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Double Bass D# harmonic

#21
When in doubt, go up and ask the Conductor what you should have on your music. He will check the score and figure it out with you if not just tell you what the score says.
Last year we had a weird harmonic written and it turned out NOT to be a harmonic. The part was copied wrong from the arranger. There were other harmonics in the piece but the note in question was a fingered closed note.
Don't be scared to go up and ask. A good conductor will be helpfull and check if the music is wrong.
 
#22
KSB - Ken Smith said:
When in doubt, go up and ask the Conductor what you should have on your music. He will check the score and figure it out with you if not just tell you what the score says.
Last year we had a weird harmonic written and it turned out NOT to be a harmonic. The part was copied wrong from the arranger. There were other harmonics in the piece but the note in question was a fingered closed note.
Don't be scared to go up and ask. A good conductor will be helpfull and check if the music is wrong.
Click to expand...

Our our conductor is clue less he has been conducting for just 1 year. I did ask him and he said "I don't know about playing strings".

I did get a look at the score yesterday Saturday and it is indeed a F# harmonic that is called out. The notation in the bass part is just strange.

Joe
 
#24
>I can't figure out where to get a D# harmonic


three things:

1. there is a D#/Eb harmonic called for in "Portrait of Tracy" (electric bass) and it is accomplished by putting your finger on a D# and then putting your pinky lightly a fourth above it.

2. This same thing could be accomplished on the double bass by using the thumb on D# (third position, A string) and then putting the pinky on G# above it.

3. Mingus' celebrated harmonic technique may be of use ... put your finger on the D harmonic, then yank the string sideways with a hooked finger. The pitch should go up, and if you "pre-bend" the string, a D# will come out. It's a little hard to keep stable when in arco, but it's a solution.


Good luck!
 
#26
Harmonics sounded on the major third above the open string should sound the (would be) stopped pitch two octaves higher. So if you use the F# as the harmonic node it will sound F# on the second line from the top in treble clef. If the D# is notated with a diamond I would be led to believe that one should use the D# as the harmonic node. It will probably be difficult to get a harmonic to speak clearly but I bet that's what Strav. wanted.

Let us know what you find out, should be interesting
 
#28
This is Joe Taylor I am the orignater of this thread.

The bottom line is the score is notated wrong.

You just play the harmonic that sounds when you put your finger on the string at the #F on the D string. It will be flat, so you gently pull on the string to sharpen the note. Your pitch has to be in tune with the horns or it sounds real bad.

You can find the required note several places on the bass including just fingering the note up on the G string near the end of the finger board. I used an electronic tuner to hunt for it.

Joe
 
#30
It depends on the score you have the old one we had last year was not clear. It is the note that sounds when you play the harmonic found at the F# (b as I recall.) like I said before it can be found several places on the bass and you do have to pull the note to get it tune with the horns.

Joe

dodgy_ian said:
its just a d natural.

i have a score in front of me and it has a natural sign by it.

so just play it on a d harmonic on the A string I guess?

dodgy score or no glasses?!

dodge
Click to expand...
 
#36
Here is the real deal!

The diamond signifies an artifical harmonic. You are spposed to finger the string then play the harmonic where noted.

Fiddle players do this all the time, that is how they hit real high notes. The itty bitty size of the violin and viola that lets them do this. You might be able to do this on a cello but it woule be hard.

(there are three harmonic notations the circle, diamond and something esle I can't remember Google for Harmoinc Notation and you will find all of them and how to play them, beacuse of the size of the bass most of the time we bass players don't have to worry about anything but the circle.)

The key singature calles for D# and the harmonic played where F# would be. If you can finger a D# and play a harmonic at F# at the same time your a better bass player than me and you must have HUGE hands.

For the proper notaion there should have been a natural sign on the D#

The note sounded will be out of tune, flat, and needs to be bent/pulled to get the right pitch. I found that pushing the string from the G side of the string was the best way for me to do this. You have to match the French horns on this not or is sounds real bad.

When I first saw the notation I was confused as to what note to play. I contacted Dr. Mark Morton founder of ASODB and Tom Dirtheck instructer of DB at Sacaramento Start and University of the Pacific and look at the archives of the 2Xbass group to find the answer.
 

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