improving orchestral technique

gothicvixen · #1 07-11-2002, 09:52 PM

hi i am 10th grade and i am in a string orchestra and i play the double bass i am looking for some books that i can buy at the store or website that will help improve my orchestal technique to playing the bass i am very serious about playing my instrument and i want to get better at it. thank you for your time

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #2 07-11-2002, 10:36 PM

Do you have a teacher? I'm guessing not, or you wouldn't be asking this question. Your best bet is to get a teacher, who will select a method book for you to train with and help you every step of the way with any problems you might have.

Having said that, two of the more common technique methods for the DB are Simandl and Rabbath. I'd imagine that a healthy mixture of either of these with a pinch or two of Bram Stoker or Mary Shelley thrown in for good measure might fit the bill.

Joe Taylor · #3 07-12-2002, 11:41 AM

check out the books at http://www.asodb.com

Doc Morton has some good books.

Do like Chris says get a Bass teacher.

look in to going to a summer bass camp such as ASODB camp or any of the other camps that are around the country. Check out universities music programs to find them.

At 10th grade you should start looking at university music programs they are not all alike many of them are focused on becoming a music teacher, which is not a bad thing but if you looking at perfrmance you want to find a performance program.

Joe

Alex Scott · #4 07-14-2002, 09:58 AM

How about Strokin, and boardwalkin, two books by Hal Robinson, available from George Vance maybe and Robertson and sons.

Mix that with Francois Rabbath's Book 3,

Shake well,
stir,
carry a stick around with you to learn how to hold your bow in a relaxed way,

Get a good teacher who can demonstrate and explain the difference between historical bowing styles and different articulations, practice well and you should be in good shape you will be able to do anything

dblbassmike · #5 10-16-2002, 08:12 PM

Ok, Simandl books are great. For a scale book check out Flesch, its a green book that has scales, patterns, reading in treble, and tenor clef. its a good book.

Also like everyone has mentioned, check with a bass teacher.

E.O.M. · #6 10-16-2002, 09:08 PM

I'm also in 10th grade, and currently my teacher has me studying from Simandl, the Hrabe book of 86 etudes, and the Marcello sonatas for double bass and piano.

Baron von Basso · #7 11-11-2002, 03:03 PM

There have been some very good suggestions on here for decent method/etude books. I am recently out of school and keeping busy gigging with regional orchestras every week and the crazy travel schedule doesn't allow for much practice time. When I get a chance (or when I hear myself getting sloppy in the orchestra), I like Kreutzer etudes (especially the octave one...number 6 I think? GREAT for intonation) and I really like trombone etudes. Mueller's Technical Studies for T-bone comes in three volumes and it is a great study in "orchestra range" stuff. So many of these etude books have you flying around in the treble cleff and that won't help you in the orchestra when you have to play an exposed passage on the E string. A few sessions with these etudes usually helps to point me to where I'm getting sloppy.

bassmanbucko · #8 04-29-2003, 10:23 PM

I think that Storch-Hrabe's 57 Studies is a really good 2-Volume set for working on orchestral double bass technique. It works on many things such as string changes, double bass staccato, and alot of position work, especially Thumb position. I used the first volume of the set my 10th grade year (2 years ago lol). Also, if you happen to be a more advanced double bass student, I recommend anything Dragonetti wrote, including his Four Waltzes and Concerto in A, which works alot in Tenor and Treble Clef using alot of harmonics and such.

Bassmanbucko

Dondi · #9 05-04-2003, 12:02 AM

There is a series of books called "Complete Bass Parts of..." If you pick up, lets say, The Complete Bass Parts To Bach's Orchestral Suites and the Brandenberg Concertos, and buy a recording of those pieces also, you can practice to them and really get a sense of what it is like to play in an orchestra. The only thing to consider is that you have no conductor to follow. However, in Bach, at least, there are relatively few tempo changes and such, so you can get used to the interpretation that the conductor in the recording that you have.
You will feel great accomplishment when you get those pieces down, while learning repertoire that you will take with you for your lifetime.