Double Bass Big Band players, do you use vibrato?

[Sam Sherry]

Oh no, I killed the thread! Please carry on

Unless @BAJO (Carlos Henriquez) is on or the Ghost of Jiri Mraz starts posting, when it comes to the topic of "Big Band Bass" nobody on the board can touch you, John.

We just listen and appreciate. Every time Portland Jazz Orchestra plays a WDR chart I genuflect toward the east.

 

[gerry grable]

Unless @BAJO (Carlos Henriquez) is on or the Ghost of Jiri Mraz starts posting, when it comes to the topic of "Big Band Bass" nobody on the board can touch you, John.

We just listen and appreciate. Every time Portland Jazz Orchestra plays a WDR chart I genuflect toward the east.

Reminds me of the story about the elderly trombonist: One day at rehearsal, the music director says "Now there in measure 64, let's cut that whole note off on 3." The guy next to the old gentleman says "Aren't you going to mark your part?" "Nah, I wasn't going to be able to hold that note that long anyway."

Great joke to add to my joke list.

 

[djero44]

IME, I try to nail the notes at the precise pitch in relation to the piano (or guitar) when playing pizz, especially on a ballad. No vibrato ... like the low strings of an in-tune piano. There's always a time and place for vibrato, but I hear my first obligation as providing the precise pitch for all of the other instruments to get in tune with. Vibrato can make the intonation a little wonky, especially in the low register. There might be many exceptions of course!

Here's an example of a ballad with the WDR Big Band on "My Romance" arranged by Dave Horler. The intro is unison bass trombone, piano and bass—vibrato wouldn't really help that passage. I want to match the pitches with the bass trombone and piano exactly, without any fuzziness around the core of the pitch. I don't really use any vibrato, as you can see at the little ensemble section snippet at 1:16 and at 1:29. When I play a solo beginning at 5:10, then I'm using vibrato on some of the notes. When I go back into time for the trumpet solo at about 6:15 then I’m not using vibrato. That's how I hear it

Wow, everything about this is absolutely lovely! Your playing is amazing, and I really like the drummers brush work on this one.

Thank you for sharing.