Double Bass A noob Question: What is meant by "Double Stop"?

[Bin Son of Bin]

Good evening fellow TB'ers. I have been going through the vast array of knowledge here on the TB site. It's amazing.

I've yet to buy my bass (I'm looking at a Shen 150) but I'm preparing by looking at the techniques section and I've come across the term that I'm sure is very familiar to many here but I'm afraid not to me.

What is meant by Double Stop?

 

[Febs]

Playing two notes at once. When you press down on the string to play a note, you are "stopping" the string. Stopping two strings simultaneously = double stop.

 

[Bin Son of Bin]

Playing two notes at once. When you press down on the string to play a note, you are "stopping" the string. Stopping two strings simultaneously = double stop.

What does a double stop look like on the cleff? In one of the pieces my group is playing there are two whole notes (G and Ab I think) in the same measure. The two whole notes are touching. Is that a double stop? or something else?

 

[danharris]

they are touching because they are being played at the same time and right beside each other. c and d will touch, as will d and e, and so on. one is on a space and one is on a line, there is not enough room so they touch and get staggered a little.

-edit, im so confused. sorry if my answer didn't fit. you guys got way over my head very fast. i looked at the chart at the link below and know what im looking at (self taught bassist, classically trained pianist). if we forget about the divisi, and play some notes in any given chord, (like on the chart)let them ring for their specified duration, then stop them. thats a double stop?

dont worry about answering that, ill look it up. i just wanted to apologize for saying dumb stuff. sorry

 

[Ryanpet42]

Something like this chord chart I just found. I know this is the orchestral thread, but within the sixth and suspended chords shown, there is the thing you are talking about, except not the same notes. However, in the music, does it say divisi and/or are the notes tied to the next measure with each note having its own stem? If so, that means every other person plays the top note, and those not playing top are playing the bottom note. But if not, then you can play it by fingering Ab on the D string and using the open G (assuming those are the pitches you are talking about).

 

[Ryanpet42]

Yes that is a double stop if the notes are touching.

 

[Bin Son of Bin]

Yes that is a double stop if the notes are touching.

Ok...So if I get you right, I can play both if I want or play one or the other depending on how many of us are playing that specific part? There is one other bass player with me. Should we each do one of the notes?

Ps: Thanks for taking the time with what must seem like such a noob question..It is very new to me...Thanks.

 

[Bin Son of Bin]

It does say Div btw.

 

[Ryanpet42]

Because it says Div. (abbreviation for divisi) then that means the person closest to the audience plays the top note and the person furthest plays the bottom note as there are only two people.

I have no problem helping people that need it, so I feel required to take time to help people regardless of the issue if I have experience.