Method Book to learn the Pivot/Four Finger Technique WELL

[anonymous12251111]

I do a lot of pivots and play with four fingers throughout most of the bass, I'm trying to learn this correctly as my teachers are more Simandl guys, but I really like using all four fingers...Does anyone know of a good beginners method book to teach me how to do all of this properly?

[TomGale]

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

I do a lot of pivots and play with four fingers throughout most of the bass, I'm trying to learn this correctly as my teachers are more Simandl guys, but I really like using all four fingers...Does anyone know of a good beginners method book to teach me how to do all of this properly?

I'll probably catch hell again for this but - the beginning open hand technique 1,2,3,4 - combined with the pivots are covered from the begining in my Technical Foundation Studies, vol 1. TFS, vol 2 covers those combined with the closed hand - 1,2,4 and the introduction of the thumb positions. They are available from Lemur and the ASODB.com.
Flame away - he wanted to know....
Tom Gale

[damonsmith]

I think it is reasonable for once, but is it really something beginners should dive into? Isn't it called Simandl plus for a reason? Shouldn't he get that under his fingers first?

[TomGale]

Originally Posted by damonsmith

Shouldn't he get that under his fingers first?

I got the impression he was past the beginning stage and his teachers had already went through the 1,2,4 fundamentals.

[anonymous12251111]

Originally Posted by TomGale

I got the impression he was past the beginning stage and his teachers had already went through the 1,2,4 fundamentals.

Ya, I'm not a beginner. I'm finishing my Bachelors. I've just always played with the 124 technique and I'm now using pivots and 3 around the bass quite often. I use all four fingers starting on the C on the G string, but those are really just extensions...I'd like to learn the PIVOT technique and use-age of all four fingers properly. Thanks Tom. I will order your book!

[TomGale]

[quote=Calvin Marks;5911213] I use all four fingers starting on the C on the G string, but those are really just extensions*...

Thats where I start the open hand (or 4 finger). Tom Martin (England) starts the open hand on 1st finger C#. Between the 1,2,3,4 (open hand) with or without pivots and the 1,2,4, - with or without pivots - Its amazing how it makes those nasty passages so musical. Its all about preparation and then making choices.

* I call it 'rock and roll!' to make sure nobody is trying to block finger using the open hand. That can HURT! Let me know how you like the book.
Tom Gale ASODB.com

[Johnny L]

I'd recommend Silvio Dalla Torre's book and like it very much, but I don't know how you could get ahold of it.

I think he recommends Gale's books for 4-finger technique also. I know how you can get ahold of those.

[anonymous12251111]

Originally Posted by Johnny L

I'd recommend Silvio Dalla Torre's book and like it very much, but I don't know how you could get ahold of it.

I think he recommends Gale's books for 4-finger technique also. I know how you can get ahold of those.

Well...let's start with how YOU got a hold of it? lol

[Johnny L]

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

Well...let's start with how YOU got a hold of it? lol

it came to me in a dream lol

I tried to order it (and his second book) from his website, but I couldn't figure out how to get my address here in the US entered correctly.

Maybe one day he'll make it available through Lemur or something, which would be very nice!

[anonymous12251111]

Originally Posted by Johnny L

it came to me in a dream lol

I tried to order it (and his second book) from his website, but I couldn't figure out how to get my address here in the US entered correctly.

Maybe one day he'll make it available through Lemur or something, which would be very nice!

So you don't actually have the book? And you've never played from it? So how can you like it?

[TomGale]

[QUOTE=TomGale Its all about preparation and then making choices.

I've had a few questions about my writings so I thought I could let you see some of the thinking behind the vols 1&2. In vol. 1 (open hand or 1,2,3,4), Part One starts with the 1st finger on D. The next 5 pages - including the Pivoting - are all in that same position. Every possible musical fingering combinations that I can think of, are covered. Once you finish Part One, you can also start Vol. 2.
Part Two is exactly the same 5 pages EXCEPT it starts with the first finger on Eb - up a 1/2 step. Part Three - 1st finger on C#. Part Four - same 5 pages starting on C. It goes down to 1st on Bb for those that can do it that low without discomfort. The book states - only go as low as it feels comfortable. Most players stop at C# or maybe C. The rest of the vol. 1 are articles and conventon presentatons I've done over the last 20 years.
Vol. 2 does require some explaining. The first page on the left introduces (or reviews) the thumb position - above and below the octave - covering a minor third - G to Bb - T,1,2,3. The right hand page gets interesting. Its Etude 1.
In writing it, I combined the standard 1,2,4 and mixed in the 1,2,3,4 from Vol. 1, Part One, and the thumb positions just used on the previous page. That sets the pattern of the book - new material on the left page and an Etude on the right page moving you through the three techniques in a musical setting. There ate 9 pages of new material and 9 Etudes to apply those skills. There are articles on selecting fingering and 7 pages of various orchestral passages with the 3 techs applied to every day orchestra playing.
Now, some will bitch about this info assuming I'm just pimping my books (which I really don't need to - the're doing just fine) but I can only try to explain what was going on in my mind as I wrote these. I think it make bass playing more interesting to actually pick the brain of the method composer and what he was trying to do - good, bad or indifferent. I hope it was good.
Tom Gale and my fingers are tired......

[Arnold]

Dr. Lyn Christie has finally written a book although he keeps updating it. He plays four fingers everywhere, you'll find him if you search him online, I'll send his email privately if requested.

[TomGale]

[quote=Arnold;5920464]Dr. Lyn Christie has finally written a book although he keeps updating it. /QUOTE]

Exactly what happens. I had an old English prof that said, "there is no such thing as good writing - only good rewriting". I think I wrote and then revised each book I've done at least 8 to 12 times before the final draft. Funny story. I had finished (I thought at the time) the Practical Studies and thought it was ready for a real student. At the time, I had a 14 year old girl bassist as a private student and we started the book in copies of hand written manuscript - one page a week. I explained (I thought) to her what it was and moved straight ahead. About the 10th week, she suddenly looked at me and said, "Am I ever going to get a real book?" Lesson learned.
Tom Gale
asodb.com

[Johnny L]

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

So you don't actually have the book? And you've never played from it? So how can you like it?

My 3rd finger is calling me. Sorry I can't help you further, man.

[mheintz]

Originally Posted by Johnny L

My 3rd finger is calling me. Sorry I can't help you further, man.

Xerox, perhaps?

[koricancowboy]

Rabbath 3 and Boardwalkin' seem to be really helping me get it together

[paulunger]

Feuillard Daily Exercises for cello. You can use the finger patterns and apply them to the bass. I would start by constraining yourself to 4th Position (1st finger on "D" on the G string). Use a tuner or pitch reference to make sure your intonation is accurate.
The Gale books are also nice.
It's also fun to play some of solos from George Vance's Progressive Repertoire vol.2 and just substitute a 4 finger technique for the pivot technique fingerings in the book.

[student]

Originally Posted by Johnny L

I'd recommend Silvio Dalla Torre's book and like it very much, but I don't know how you could get ahold of it.

I think he recommends Gale's books for 4-finger technique also. I know how you can get ahold of those.

It's no problem to order his book from his website:

http://www.silviodallatorre.com

Even if, you can write him an email. By the way, there are new four finger videos on the site (Misek sonata).

Student

[Johnny L]

Originally Posted by student

It's no problem to order his book from his website:

http://www.silviodallatorre.com

Even if, you can write him an email. By the way, there are new four finger videos on the site (Misek sonata).

Student

Hey Student I'll try it again. Last time I tried, it hung me up on giving it a U.S. address and so I gave up.

But I didn't send him an email and will do that if I run into the same problem again.

[kpo]

Most books dealing with "four-finger" playing are really SCALE METHODS and don't really teach you anything, they just say "Here are my fingerings. *PLAY* my fingerings!"

I recently went through Tom Gale's "Technical Foundation..." volumes 1 and 2, and I-Kid-You-Not, they do a Good Job.

The books are actually Pedagogically Useful - as in, you could teach from them and your students wouldn't be confused as soon as the door closed, and you personally could pick them up and read them and actually be guided through a well-thought-out way to figure out "four-finger" technique (instead of just blasting through scales and turning up the metronome, hoping to "get better at it").

All the other "extended technique" books I've seen, while doubtless Well Meaning, are really just scale methods, and go from bottom to top, begging you to Hurt Yourself, but Gale's books are actually teaching tools. Volume One takes time to explain what to do and why, what the physical motions could/should be, how to start in small doses - and then he takes his own advice and starts in the middle of the bass, in small doses!

So there. For all the *Flak* Tom takes for tirelessly promoting his own books, the books are actually good, useful and *gentle* on those uninitiated in "four-finger" playing.