Double Bass French AND German: Made you better on primary?

[mheintz]

I play German, but in the interest of expanding horizons, I'm considering spending some serious time with French for the next year or two. In particular, I'd like to spend some time with Rabbath and really dig in. Have you found that learning the other style made you made better with your primary bow? Have any of you tried switching up later in life (e.g. to facilitate teaching students)?

 

[Anonymous75966]

Have you found that learning the other style made you made better with your primary bow?

Absolutely. I've played French for 12 years, and started on the cello before that, so that style is probably always going to be the 'primary.' I did one semester on German in school but haven't used it much since - then picked up a cheap one this summer. Mostly because I'd felt like my French grip was, I don't know, a little tired, hit a plateau, something. Also with a vague plan about being able to teach more students at some point - and also because, as a modern classical / outside jazz / improv specialist, I'd seen enough phenomenal German players in that style that I wanted to see if any new insights came out of it (Mark Dresser, Torsten Mueller, Joe Williamson, William Parker, et cetera).

So I gave the German stick a few months as my main bow and found it a pretty easy switch - much more so than my last crack at it in music school. I really focused on keeping the right arm relaxed, paid a lot of attention to economy of motion and clean articulation, did a lot more really basic practicing than I've done in a while. Eventually I settled back on French - and BOOM: suddenly I felt I had a more relaxed hold, better contact with the string and sound production than I'd had before.

If you read between the lines of what I'm saying, the choice of bow is probably incidental to the kind of practice and attention that came with making the switch - but trying the other stick is a good kick in the pants for that. My impression is that almost all of the technique is transferable. I'm still bringing the German bow to maybe one gig in four, just to keep the wheels spinning. I don't think it's a big deal to learn both, highly recommend it.

 

[mheintz]

My impression is that almost all of the technique is transferable.

Thank you for the insight. That's great to hear. It might be just the ticket for me to refocus on fundamentals.

 

[NotACello]

wouldn't practicing the german bow make you better at the german bow?

 

[ClassicalBass]

This story is somewhat off topic, but I'll tell it anyway, since it carries some relevance.

A few years ago, I had to get my bow rehaired, and at that time, I didn't have a backup bow. So, for the two or three days I waited, I was stuck using some old violin bow around the house....and without any bass rosin, but only violin rosin, it was a pain to get any sound out of it. But, I focused on relaxing as I played, and eventually managed to get a decent, though not very loud, sound quality.

When I got my own bow back, I found that my sound projected much more, and with less effort on my part. Though, come to think of it, it may have been due to the fact that the hair was new.

I still think my sound improved a lot over that short period.

 

[Anonymous75966]

wouldn't practicing the german bow make you better at the german bow?

I think we're sort of taking that as understood, but yes: practicing the german bow did make me better at the german bow.