Double Bass Db major scale and general 3rd finger usage

[TomGale]

Tom, would you or someone else please explain exactly what you mean by "pivot" - I'm not sure I'm understanding this terms correctly. As specific example would be great - do you mean you somehow switch fingers but at the same spot on the neck, this as a way of moving the hand up?

-S-

I'll try. I think of a pivot as moving the hand but not the thumb. Back to the first example of the B2 to the C#4. In normal closed hand (Simandl), the B2 to C4 is correct but to reach a C# instead would require a shift but it can also be done by keeping the thumb in place (no shift) and pivot on it to reach a 1/2 step higher - the C#4. Then back to the B2. It's a handy technique when dealing with rapid figures. Change the [[: G#, A, A#, B, C#, B, A#, A, :]] to all sixteenths 3 or 4 times in a row - [[: 1,2,1,2, (p) 4 (p) ,2,1,2 :]] Try it slowly and keep picking up speed. Its faster and cleaner at high speeds than the Simandl [[: 1,2,4, (shift) 1,4,1,(shift) 4,2 :]] Let us know how you made out.
Tom Gale

 

[Steve Freides]

OK, that makes sense now. To tell the truth, when I do something like B2 to C#4, I have no idea if I'm moving my thumb or not - I'll try to notice which comes naturally and then try it both ways to see.

Thanks.

-S-

 

[TomGale]

OK, that makes sense now. To tell the truth, when I do something like B2 to C#4, I have no idea if I'm moving my thumb or not - I'll try to notice which comes naturally and then try it both ways to see.

Thanks.

-S-

Also keep in mind the whole hand - but not the thumb - moves 1/2 step up and back. The thumb - at least mine does roll slightly. Don't lock down any fingers. When you perfect that, try pivoting a 1/2 step down in pitch. That comes in handy too.

 

[JayR]

Tom, would you or someone else please explain exactly what you mean by "pivot" - I'm not sure I'm understanding this terms correctly. As specific example would be great - do you mean you somehow switch fingers but at the same spot on the neck, this as a way of moving the hand up?

-S-

It's sort of like playing in position on bass guitar in the lower register. You're operating in a single 1-2-3-4 finger-per-half-step hand position, but unless you have monster goliath hands, you're probably using your thumb as an anchor to pivot your hand slightly forward and back within the position instead of hyper-extending your fingers. It's kind of similar to the hand motions produced with vibrato.