Double Bass Beethoven 5 mvt 3

[Bassthomps]

Yea, you know what i am talking about... so let's get down to business. I am making good progress on the trio but it is the beginning that has gotten to me. I have practiced starting with one note, and adding one more note each time and this has helped my evenness considerably, but I want to know what kind of practice techniques help you. Please post what practice techniques you have used to help you perfect the intro to the third movement of Beethoven's fifth.

 

[Andrew Grandahl]

Are you using a metronome?

 

[Bassthomps]

I have never played it without one.

 

[MDEbass]

I just played this excerpt in an audition this morning, so I've been working on it the past few weeks pretty intensively. Here's a few tips that I came up with:

I don't typically take it one note at a time, but if this helps you, go for it. I like to break the excerpt into even smaller excerpts. If there are a few measures that are more difficult than others, break off those measures and practice those alone. You get the idea....

Keeping the tempo very consistent throughout this excerpt is especially important, being as rhythmic as it is. Make sure you subdivide evenly, etc.

One of the first things I do when studying an excerpt is experiment with fingerings. Try out all kinds of fingerings. Really take your time. Sometimes a big cause for not having an excerpt as clean sounding is bad fingerings. But once you decide, commit to those fingerings and stick with it. Be sure they are comfortable.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[joshxlambert]

a simple thing to help with the right hand is just play open strings where the notes would be, helped me alot

 

[Bassthomps]

Those are all great techniques, and actually playing the open strings without fingering is something I learned from Zimmerman's book, I saw a post about it just a few minutes ago. And I normally like trying different fingerings but I have the Zimmerman's (not the author...) bass fingerings and I have been working for muscle memory so I don't want to change them too much. I really need to subdivide evenly, thanks for reminding me.

 

[Square Bear]

from a technical standpoint, there are a couple things that i do when i practice/play this excerpt that may be helpful to you. one is keep the hair of the bow tilted (stick tilted toward you) for the quiet legato sections, as well as playing a bit sul tasto. it really can't be too quiet. tilting the stick also changes the angle of the hair for the string crossings and helps me stay even and legato. also, in general i like to think of the placement of your body in relationship to your bass, as if you have a "position" for playing on each string, if that makes sense. on this excerpt though, it starts on the E string, but i feel like i have to be in the position of playing on G from the very beginning. sometimes i play the C on the G string before i start so as to set up that position, so that when i reach the top of the phrase, i'm physically prepared for legato playing on the G string, rather than shifting into that position and getting there too late (i hope this is not confusing, it's hard to explain in text). everything else that's been suggested here is good advice as well. playing it for muscle memory is the right idea too, especially stuff like the big shift up to Ab in the F minor section... it really has to be automatic. maybe this is helpful, maybe not, but keep us posted on what's working for you. good luck!

 

[Bassthomps]

Yea, getting in the position for the g string really helps me get my bow closer to the next string to make string changes smooth. And I have been working on keeping my bow hair flat for the Dittersdorf concerto so I wasn't tilted in nearly enough. I just tried it out and I have to say, if I keep concentrating and repeating it, I think I will have it down. Thanks a lot for the help, and I hope someone else will stumble upon all this advice!