Im writing as essay on the history of the double bass/ development of the double bass. If anyone could help me out with asome info or links i could look at for this assignment. Cheers!
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Double Bass help? history of basses
- Thread starter AJ JOHNSON
- Start date
Go [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and scroll down the page. Bob has a very good collection of links to history.
I was just reading an article last night in an old "Doulbe Bass" magazine...It had a collection of old ....real old...paintings with double bass or double bass like things....I'll check what issue...thinkin it was from 2001....
- Dec 13, 1999
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- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
- Mar 1, 2002
- 4,237
- 52
- 74
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- Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd.
Read these Threads as well. The English and American Schools are not in any of the resources previously mentioned to any degree.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210742
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190039
More about this and other schools on my own forum if you have the time.
The German/Viennese (Austro-Hungry) school developed simultaneously along with the Italian School but went into a slightly different direction than the Italians with the exception of the Viol d'Gambas which were never uniform even within the same country and period. The French flourished mainly in the 19th century but with not much contribution to the advancement of Bass making.
The English made the greatest Basses collectively from the late 18th thru the mid 19th centuries copying mainly the Italian models with the focus on the Brescian model (Maggini) but modified earlier mainly by Panormo who was influenced by Strad and a great imitator of his style in his Violins. Panormo made chiefly round/carved Backs on his personal Basses but when working in the Betts shop he made what was ordered of him. Most all other English makers used a FlatBack on their Basses with only a few exceptions. I own 3 English Basses now (of 4 I have purchased) and only one has a round back and a rare Bass all around.
The early American School copied mainly the German models but some Scrolls are more similar to English Viols. Kind of a mix in design. My link included above or English and American Basses.
I helped my Son do the same project 2x in School. For his senior project, we did a duet with a 200 year old Italian bass (me playing) and a modern Smith Electric Bass (him playing) with history told from Gasparo d'Salo to Fender. He did well!
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210742
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190039
More about this and other schools on my own forum if you have the time.
The German/Viennese (Austro-Hungry) school developed simultaneously along with the Italian School but went into a slightly different direction than the Italians with the exception of the Viol d'Gambas which were never uniform even within the same country and period. The French flourished mainly in the 19th century but with not much contribution to the advancement of Bass making.
The English made the greatest Basses collectively from the late 18th thru the mid 19th centuries copying mainly the Italian models with the focus on the Brescian model (Maggini) but modified earlier mainly by Panormo who was influenced by Strad and a great imitator of his style in his Violins. Panormo made chiefly round/carved Backs on his personal Basses but when working in the Betts shop he made what was ordered of him. Most all other English makers used a FlatBack on their Basses with only a few exceptions. I own 3 English Basses now (of 4 I have purchased) and only one has a round back and a rare Bass all around.
The early American School copied mainly the German models but some Scrolls are more similar to English Viols. Kind of a mix in design. My link included above or English and American Basses.
I helped my Son do the same project 2x in School. For his senior project, we did a duet with a 200 year old Italian bass (me playing) and a modern Smith Electric Bass (him playing) with history told from Gasparo d'Salo to Fender. He did well!
- Mar 1, 2002
- 4,237
- 52
- 74
- Disclosures
- Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd.
Also, these links on my Forum have info from several people compiled; http://www.smithbassforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19
And this about the Cornerless Basses and Viols from the 15th or 16th century; http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=58
And yet a few more on 5-string DBs and other old relics; http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=372
http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=415
And this about the Cornerless Basses and Viols from the 15th or 16th century; http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=58
And yet a few more on 5-string DBs and other old relics; http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=372
http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=415
It was the Sept. 2001 Double Bassist Magazine...Has paintings of gamba bass dating to the early 1500s
PM me if you are interested in the article...
PM me if you are interested in the article...
You might be able to find the Raymond Elgar books in the library. (Do people still do research in the library?) "Introduction to the Double Bass," "More About the Double Bass," and "Looking at the Double Bass" are classics, and they're great not only for history, but for bass construction and repair. They first came out in the 1960s but have been reprinted several times. I highly recommend them.
