Electric Bass to Double Bass

[I_TheW1tchfnder]

hey y'all. I play an electric bass but am wanting to try out double bass. I was just curious how the technique differs between each. for example, If I where to learn to play a fretless electric would It translate well to a double bass? any information is appreciated.

 

[Lee Moses]

I would recommend checking out the threads over on the Double Bass side of TB. Plenty on this subject. But I will generally say that the technique for electric bass does not translate over to double bass, for the most part. The tuning is the same, so if you know your EB fingerboard well, you have a decent general idea of the layout of the DB fingerboard. But the right hand attack is very different. The left hand spacing is very different. The approach to shifting needs to be much more intentional. Really, the only way to learn to play the DB is to play the DB. And get a teacher!

 

[robert_stuart]

hey y'all. I play an electric bass but am wanting to try out double bass. I was just curious how the technique differs between each. for example, If I where to learn to play a fretless electric would It translate well to a double bass? any information is appreciated.

Caveat: I just like disagreeing with the consensus.

It's not hard at all to pick up double bass from electric. It's really similar. Two days ago at an open jam, I let this gal play my upright. She plays guitar, trumpet, and think electric bass. I gave her 15 seconds of intro (here's how you hold it), and she sounded fine, playing a bluegrass song. Fine for a beginner, of course.

Nothing to be scared of. Give one in a shop a try. See what you think. Learning upright will only help your electric playing.

 

[daveman50]

Give it a try but be careful. The scale length of the DB is much longer and the strings are bigger. Most DB players do not use their left-hand ring finger until they are quite far up the neck. It's easy to create hand, arm and shoulder injuries. So unless you only want to fool around from time to time, best to get a teacher. Good luck! I switched over a few years ago and I barely play my electric basses any more. I've been taking DB lessons every other week for four years.

 

[fdeck]

I switched from electric to upright after high school, but it's not quite fair to describe it that way because my first instrument was cello. I took some electric bass lessons after I had been playing in the school jazz band for a few years. The first thing my teacher did was to start me on 1-2-4 fingering.

My advice is that the technique transfers to some extent, if you have good 1-2-4 technique on electric bass. This includes smooth shifting, and minimal pressure on your left thumb. If you have a "monkey grip" approach, you might be able to function on electric that way, but it won't get you very far on upright. But good electric technique is only a start and not a substitute for getting a teacher.

Bad electric bass technique doesn't transfer to upright very well.

 

[pklima]

I also switched a long time ago. Got an EUB because that seemed less scary, though I'd recommend getting a proper acoustic DB right away, and a decent bow even if you're only looking to perform non-bowed music. Open Simandl (or get opinions on newer methods) on page 1 and start. I literally played in public the week I got the EUB - again, I'd recommend giving it more time than that, but you should be able to thump out roots in half-position/first position with half-decent intonation pretty quickly.

 

[mambo4]

The understanding of fingerboard patterns and the geometry of the neck only translates partially. The neck is roughly 120% longer, all those shapes scale with it. For me that adjustment takes time and awareness. It is also physically more demanding and you need to incorporate your whole body in all motion. (this is true of the bass guitar too, but doubly so on double bass). It will test your calluses and endurance.

The most important transferrable attribute is your ears and mental understanding of music beyond the instrument.

 

[pklima]

Ergonomics and good form matter a lot more, definitely. Straight wrists, keeping the bass at an angle where you're not supporting the back of the neck with your thumb but it's falling "into" your fingers just a little bit... Oh, and go with a German bow.

 

[Lionel Albert]

hey y'all. I play an electric bass but am wanting to try out double bass. I was just curious how the technique differs between each. for example, If I where to learn to play a fretless electric would It translate well to a double bass? any information is appreciated.

Fretted or fretless it helps but only if you use Simandl fingering except for thumb position.
Use more open strings and don't think in patterns but notes.
Name them when you're playing, write exercices (not tabs) but things on a staff in bass clef.
I did this, I've been playing the double bass for two years now.
I play with professionals, it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't done it.

 

[JamesGrant]

That’s how I started. The one thing I don’t like to be without is dots on the side of the fingerboard. If they are there then I can get going immediately, if not then I lack bravery to move beyond 1st position (and with good reason!!)

 

[Pings Bass]

The notes are the same, but that's where the similarity ends.

I recommend finding a good teacher. Bass guitar is easy to play with bad technique, but double bass is unforgiving.

 

[Lionel Albert]

I forgot to say that a fretless bass is visual, you can't play it well when your eyes are closed. You can do it on double bass.

 

[KenSmithFan]

Don’t waste your time playing a fretless electric bass as some kind of “middle ground” between electric bass and upright. A fretless is just a bass without frets. An upright is a whole other animal.

 

[Ric Vice]

hey y'all. I play an electric bass but am wanting to try out double bass. I was just curious how the technique differs between each. for example, If I where to learn to play a fretless electric would It translate well to a double bass? any information is appreciated.

Most doublers started out on Double Bass so the fingering, intonation and positioning was already worked out beforehand. The tension on DB strings gets higher as you move up the neck. It’s a bigger challenge as you pass the heel of the neck. Fretless Electric has very little in common with the Double bass. Double Bass Fingerboards are curved to match the arch of the bridge and beveled under the E String, Fretless Electric’s feel flat by comparison. Using a bow, develops your intonation and hand strength on the Double Bass. Although some have tried, bowing a EB with a standard bridge is not recommended When you play DB, your hand moves in a vertical plane, with a Fretless EB it’s a horizontal plane. I prefer playing DB because that’s where I started. I play EB cause it’s the predominant sound of the 60’s,70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s music. Just my take of course. One last thing the cost of strings and maintenance on a DB can get quite expensive and it won’t fit in your Honda Fit. Some thing to think about.

 

[evanrunyon]

If doing classic country, Americana, or bluegrass is what you’re after I’m confident I could get any half-decent bass guitarist to convincingly hang at a jam in an afternoon.

 

[logdrum]

You should try it, hopefully no money transfer involved -- fine someone who would let you It is expensive . I bought a lot of used strings before 2021. Buying those today new would be in the thousands. The good news is the strings can stay on the bass for a long time

I actually started on an EUB, when BSX was just starting out and he used magnetic pickups . Then my band leader gave me access to a Ampeg Baby Bass in 1995 I got a real one. I remember it because it was in Oakland the day Jerry Garcia died, Had to sell that one and I was bass less for about 4 years , my friend lent me his while he was renovating his house and I finally got my own again in 2015 and got a second one immediately after that, One is smaller 1/2 (9/16 ) size -- 38 scale and the other one is 42.

When I got the EUB it was when I was playing in a mainly Latin dance band - but I took lessons with as teacher and he told me to bow ASAP and I slogged through Simandl Part 1 --- Helped a lot. He was an active rock and metal bass player though.. This was NYC

I think I have improved finally in the last 6 years it would have come sooner if I focused and this is what you need. I see so many doubllers and not enough time is given to the DB. The DB has a lot of sounds specially if you use a bow. I am not an orchestral player but in my trios and conducted improvisation 12 piece , I bow 60 - 90 % and on the 12 piece there are string players who play in orchestras or chamber groups and they will scowl at bad bow technique.

It will fit on a Honda Fit BTW. I have a wide bodied 3/4 (the most common size) and I can get it to fit in my Jetta sedan and the previous owner on a Civic.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Double bass requires careful alignment and use of most of the large muscles in the body. Fingering with the left hand is NOT about squeezing the left hand tightly, it's about using the mass and weight of your entire left arm to advantage; injuries can occur when someone attempts to play DB using only the muscles of the left hand.

In my experience, DB focuses on achieving beautiful sounding quarter, half, and whole notes of correct duration, which is something most electric bass players don't pay enough attention to.

 

[pklima]

That's also true; the first time I played with "real" bowed strings musicians I very quickly realized they don't just start the notes when written and let the volume drop off whenever, they also end the notes when written.

 

[StyleOverShow]

Took me a month to make a decent sound, it’s very different, and oddly the same. There’s a lot to learn, with both hands, but the rewards are astounding, an acoustic bass with real woody tone.

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

any information is appreciated.

So Anyway, before even trying to play a DB, make sure you consider what it takes to transport and maintain one.
I was never able to get past the logistics of trying to gig with one.

I'd also probably be very annoying on DB, so there's that.

Good Luck with your decision.