Wooo Hooo! My first orchestral gig.

Dave R · #1 09-30-2007, 02:56 PM

Just had to share with my BG compadres.

Had to celebrate. I just had my first “orchestral” bass gig. (A “not for profit” gig.)

I’ve been playing electric bass in rock/dance bands for decades. About 5 years ago, I started getting interested in playing upright bass. A year later, my Dad’s cousin gave me his old Mittenwald. He said he bought a new bass, and never played his old one any more, so he thought it should go to someone who would play it. A very, very generous gift.

He played that bass all across the USA and Europe in the ‘50s & 60s. He even played it a couple of times with Jerry Lee Lewis, before Jerry got big. The bass has a nice “scar” where his belt buckle rested on it. Lots of history there.

So I had been playing folk and bluegrass music on it for a while. Just fooling around. Learning the fingering. I didn’t even have a bow. I tried bowing it a couple times with the violin bow we had laying around, but you can imagine how that went.

Then, last week, one of the young ladies in our church found out I played bass, and asked me to join the quartet that will be accompanying our children during their annual concert in our church. (That’s the Primary Program, for any Mormons here.)

I was excited and scared. It was also the first time I had played a written part. Not much call for that, playing electric bass in a rock & roll band. Actually, it wasn’t entirely a written part. We were just going from the piano accompaniment—playing the parts in our registers. So I took out my pen and “bassified” the part tastefully.

Then there was the whole bow thing…

So I asked one of the cellists in our church about buying a bow, got some tips, and bought one. $100 used.

You can imagine how the first attempts were. Reading here, I guess it’s a stereotype, electric bassists struggling to learn the “real” bass. Should’ve got some professional training, but I was slammed at work, got the bow Tuesday and first rehearsal Sunday. No time and no (more) discretionary $$.

But Google knows all…

I found some on-line lessons and videos, and at least got the basics down.

I practiced those parts about an hour a night. Sometimes more. Enough that by Saturday, my index finger and pinky went beyond sore to numb. I was so worried about making a bad first impression at the first rehearsal. Progress was slow. On Saturday am, I was still getting some squeals, slow attacks, octave sounds, etc. I was figuring that by the time of the first rehearsal, I might be just barely good enough to not ruin the sound.

I was wrong. First number we played together sounded great. Did I mention all the other players were quite good amateurs with some professional experience in some cases? Anyway, I felt I held my own. Maybe they covered my squeals. Maybe I just didn’t make any. Maybe I've been gigging long enough to cover my mistakes well. Anyway, I felt good about it.

In fact, I was really enjoying it! In fact, I was having a spiritual experience. I felt the whole world was vibrating along with my low F’s. The kids sounded like angels.

Afterwards, I asked the “leader” for feedback. She said “you need to play out a little more. I’d like to hear more of you in the blend.”

In a rock band, that would be “turn it up.” Something a bassist loves to hear.

I’m thrilled. It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of beautiful sound. Just thought I’d share.

Foxworthy925 · #2 09-30-2007, 04:24 PM

sounds like it went great. how difficult is it learning db after years of bg?

Dave R · #3 09-30-2007, 04:31 PM

Its a LOT more difficult that going from electric guitar to acoustic guitar. The fingering techniques are different. And, as I said above, bowing is its own skill. Did you know some people use different bass rosin in the winter, than they do in the summer?

Its pretty different.

Pilgrim · #4 10-02-2007, 01:43 PM

Dave, congratulations! I played orchestral bass all through Jr. High and High School, making the transition to electric late in the process. To be a solid upright bass player is a real accomplishment - and I encourage you to continue developing your skills. if you have the chance to take a few lessons from an orchestral bass teacher, I encourage you to do so - it will help with technique.

Dave R · #5 10-02-2007, 05:45 PM

Lessons....

I'm torn. On the one hand, I'm really digging the whole orchestral thing. We sounded awesome! And bowing the upright is a real "intimate" thing with the music. The vibrations are all through you. I'll probably get asked to to this again, and maybe a few other things.

OTOH...

I'm making some good pocket money with the Electric. Love the band I'm with. I can't see giving it up to do more serious upright work. Which would probably not pay anything. (Community orchestras don't pay, do they?) And I can't see doing much more with the upright without giving up the band.

Its a conundrum...

But, hey, I'll bet your transition to the Electric was easier than my transition to the upright!

Emergancy Exit · #6 10-03-2007, 07:29 PM

^ bet it was.

i could never afford an upright >.< and my highschool band teacher wont buy one even tho all the middle schools have one. i just REALLY want to play that music and i want highschool experience because i dont want to learn in collage and besides tere could be so much compitition that i will never get in to get any experience with it because there wil be other players better than me UGGHH

*seeths in anger and frustration at his band director*

Dave R · #7 10-04-2007, 04:16 PM

Quote:

*seeths in anger and frustration at his band director*

Don't blame you. Doesn't he realize that EVERYTHING sounds better with good bass?

Quote:

i could never afford an upright

I'm sure you will be able to, someday. I was past middle age when I got mine!

Pilgrim · #8 10-10-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave R

But, hey, I'll bet your transition to the Electric was easier than my transition to the upright!

NO DOUBT!! The biggest difference was the constant pizzicato (fingerstyle) technique required to play the electric bass. There's a big difference in hand placement and technique - but the basics are already there, and as you can imagine, after being used to playing upright bass, hammer-ons and finger strength in the left hand are no problem.

Keep building your skills on both, and enjoy.