Double Bass A little advice

[master_joker_28]

I've been looking around this site, and I'm pleasantly surprised.

I've been playing Double Bass for a little under a year now, and, although I'm not one to brag, I'm very good. I've learned quickly and have gotten myself placed in the advanced quartet for the upcoming concert in my orchestra. This, however, presents a problem.

We're to play Bach's Vivace Concerto for 2 Violins Link Removed And I am a little overwhelmed. There are alot of difficult shifts for the Continuo portion, and although I'm starting to get it slowly, I would appreciate some of the very professional advice I've seen here.

For reference: I play a standard size, 4-string tuned to DADG, and I use a French Bow.

 

[msabp]

Take it to a teacher... why drop D (just take those notes up the octave)?

 

[dchan]

Take it to a teacher... why drop D (just take those notes up the octave)?

Because it's the cheap-ass way to get two lower notes. But on a more serious note, I found my bass liked the lower tension better. Besides, you sound like a wimp by playing the notes an octave up then going back down, while you sound like a real man by playing the lower notes in the correct sequence.

 

[bejoyous]

Have you seen my alternate extension solution?

It works great and it's a lot easier than a full stick that goes up beyond the top of the scroll. I can actually play the storm scene notes in Beethoven 6th with this arrangement.

Bb to Ab is still a bit tricky though.

 

[dchan]

Have you seen my alternate extension solution?

It works great and it's a lot easier than a full stick that goes up beyond the top of the scroll. I can actually play the storm scene notes in Beethoven 6th with this arrangement.

Bb to Ab is still a bit tricky though.

Ja, I was going to mention your alternate extension. When I get a better bass, I'll probably use it because I'm way too used to the drop D tuning by now. The Ab is tricky to reach, but I rarely ever play it nowadays.

I realized that I didn't even answer the OP's question. And since I don't know the piece too well, I can't right now because I'm on 56k for the weekend.