Double Bass A lost beginner!

[Sarley]

i am originally a bass guitarist and In the past month i have picked up the double bass and am still getting to know the neck and concentrating on half, first, second and third position and was wondering if anyone could recommend any standard songs/pieces to learn and where i could get the score from.

Also i bought f. simandl book 1 and i'm a bit lost with it, does anyone know which exercises i would benefit most from as a beginner?


Thanks.

 

[Fletcher Lanning]

From one EB convert and relative DB beginner to another, you should get a bow, learn how to use it (paying for even one lesson with a local teacher would be worth it) and practice the hell out of the Simandl book. Whether or not you ever perform with a bow, it will help your mastery and inonation grow by leaps. Practice every single exercise with the bow and be very critical of your own intonation.

That being said, what you practice will depend a lot on what you play. Learning how to play jazz (I'd start with Improviser's Bass method by Chuck Sher) is a lot different from learning how to play Rockabilly\Slap. What kind of music do you play?

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Get a teacher.

 

[pnut166]

When I learned, I had a great teacher (my Dad!). I played bluegrass, had an old Kay/Engelhart hybrid. As far as standards, it would depend on your syle. "Sweet Georgia Brown" is a great standard that sorta crosses the genre line.

 

[Sarley]

Thats the thing i there is not a certain genre i play on double bass yet, on bass guitar im quite an all rounder (only dabbled in jazz but dont really remember anything because i didnt keep it up) but i suppose when i have got some stuff down jazz will be the best for any double bass player!


p.s do any of you guys live in london and would be up for helping me draw out some lesson plans?

 

[Steve Clark]

London UK or London Ontario?

 

[Sarley]

london uk

 

[Fletcher Lanning]

IMO, you have to approach the instrument with a performance in mind (even if it is an imaginary performance). You should listen to the wealth of DB music out there and hear what there is. Theres a lot of great jazzers out there (Ron Carter, Ray Brown, NHOP, Christian McBride, the list goes on and on). Medeski, Martin, and Wood is a really cool trio and wood does song really interesting stuff with the bass. I can't speak to Rockabilly past the Stray Cats in the 80's lol.