How did you all 'discover' the DB?

[bassy18]

I was a itty bitty little twelve year old lemme tell you. I was supposed to be playing the flute in orchestra. It was an all string orchestra. My mom thought it would be great cause then I could play the violin right?..........nope. I was small it was big and it had a funky sound. Now I am hooked and want to be a music major. What was I thinking...........?

[Joe Taylor]

Winter of 6th grade. Went to the Music teaher and said I want to play fiddle she said your too bing you play the Bass - she knew best. I wish I could find her and tell her thanks OH that was in 1960 or 1961 can't remember exactly. I got me out of reading class 15 min early. Play on

[lermgalieu]

I was presented with this lumbering walrus of an instrument in the form of a magazine picture from my wife as a wedding present. I never thought I would truley enjoy the double bass, having played electric bass for 17 years, I thought double bass was a completely different beast that I would never be able to get good enough at to perform with. Well I may never be a virtuouso, but I am completely addicted to the thing. I almost gave up at the beginning because the strings were about 4 inches off the fingerboard, but then I discovered luthiers and instantly the thing became something I not only identified with, but favored to the point of obsession...

I thought my progress was to be measured by my advancement through books of theory and technique (as well as of course live playing) along traditional jazz lines until the other night when I saw a local soul band's bassist whip through Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" slapping like a m -f'er! I think he tuned down to the Eb, but it was still mighty impressive and nice sounding, so I guess I gotta go get addicted to the rockabilly thang for a while...!

[alstar]

in grade school, my best friend was learning the violin, so naturally that's what i wanted to do. my parents told me we had no money for a violin, so i talked to the orchestra director about using one of the schools instruments. he told me that there were no violins available at the time, but then asked me if i'd like to play the bass. i said yes immedialty. funny thing is, i didnt even know what the hell a bass was. at rehearsals i'd have to stand on a small stool because i was really short. my orchestra director never taught me anything. back then i couldnt tell you the difference between an f and an f#.

[Bronson Myers]

Well, where I found the bass from was actually my brother. Charlie Myers, a youth player all over Northern Arizona, Jazz on the Rocks, multpiple Jazz fests, etc. who plays EB. And one day, from his high school, he brings in this big black bag. I ask him what it is, and he tells me, 'Stand-Up bass.' And I didn't play any stringed instruments at the time, and I had no idea what it was like. So he whipped it out and started jammin' pizz. style. I loved it. I am only 13, and I just recently really 'picked-up' the bass. I am currently looking into instructors in Arizona, in the Prescott region, and hoping I can find a decent one soon. I also double on cello. Well, and that's the story of me and my bass.

[lunayrosa]

I knew I was going to do orchestra, but I thought that I might want to play the cello or viola. On the way to the orchetra exhibit thing, my mum and I got into a major fight. She then told me, "You can choose anything but the Bass." I chose the Bass, and she is very happy, as am I. Although after having to walk in the rain with it, in heels, I thought the piccolo was a mighty nice insturment...