Double Bass Double bass playing melodies using only the harmonics?

[JBarz]

No one guessed the tune I was getting at last time, so I guess “you’ll never know…”

This one should be easier to guess, but I’m not sure if I am doing this right…?

https://youtube.com/shorts/BWfZFPEHVRE?feature=share

It’s tripping me out, like I’m sometimes almost making the harmonics pop out by force of will alone (some real quantum “dancing wu li masters” kinda stuff), but then I think my internal voice is maybe making my perspective less than objective… my brain is really enjoying the puzzle of trying to map this stuff out, though - sometimes super intuitive, sometimes totally not.

 

[garrett2]

This is astonishing. What an amazing player.

 

[Paps]

Thanks for sharing! That guy was in a trace playing that haunting version.
Amazing stuff!

 

[Papageno]

I believe one can play an entire D major scale with natural harmonics only. So (diatonic) melodies in D come to mind.

 

[damonsmith]

Bells Plucked From Air: Bass Harmonics Book from Kyle Motl

 

[garrett2]

Bells Plucked From Air: Bass Harmonics Book from Kyle Motl

It's an excellent book. His album just came out as well. Is there an equivalent book for post-Scodanibbio arco harmonics?

 

[Sean Riddle]

It's an excellent book. His album just came out as well. Is there an equivalent book for post-Scodanibbio arco harmonics?

Mark Dresser's instructional video/book Guts is the resource for that. A lot of people would benefit from exploring Scodanibbio and Dresser's work with harmonics. I recently did an orchestral gig where one of the pieces was Ravel's Mother Goose Suite, where there is a lot of harmonics played in the lower register. The other bassists in the section didn't even know you could play the 4th and 5th partial in the lower register, let alone that every equal tempered note and in between has a harmonic that goes with it. It's very important knowledge all of us bassists should know.

 

[garrett2]

Thanks! I'm really addicted to The Voyage that Never Ends. I listen to it pretty much every day.

 

[csrund]

 

[Reggie Hamilton]

John Hood has a great book on harmonics. Adam Novick has a great one for bass guitar. We just have to cover more real estate. This young fellow did pretty well, speaking of “Portrait Of Tracy.”

 

[damonsmith]

It's an excellent book. His album just came out as well. Is there an equivalent book for post-Scodanibbio arco harmonics?

Yeah, Guts and Kyle pretty much covers it in here, you can do any of it arco.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

Quarrington never ceases to amaze, the harmonics are beautiful

Silvestrov Postlude #3 A Prayer for Peace in Ukraine

His comments:
“I first encountered the music of Valentin Silvestrov when I was with the Toronto Symphony and conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste programmed his Symphony #5. This incredibly moving piece had a huge effect on me and I started to search out more of his music. Besides his nine symphonies, and exquisite chamber music and songs, he has composed and recorded the most beautiful liturgical settings in choral music. In my arrangement of the cello Postlude I moved everything down a fourth from the original (D to A) but kept all the octave relationships and harmonics as intended.”

 

[koricancowboy]

Gavotte 2 from Suite Im Alten Stil has a great melody using harmonics.

 

[dperrott]

Bells Plucked From Air: Bass Harmonics Book from Kyle Motl

I was going to recommend this. Did a little repair for him and he gave me the book. Its very informative

 

[damonsmith]

I was going to recommend this. Did a little repair for him and he gave me the book. Its very informative

His Upton is the first one I've been impressed with. In any case, he makes it sound incredible. He is a fantastic player.

 

[Sean Riddle]

This is a great solo piece from one of Mark Dresser’s solo albums.