Double Bass Findeisen....

[Ggordon]

I am about to start going through the Findeisen technical studies series.

Any advice ?
Just start at Nr 1 and go forward?
Thanks for any help
G

 

[Dbass926]

Hold yourself to finding good solutions to the problems it presents - don't let yourself just bash through the book at "good enough" level. Actually solving these problems is what it's all about, and it's going to suck all the way along, but you'll be better off on the other side.
Godspeed.

 

[Ggordon]

Hold yourself to finding good solutions to the problems it presents - don't let yourself just bash through the book at "good enough" level. Actually solving these problems is what it's all about, and it's going to suck all the way along, but you'll be better off on the other side.
Godspeed.

Yes I figured as much!
Thanks for this.

 

[David Potts]

You must be a glutton for punishment!! I just pulled out my copies and noticed that I didn't get far past No. 1 which I had broken up into four sections rather than take on the mental and physical endurance feats of playing end-to-end non stop. I also pulled out my Simandl Gradus ad Parnassum that has long studies too and, page after page, is more boring than Findeisen. There is book after book of difficult studies in my library that would take me another lifetime to work through but I keep coming back to the level of Sturm 110 Studies and Slama 66 Studies In All Keys where exercises are shorter and more musical. These are more like the level of orchestral parts I often play and the challenge is to play them really well and yet have time to practice other material as well. At this stage of my life and career I guess I am more in maintenance mode than trying to climb Mount Everest. For example I am unlikely to ever play Richard Strauss' Heldenleben or Zarathustra again!

My best advice is to break each study up into sections and be very clear minded about what are the challenges presented and how much time should be devoted to polishing results before moving on. The analogy I use is the juicing of an orange. A commercial business calculates how to extract the most juice in the shortest time and may settle for only 80% whereas you and I may get more but take twice as long.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

Thanks David.
Both Sturm 110 Studies and Slama 66 Studies are available as a free download:

Sturm 110 studies for contrabass vol. 1 - Free Download PDF

https://tubascope.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/66etudesinallmaj00slam.pdf

For these kind of free downloads I supply the link to my local print shop. They make a spiral bound booklet for me, at minimal cost. You can also just use an iPad of course.

Here is a 140 page document on Findeisen that may be of interest:
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[Andy Mopley]

Interesting reference:
* ) A line under finger numeral indicates that the hand is inclined toward bridge
**) A line over finger numeral indicates that the hand is inclined toward scroll

What do you make of "inclined toward bridge/scroll" - is it referring to the general position of the fingering hand in relation to the bridge/scroll? Again, hadn't seen this before..

Thanks for the links, CV.

 

[David Potts]

I think it refers to shifting up or down to the indicated finger or for us, if close enough, pivoting between adjacent positions. This might also show which string to move to?

 

[CaseyVancouver]

I think it refers to shifting up or down to the indicated finger or for us, if close enough, pivoting between adjacent positions.

You would think this is what Slama means, but it does not work out.
I just ignore the shifting and fingering suggestions.

Both the Sturm and Slama exercises transposed up to thumb position are an enjoyable intro to the high end of the board.

 

[Andy Mopley]

Also, he is quite fond of the A harmonic on the D string... which doesn't quite sound right to me, on some of the etudes?

 

[neilG]

I would ignore most of those old-school fingerings.