Double Bass Bottesini Gran Duo Tuning

[Ryker_M]

Hi everyone! Being the masochist that I am, I'm going to learn the Bottesini Gran Duo with an amazing violinist from school. I have no doubt in my mind that we're both capable of learning it; but my question is what tuning is used for the bass part? The music that I have has the solo bass part written in B-flat. I have no problem with transposing the bass part, but if I can avoid it by using the proper tuning, that would be great.

I can only assume that solo tuning is the preferred tuning setup for this music.

 

[mcnaire2004]

Solo tuning is the most common scondatura tuning for bass. Almost everything written for bass & piano or bass & orchestra (in this case bass, violin, and piano/orchestra) calls for it. You'll be tuned (from bottom to top) F#-B-E-A. This pitches your instrument one step higher than normal. You still read the opening note (C#) as a C#, but in the tuning, it will actually sound like a D#.

And yes, you should buy a strings designed for this tuning.

Everything Bottsini (including this piece) you can get by with just the B-E-A (with a E on bottom) if you wish.

I dare venture to say that many parts of this piece will be absolutely impossible if you just try and transpose it in standard "Orchestra" tuning.

Hope this helps.

-Max