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Double Bass Does electric bass fingering work on double bass? No.
- Thread starter damonsmith
- Start date
damonsmith said:
It is my assertion that it is similar, and just as easy, given the right teacher, which is hard to find. It's ok to have different opinions on it, we don't both have to be right.
gerry grable said:
I think you're right - for me, when I pull the biggest sound from the bass when playing arco, I absolutely need the string to be very firmly pressed. The only difference is that to get a big bow sound (for me) the arm must be very relaxed, and the sound is generated with speed and controlled weight.
Ray Brown's equal hands theory is correct. I play mostly arco & things that I can get away with with the bow in the left hand (pivots, 1-2-3-4, and a lot different thumb position techniques) are fine with the bow or to lesser extent pizz with an amp but are just NOT going to fly with a huge, loud acoustic pizzicato sound.
Personally I use a lot of pressure to hold down the string when playing arco, but each to his own
What you are saying gives false hopes, is far from proven, and is a disservice.
It is not at all similar - just in terms of the bass guitarist having to transform into a string player from a guitar player. That alone takes years.
It is also not easy, there are tons of bassists who make music on the instrument using traditional fingering methods.
So far, only a few of the top players playing rigorously studying the instrument have been successful with 1-2-3-4.
Me too - it just takes a lot more for pizz playing. Though nobody knows WHAT you do.
damonsmith said:
Jeez Damon, lay off! We have different opinions and play differently. So what. Relax, man
Just stop with the "everything is equal" schtick. The world is not an amorphous blob. Things are different from other things. Playing techniques are different than other playing techniques.
Bass guitar & double bass are different.
Pizzicato & arco are different.
Different genres require different approaches.
Etc.
Bass guitar & double bass are different.
Pizzicato & arco are different.
Different genres require different approaches.
Etc.
damonsmith said:
I don't even know what you're talking about any more. Of course things are different. Um. ? Things are different.
damonsmith said:
I see you've edited your explanations into your original post. Ok. I understand now.
Yes. All those things are different. Bravo.
Ha! So much discussion, so many opinions. After about 200 posts, we discover a revelation.
Things... Are different.
I'm glad we teased that out.
Anyway, getting back to 1-2-3-4 (EB) fingerings on DB. I was wondering if this latest development has become a possibility due to string technology advancing? Could better set-up be opening new ways of thinking about DB fingerings, or am I way off?
Things... Are different.
I'm glad we teased that out.
Anyway, getting back to 1-2-3-4 (EB) fingerings on DB. I was wondering if this latest development has become a possibility due to string technology advancing? Could better set-up be opening new ways of thinking about DB fingerings, or am I way off?
1-2-3-4(eb) is not possible and will never be possible because the hand must pivot or shift until the string length changes as well as locate the pitch exactly. 1-2-3-4(db) has been possible for years (Franke, Art Davis, etc.). But I think it it gaining ground again due to set up.
Huh? Point of AGREEMENT. One thing besides set up is the fact that there really are nice double basses with 40 inch scales out there. I don't know about everyone else but the difference between a 101cm and a 107cm string measure is huge for me. Custom string maker Gerold Genssler's able to make really nice sounding strings for shorter scale basses. Companies like Velvet offer a similar production line string at a cheaper price. I find it hard to believe that a beginning double bass student would be able handle 43 inch (110cm)scale bass with a 1 2 3 4 fingering method. One of NHOP's student's here at TBDB talked about the fact that he disliked longer string measure basses. Could that be because of his fingering choices?
Ok,
What I'm reading is that Art is saying the FINGERING (1-2-3-4) and TECHNIQUE (pivots in the wrist) are two separate things. In Art's posts the actual hand shapes can be retained from EB with some work on physical technique. Damon is keeping the TECHNIQUE and FINGERING together as one system. I'm really beginning to see that there is a failure to communicate topped off with "mine is bigger than yours" debate.
What I'm reading is that Art is saying the FINGERING (1-2-3-4) and TECHNIQUE (pivots in the wrist) are two separate things. In Art's posts the actual hand shapes can be retained from EB with some work on physical technique. Damon is keeping the TECHNIQUE and FINGERING together as one system. I'm really beginning to see that there is a failure to communicate topped off with "mine is bigger than yours" debate.
I thought both sides did extremely well. What's wrong with that. After all, we are brought up in an adversarial style of debate whether we know it or not. I think their differences of opinion are exaggerated by the one dimensional limitations of the web. It's funny. People seem miffed that younger players "PLAY THAT WAY" (one dimensionally) and not "FROM THE HEART". I got news for ya' Michael. If you spend too much time on this stuff, ei. computers, cell phones etc., you become like them. This was a good old fashioned argument with all the fixin's.
I was just clarifying the issue for myself. I was beginning to see that things were getting cloudy. IMHO the two sides were escalating and not seeing that the difference of opinion was due to a slight difference in outlook. The devil is in the details and all that.
