Double Bass Divisi when only one player available

[Andy Mopley]

how do you go in terms of picking which part suits better? Apart from the easier of the two ;-) or 3....

Regards to all

 

[neilG]

It depends on the music. See if one of the cello parts covers the upper note or if the tuba covers the bottom note. Is your part vital to the harmony, or just doubling something? Most of the time, you'll play the bottom part.
Don't ask the conductor, you'll just confuse them and force them to come up with an opinion they never had before.

 

[Andy Mopley]

Pohadka (J Suk) end of intermezzo...pretty "naked"here.. except for timpani, Neil. Thanks for the attention as always.
No one else playing..

 

[STRMan]

Why not play both notes?

 

[SteveCS]

Why not play both notes?

Good luck bowing the octaves!!

 

[Andy Mopley]

Now now..
;-)

 

[SteveCS]

Now now..
;-)

TBH, you could and maybe should play both in the second measure. Picking one or the other presents a dilemma. You are the only string playing the 5th ('celli have root and 3rd), so that seems like a natural choice, but you also have the low root - it you take the 5th you put the chord into 2nd inversion which will sound odd and possibly weak. After that you can safely just play the bottom part as 'celli have 3rd and 5th with viola doubling up on the root above.

...
don't ask the conductor, you'll just confuse them
...

As there is only one of you, why not invite yourself to the 'cello sectional and work something out there. Perhaps 'celli can go three ways to get back-fill low A as you take the low D. In all seriousness, you really should defer to the director/conductor. In the end, the conductor is responsible for the overall sound produced by the orchestra.

 

[s van order]

Agree with SteveCS on talking to the cellos. Cellos could split three ways and add in the top bass divisi line at pitch. Ime, there are usually plenty of cellos sitting around , maybe your orchestra has this situation? I’d enjoy playing that top line if I was sitting in the back of the cellos near the bass.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

I would choose the bottom line first time(s) through.
If you play the top line you sound higher than the lowest cello, which would probably not be the composer’s intention.

I might try the higher line later.

 

[longfinger]

Pohadka (J Suk) end of intermezzo...pretty "naked"here.. except for timpani, Neil. Thanks for the attention as always.
No one else playing..

Play the bottom line.