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08-22-2005, 08:40 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN | | | Rock bass player thinking of purchasing a double bass...
Hello everyone:
I've been playing electric bass for quite a few years, but have pretty much remained in the realm of heavy music throughout that time due to other band member interests. In the last couple of years, I have been listening to a lot of progressive music, and feel I have finally found what I'm looking for. In the last 6 months or so, I've been getting into jazz, and jazz fusion quite a bit, and it's really opened my eyes.
I have lately been thinking of purchasing a double bass, but am not sure if it is COMPLETELY different than the electric bass.
My question is... For those of you that also play the electric bass, how is the transition to double bass? Would I be starting from scratch on a completely different instrument? I have no experience with an electric fretless, and am a little frightened of experiencing this without at least some kind of fret markers.
Perhaps it's just wishful thinking on my part, but I am just fishing for ideas now.
Oh, and I apologize if this has been asked, I tried a search, but had no idea what to use for keywords. Thanks for any input.
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08-22-2005, 09:05 AM
|  | Mr Sumisu 2 U
Developer: iGigBook® | | Join Date: May 2000 Location: Peoples Republic of Brooklyn | | | Yes it is a different instrument though it's tuned the same. You will need another player that's an experienced double bassist to guide you with respect to technique issues i.e. holding the bass, left hand, right hand pizzacato and arco. You will need to be able to read to follow many of the recognized methods like Simandl. If you're going to play Jazz, that will probably be a whole new idiom for you and so you will have to imerse yourself in it and play in as many situations as possible as you move through the theory of it all. Kind of a paradox, you need to play in as many situations with the best people possible but you will in the beginning suck at doing it. |
08-22-2005, 10:36 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maine | | Cool. Go for it. It is very, very different, and lessons are really essential to protect yourself from developing injuries.
Fretlessness isn't so bad IF you are a good listener. Ever taken an ear training course? If not, sign up, or buy the software, or have other people sit you down and drill you. You won't need frets if you can trust your ears to guide you. It's easiet to practice on piano for this sort of thing.
It may seem overwhelming at first, but it will be worth it if you are willing to put in the time and brainpower. You'll have a blast.
Now, go work on your ear training.  |
08-22-2005, 11:15 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NYC | | What, no requests for books?
Try this or this or this or this. That oughta provide some innerstin reading , for a while...
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"It takes a pretty great drummer to be better than no drummer" -Chet Baker
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08-22-2005, 12:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Niether here nor there. | | | When and if you decide to take the plunge, your first order of business is figuring out how and where to buy one. It's not as simple as going down to the music store. I'm not trying to scare you off, just save you some hassle. You're better off taking your time, doing the research, trying as many basses as you can, and getting it right from the start, than buying hastily and end up frustrated. Check the newbie links in the basses forum for starters.
Some other ideas. You might investigate renting or renting to own, to see if it's for you. Or if you know you're ready to buy, you absolutely should have a professional setup done by a reputable luthier.
Next: Do not proceed without a teacher. This has been flogged to death already. Also, I would suggest going through the paces of learning the instrument from the ground up before trying to play it in a band. Crawl before you walk, etc.
Good luck!
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08-22-2005, 12:29 PM
| | | | Also, if you do, don't buy into the whole double bass supremacy thing. I would venture to say that many of us here started on bg and played a lot of music that we wouldn't dream of playing today.
Kudos to you for considering the journey into a whole new dimension. DARJEELING ORB spelled it out pretty well...
Good Luck and keep us posted ! |
08-23-2005, 10:57 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NYC | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by DZ Also, if you do, don't buy into the whole double bass supremacy thing. | Why not? How much does it cost?
__________________
"It takes a pretty great drummer to be better than no drummer" -Chet Baker
BECAUSE AWESOME CAT IS AWESOME!!!!!
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08-23-2005, 11:17 AM
| | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua Why not? How much does it cost? |
More than some are willing to pay,Ed. More than some are willing to pay... |
08-23-2005, 10:31 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Niether here nor there. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua Why not? How much does it cost? | How much you wanna spend?
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"I got better ways to idolize my time"
For example, my MySpace page |
08-24-2005, 06:36 AM
|  | Journeyman Clam Artist Moderator | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, baby | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua Why not? How much does it cost? | Geez Ed, you know what they say: if you gotta ask, you can't afford it...
Maybe ask Ken Smith.
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There's a joker in every deck... |
08-24-2005, 06:40 AM
| | | | thanks..I just had to clean the coffee explosion off of monitor ! lol |
08-24-2005, 07:01 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Oshawa, Ontario, Canada | | | ...and out of nose.
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08-24-2005, 11:13 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing: Ampeg | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Apopka, FL | | | ..and in underwear. |
08-24-2005, 11:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Ontario | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by JimmyM ..and in underwear. | 
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by HollowBassman Doesn't she know that they're not really people until the age of about three? | |
08-25-2005, 03:07 AM
|  | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua What, no requests for books?... | I can understand what you're saying and that you don't get really the essentials from books...but they can be very "comforting" for people who are coming to DB and Jazz late in life.
So it's kind of embarassing, when you're a mature individual who holds down a responsible job, to go back to school and be a know-nothing kid again! 
I found that reading as much as I could, from books and around here made me feel better about myself; so when I actually was face to face with a teacher - I could ask the really important questions and not feel like I was wasting that person's time with a load of questions I could have researched myself or which were blatantly obvious!
Maybe the books only gave me fraction of the knowledge I have gained from actual dialogue with people - in terms of talking or playing - but it was at least a start and made me feel less of an idiot, when faced with somebody who had been doing this stuff all their life!
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“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
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08-25-2005, 11:50 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NYC | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield I can understand what you're saying... | Well, apparently not. It's just a reference to another thread of NAY, VERY's
__________________
"It takes a pretty great drummer to be better than no drummer" -Chet Baker
BECAUSE AWESOME CAT IS AWESOME!!!!!
|
08-25-2005, 04:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Georgetown, TX | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Knavery I have lately been thinking of purchasing a double bass, but am not sure if it is COMPLETELY different than the electric bass. | The DB is a different animal. When I took it up, I was forced to completely rethink my approach to the instrument. Of course, the first two things I noticed were that there were no frets, and that the notes in the lowest registers are REALLY FAR APART!
I'm now looking for a teacher (I've been teaching myself for a couple of years) who can help me "unlearn" all the bad habits I've picked up, and set me on the correct path to musical fulfillment.
Oh -- I almost forgot: You might try renting a DB before you buy one, just in case it doesn't work out. I rented one from Brook Mays Music, just like any high school orchestra kid would. They hit my credit card each month, and some of the monthly payments go toward purchase of a new (better) instrument.
Good luck!
~John |
08-26-2005, 01:30 AM
| | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua Well, apparently not. It's just a reference to another thread of NAY, VERY's |
Well it was because I read that thread, that I posted what I did above !!
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“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
Charles Mingus |
08-26-2005, 08:49 AM
| | Mr Sumisu 2 U
Developer: iGigBook® | | Join Date: May 2000 Location: Peoples Republic of Brooklyn | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield Well it was because I read that thread, that I posted what I did above !! | Context, context... |
08-26-2005, 10:30 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leamington Spa, UK | | | Questions, questions
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield ...and not feel like I was wasting that person's time with a load of questions I could have researched myself or which were blatantly obvious!
| Don't know about you, but I have to pay my teacher by the hour so he doesn't mind how many stupid questions I ask.
And on a serious note, it's surely the stupid/basic questions that help the teacher to gauge your level of understanding and consequently fill in any gaps. |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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