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Double Bass Do you need solo strings?

tappingtrance

tappingtrance

Cooke Harvey
Jul 27, 2005
595
37
70
www.thesplashingpearls.com
#1
I have searched the forums and this question is not specifically asked - sorry if I missed it.

If I am looking at a piece of music that says the bass needs to tune to F#, B, E, A does that require solo strings? or can you tune up using orchestral strings? Thanks - I am getting ready to put Belcantos on.
 
#2
That means you should be in solo tuning when playing with any acompanyment. They will be in a key a whole tone higher and you need to mach. But, practicing by your self you don't need new strings. Though it is good to get used to the tension of solo strings.

You can tune up or orchs ( I have done so) but it may mess up your strings and puts way,way, to much pressure on the bass. It adds several hundred pounds of pressure to the bridge, sound post, and all the other parts. It is verry dangerous and I wouldn't try it.
 
#3
tappingtrance said:
I have searched the forums and this question is not specifically asked - sorry if I missed it.

If I am looking at a piece of music that says the bass needs to tune to F#, B, E, A does that require solo strings? or can you tune up using orchestral strings? Thanks - I am getting ready to put Belcantos on.
Click to expand...
You just spent upwards of $150 for some great strings. Why would you want to destroy them so soon?

If you plan to play the piece with the provided accompaniment, then yes, you'll need solo strings. I generally try to find sheet music for "orchestral tuning" if I can, to save myself the trouble.
 
#4
mcnaire2004 said:
You can tune up or orchs ( I have done so) but it may mess up your strings and puts way,way, to much pressure on the bass. It adds several hundred pounds of pressure to the bridge, sound post, and all the other parts. It is verry dangerous and I wouldn't try it.
Click to expand...

Tuning orchestra strings up only one whole tone each adds several hundred pounds of additional pressure? I agree that it would not be good practice at all but that seems like an extreme estimate.
 
#5
mcnaire2004 said:
You can tune up or orchs ( I have done so) but it may mess up your strings and puts way,way, to much pressure on the bass. It adds several hundred pounds of pressure to the bridge, sound post, and all the other parts. It is verry dangerous and I wouldn't try it.
Click to expand...

Sorry , but tuning orchestra strings to solo tuning doesn't add hundreds of pounds. for ex: A G string with 28 kgs tension tuned to A will have 35.2 kgs, thats 7.2 kgs more.
Im not saying that i agree with tuning orchestra strings to solo tuning, mainly because i dont even like most of the regular strings' tension that i consider too high specially for old instruments, but if both your bass and your arms can live with the added pressure (and the strings will hold), why not? but keep in mind that the sound will be different too ofcourse.
good luck

Nuno
 
#9
The Belcantos are relatively dark strings.
The most similar strings I know are Pirastro Flexocors.
Solo Flexocors tuned at orchestra pitch could be quite floppy though. For pizz this could be a problem.
Pirastro Original Flatchromes are thicker so they're less floppy when tuned down.
This is another alternative.

Danish made Jargars are available in three gauges; Dolces (green silk), Medium (blue silk) and Forte (red silk).
The Dolces are thin enough for solo tuning, and okay at orchestra pitch.
They're very dark and seem to bow very well.
 
#10
I have a set of the flexocor solos and love them. Very colorful and easy to bow. The first time you play in solo tuning, you'll never want to go back. For about a month, I just transposed all my parts for my orchestra class to get away with it. By the way, I recently switched to belcantos recently, and I think you're going to love them.
 
#11
I'm sure there are plenty of people here who will disagree with me, but I prefer the sound of orchestral tuning by far over the brightness of solo tuning. I'd nearly always choose to transpose the accompaniment part(s) instead of tuning up. This was discussed in another thread somewhere and Douglas Mapp was recommended for transposed accompaniments.

Completely off topic, what's up with the spelling, or rather the lack of it?? Typos are one thing, but there is some really atrocious spelling going on here.
 

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