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Double Bass Double Bass duets/trios/more

P

pclarkbassman

Mar 8, 2008
10
0
Utah
#1
I've been searching online at various music websites looking for reviews on double bass ensemble music (all basses, not like the Trout or other ensembles that have bass in it). Trouble is, It's been hard finding good reviews or if people have liked the content in the books.

btw, this is for arranging my private studio to do a recital with nothing but ensemble music. Therefore I'm fine with a wide array of difficulty ranging from beginner to advanced.

What are your opinions/experience with music that you've played? Also, please include the difficulty of the music.
 
#3
When I was an active teacher, I found that part of the lesson devoted to duets was very valuable. The student tends to copy your vibrato, bowing, etc. without a lot of explanations. Not many were available so I started writing my own. The result was "Melodic Duets" - a collection of 19 duets ranging from easy to mod. advanced. If you would like to try one (free!), go to asodb.org and download "Spirituals" by me. Give it a try.
Tom Gale
[email protected]
 
#4
Thanks Tom. I'll check it out.

@Neil- mostly anything. I'd like to steer away from popular folk tunes and corny songs. more classical (lesser known, the better), jazz, latin, other world music, etc... I'd prefer music that you (or others that may post) have played before and enjoyed. again, I'm looking for music up to advanced. professional stuff like the grand duo concerto, etc is not possible (not to mention that it's not for two or more basses)
 
#7
I've arranged and composed a number duets and trios for bass, played here in Kansas City by my children's teachers. I try to write an upper line that is more challenging and a lower line that is easy (and a middle difficulty line in a trio). I've got some Bach and Mozart, including "lesser known" pieces. Most of what I've written is for bass-bass, but I've got cello-bass versions too. I've also written an original fun piece that quite a few local teachers have requested, written in D-Dorian mode for a spooky sound. Last, I was just thinking of writing a few more, so if you have some requests I'd probably be willing to give a new duet or trio a try (assuming I also enjoy the piece).
 
#8
I know this has been mentioned on a number of logs/forums previously, and it may not be germane in this context. But I recall with some astonishment, mirth and incredulity, Messer's Brown, Meyers and Wooten doing a trio thing on a way early Lonesome Pine Special, and a rather comedic, duo-bass trade-off thing between Edgar and Vic during the same telecast, and a . . . . . Well, I guess you're just going to have to find those YouTube links yourselves. I've sort of lost track of them. Regards.
 
#9
Thanks for all the info. I've already utilized some of those resources all of you have shared. What about music for 5+ basses? anyone have any luck there? (I know Dave Anderson has a few, but my younger students would mess their little pants trying to play that stuff).
 
#12
Tom Gale said:
When I was an active teacher, I found that part of the lesson devoted to duets was very valuable. The student tends to copy your vibrato, bowing, etc. without a lot of explanations. Not many were available so I started writing my own. The result was "Melodic Duets" - a collection of 19 duets ranging from easy to mod. advanced. If you would like to try one (free!), go to asodb.org and download "Spirituals" by me. Give it a try.
Tom Gale
[email protected]
Click to expand...

The Melodic Duets are available from Lemur along with my other books.

Tom Gale
 
#13
I've played seven sonorities for double bass trio. It's got some pretty good stuff, a little challenging in places.

The other thing that I found to be really good are cello duets from the Suzuki method, and the older cello duet books. Most of them read well for a bass, the occasional octave jump for low D and C. It also sounds pretty good with just two bases.
 
#14
beethoven's drei equali (for trombones) sound just terrific on bass---they are short, dark, playable, beautiful, on imslp, and require absolutely no transposition. they're fantastic for intonation work, and while they're not especially challenging in terms of dexterity/speed, because they sit at varied ranges across the fingerboard, they will give a little bit of work to any level of student, whether they're still in first position or in thumb. and the finished product will be totally suitable for any audience, even one not predisposed to listening to bass--in part because they're written by beethoven, and in part because the writing itself is so beautiful.
 
#16
ifg said:
beethoven's drei equali (for trombones) sound just terrific on bass---they are short, dark, playable, beautiful, on imslp, and require absolutely no transposition. they're fantastic for intonation work, and while they're not especially challenging in terms of dexterity/speed, because they sit at varied ranges across the fingerboard, they will give a little bit of work to any level of student, whether they're still in first position or in thumb. and the finished product will be totally suitable for any audience, even one not predisposed to listening to bass--in part because they're written by beethoven, and in part because the writing itself is so beautiful.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, tried them yesterday, good stuff as you say, a little challenging with the tempo using some YouTube rendition as a a benchmark..particularly first movement..
 
#17
What do you think of the Mozart k.581 here on 8-notes? (under Double Bass downloads). It is one of those little-known Mozart pieces with a very memorable, wonderful melody. This arrangement for 3 bass parts is particularly nice for teachers in that it has an easy, intermediate and advanced line. The "Sleuth" piece here on 8-notes is also a favorite.
 

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