Double Bass 2 arco while 1 pizz or vice versa?

[Rachel J.]

One of the bassists in my hs orchestra is graduating and there's a "half arco, half pizz" portion in one of our graduation pieces.

We're just playing the theme from Forrest Gump by the way.

I was just wondering - should two of us bow while the other plucks or should one of us bow while the others pluck? What would sound better?

 

[lcpierce]

Hmm that's a tough one. If one of you plucks and the other uses the bow, it might be difficult to hear the pizz. But if you do the other way around, the one bowing might sound a little thin. Also, pizzicato is hard to line up together in that setting. Have you asked your teacher? S/he might have an idea of what they would like.

 

[SVT4001]

Respectfully, in most of the orchestras I have participated in, there is an order of how questions of this nature are supposed to be approached:

1- If you are in the section (not first chair), ask the principal bassist/first chair.

2- If you are the principal or first chair, ask the conductor/teacher.

3- Following that, if no one has an opinion, you should ask your private teacher.

Joe

PS- What the celli are doing should also be taken into consideration.

 

[DoubleBassBass]

If all else fails I would look for a solution in what has been scored (particularly the dynamics) . Figuring out what is going on musically at that point and what the basses are contributing, i.e. what the split is trying to achieve (it takes more effort to write in musical direction than to not bother!)

If the passage is 'f' and there is a lot of loud 'participation' from the rest of the orchestra its unlikely that the pizz will contribute much. However if theres a really quiet legato sound going on with the orchestra then a smooth piano legato on two basses might sound great . If the dymanic were turned down to pianissimo that is subtly punctuated with pizz then one bass playing arco as a background pedal note might be the idea.

Try to figure out the musical intent. Good luck with it!

 

[David Potts]

The pizzicato is often used to put a "front" on the start of arco notes that then sustain the notes longer than the pizz will ring. I am generally drawn towards two playing arco and one playing pizzicato, especially if the arco notes are an octave higher (on the G string). The pizz player can beef up their dynamic and change the style more than the arco players IMO. Yes, context is still the ultimate guide.

DP