it seem to have loads of photos and large sections on positions. It does genuinely seem to try to take a beginner through what they need to be a Jazz double bassist - although I have no doubt it wouldn't suit a classical player. So like page 44 has photos of thumb position and seems to be very useful for this. I can count over 40 photos in the early pages - so are we talking about the same book?

[john turner]

y'all need to keep your poles away from my basses

[lermgalieu]

Has anyone seen this book "Swing of Latin Bass" by Ray Ramirez? Is it any good...ie how does he approach it...I am picturing brief explanations followed by examples, with an appendix of transcriptions? Thanks in advance....

[dhosek]

Originally posted by Don Higdon
There are about 6 pictures, and they're not very helpful

But they're so GROOVY! ;-)

-dh