Double Bass 5 String Technical Challenges

[Paul Warburton]

Paul, what problems in Thump position are you referring to? My 5er is not hard at all to play up there. The B actually has some tone in T.Pos.

I'm just talking about the size of the B string making it difficult to play too much up there. If you don't have a problem with it, more power to ya.

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Yup, it's huge.. Like .130". I would prefer to play only about the first 5 notes on the B including the open string. But, If I am up there and running across, who knows what stupid things I might try. It's not like they will pay me less if I go for it hit or miss..

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

I played my First rehearsal on Wednesday with this 'Beast". By Chance, both pieces we worked on had some Low notes to be played on the B-string. It was just like moving from A to E when I played E-A or across for a Low note. The B plays as easy as the E does in the 4th-5th Position Area but I don't see much use there now except when I Practice.

I found the Brandenberg Concerto in one of my Excerpt Books and gives me a good workout using the B string. Crossing 2 or 3 strings is not that easy to do and play clean with the Bow. Also, I have to press real good on the left hand a second b4 I Bow to draw a clean sound. I will keep the 5er at home for awhile as my practice Bass as it helps me with tighter Bow control. I work on regular things as well so I can use it as a 4-string Bass with the B if and when I might need it.

A whole new world for me...

 

[Paul Warburton]

I played my First rehearsal on Wednesday with this 'Beast". By Chance, both pieces we worked on had some Low notes to be played on the B-string. It was just like moving from A to E when I played E-A or across for a Low note. The B plays as easy as the E does in the 4th-5th Position Area but I don't see much use there now except when I Practice.

I found the Brandenberg Concerto in one of my Excerpt Books and gives me a good workout using the B string. Crossing 2 or 3 strings is not that easy to do and play clean with the Bow. Also, I have to press real good on the left hand a second b4 I Bow to draw a clean sound. I will keep the 5er at home for awhile as my practice Bass as it helps me with tighter Bow control. I work on regular things as well so I can use it as a 4-string Bass with the B if and when I might need it.

A whole new world for me...

Remember me tellin' you all this?
And, bottom line (so...to speak) you gotta go out and play some jazz to really get some stuff going. The looks you'll get from the other players is worth whatever practice you have to do....priceless.

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Yes Uncle Pauly but I wanna play Gilky on the Jazz gigs. She sounds so so old and sweet and besides, I haven't cut the bridge tabs yet on the 5er to fit my pickup.

Can I take a rain check on it? The Jazz thingy I mean...

As it is, I get looks anyway. On my Gigs I have played the Batchelder, Gilkes, Martini and Morelli with extension. I spend more time answering questions about my Basses than I do about my playing. Oops, what does that mean?

Next month I will be using either my Dodd or Martini with a new Gated extension in the main orchestra I play in. More stares and explanations to come..... I have in the back of my mind an Ext. for the Dodd as well.

 

[Pete G]

Not quite: I like the Jazzer B and E only and am not particularly fond of the rest of the set.

Although a lot of people like the Spirocore B (which is what my bass had on it when I got it), I found the Jazzer to be a huge improvement in terms of both response and sound - at least on my bass.

I know this is an old thread, but after following Rob's advice on the Jazzers for B and E for a long time (they were indeed much better on my 5-stringer than many other choices I tried: very loud and very bowable), I finally tried Spirocore mediums on B and E. One other change was to move from an adjustable tailpiece to one of Kevin Marvin's wire tailpieces (check them out -- they're worth a look!).

As Rob said, qualifying his remark quoted above, it depends on the bass. On my bass, the Spiros are terrific. I liked the Jazzers, but I love the Spiros -- and I've never had any use for Spiros on any other bass I've ever played.

Someone told me they recently changed the construction of the Spirocores to make them more bowable. In any case, these work for me.

Needless to say, YMMV.

 

[bbates77]

Historically the five string bass wasn't used because the low B was too low a note to be audible on gut strings before the nickle plated strings were introduced. It was even a contraversial subject whether the E string should be on the bass as having the lower note was not as important as the tone quality produced on a three string bass played by Dragonetti or Bottesini. At least this was the case in Italy and France; German orchestras would employ the four stringers as they would rather have the low range and build better and costly instruments.

 

[Paul Warburton]

Someone told me they recently changed the construction of the Spirocores to make them more bowable. In any case, these work for me.

Needless to say, YMMV.

If this is indeed true, i'd sure like to hear more about it.....anyone?