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Double Bass Drone Tone Practice

R

razormeister

Jul 27, 2011
30
36
#1
Tonight was the first time I practiced to drone tones. Absolutely amazing. I can't believe how well it works for intonation development. You can really hear when your intonation is out.

I downloaded this set from itunes. It was intended for cello, but they work great for UB too.

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They are actually a few dollars cheaper on itunes.

My 8 year old daughter started violin 6 months ago and my 12 year old daughter just started cello. I am definitely going to introduce them to drone practice. I showed it to my 12 year old and she couldn't believe her ears either - thought it was super cool.

Thanks to everyone for suggesting this in the stickies.
 
#4
One nice thing about the drones I posted is that they are made up of three octaves and two 5ths that have been balanced. What that means is that for A 440, A 880 and (depending if the lower or higer octave is present) A 220 or A 1320 are all present in the drone. So as you move up and down octaves you still have a refernce that is within the range you are playing.

At least I believe I have that correct.
 
#9
Beyond using the drone to help you play in tune, use it to let your ears discover exactly how the nature and sound of playing sharp is different from that of playing flat, and then be aware of and utilize that understanding in your normal playing.
 
#15
damonsmith said:
The danger here is if your ear is already ahead of your hands (as is very often the case) and you are tuning pitches "at all costs" with bad left hand technique you are probably doing more harm than good.
Click to expand...
Can you elaborate on this?

I've been playing DB since January; I feel like I'm really getting there with my shifting, and generally am down to tweaking.*

I haven't been playing with a drone, but am wondering if I'm doing the same kinds of wrong thing as I correct my pitch?


*I can generally hear when I'm off without a drone; I'm new to the DB, but I have a degree in music and have been playing music for 25 years.
 
#16
transition said:
Can you elaborate on this?

I've been playing DB since January; I feel like I'm really getting there with my shifting, and generally am down to tweaking.*

I haven't been playing with a drone, but am wondering if I'm doing the same kinds of wrong thing as I correct my pitch?


*I can generally hear when I'm off without a drone; I'm new to the DB, but I have a degree in music and have been playing music for 25 years.
Click to expand...

If you can hear the note you need to play but are not getting to it, it is probably a matter of technique.

The hand needs to be limber and able to make fine adjustments in order to find the pitches with accuracy. If your hand is not capable focus more on that. If you are just not hearing the pitch then drones, singing, tuners and other ear training is in order. Ear training is ALWAYS a good idea, it is just that in my experience I have found most problems to be in the hands in terms of getting basic pitch early on.

If your technique is not in good order, playing with drones and the like is just trying to fine tune a blunt machine, think of it like tuners with a couple teeth busted off the gear!
 
#18
Forgive me for breaking up the party here...but isn't a drone a crutch of sort, better perpaps used sparringly? Shouldn't the goal to be "to hear" the correct pitches, rather than rely on an outside tone to check? A bit like using a metronome, use it to correct tempo but internalize tempo without relying on an outside beat...But ehy, if it works, use it!
 
#19
Andy Mopley said:
Forgive me for breaking up the party here...but isn't a drone a crutch of sort, better perpaps used sparringly? Shouldn't the goal to be "to hear" the correct pitches, rather than rely on an outside tone to check? A bit like using a metronome, use it to correct tempo but internalize tempo without relying on an outside beat...But ehy, if it works, use it!
Click to expand...

I agree. I think unless you are using it for more advanced practice then scales against the open strings is enough.
For beginners it isn't something to dwell on. I think there is a lot more eficient use of limited practice time. If you are putting in 8hrs - by all means spend one of them with recorded drones.
I'd put it way behind spending time with any of the accepted bass methods. I'd say I am bigger fan of the metronome than I am of drones, though!
 
#20
I've been using drone tones for years off and on. It's one of the best things you can do to develop your intonation, and your ears. You can practice anything with a drone tone, not just long tones. Bowing is best for intonation and tone, but you can practice scales and even improvisation with a single drone.

As you play scales, just listen to your pitch against the drone and your relationship to it. Each not creates a different interval. It's like when you play in a group, and you are soloing, you don't really listen to each pitch individually as you play them as compared to another specific instrument, you are playing everything in a "general" tonality and you play in tune with that. For me, that's what drone pitches do. You can set a "G" for example and run through the changes of a tune that's in the Key of C.

Then later you can get more adventurous and try to play in the Key of C while you have a A going, or a B.
 

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