Double Bass How high do you go on your daily scales?

[Bill Bentgen]

A question for fellow scale freaks who practice scales every day:

I usually get in an hour of scales 5 or 6 days per week, 3-octaves up to the Eb which is at the very end of the fingerboard on my Pollmann. I generated accompaniment mp3's available on my website and on iTunes up to Eb.

Does anyone regularly go any higher? (harmonics? extended fingerboard?)

 

[mcnaire2004]

There was a time when I would use "stopped harmonics" past the fingerboard with the same +123 fingering to go 4 or 5 octaves. But that only lasted a week.

My fingerboard only goes to C#. I have been doing more and more scales down the A string then across these days. That alone has helped my intonation a ton.

My general practices though is standard. Whole note, then half note, then quarter note, ect..... All slurred using four beats per bow. Then a few extra bowings.

 

[Square Bear]

practicing scales in harmonics is a good thing to do. you can pull the string to the side and play any note past the board too if you want.

 

[MDEbass]

I work out of Rabbath's Book 3. It has you go three octaves on everything. On some basses, the fingerboard isnt as long, so my daily scales cover pretty much everything.

 

[michael_atw]

Let's just say - I go so high, I knew there was water on the moon years before NASA ever got a sniff about it.

 

[Square Bear]

i'm more impressed when someone plays a 1 octave scale that's really in tune anyways.

 

[ogrossman]

I go to the third C above middle C... on my Gemeinhardt

 

[davidAaronCarte]

Anyone else have problems with nosebleeds?

 

[Bill Bentgen]

i'm more impressed when someone plays a 1 octave scale that's really in tune anyways.

Isn't that the truth. I'm more impressed by someone who knows the difference between playing in tune with a piano vs playing in tune with another string player.

 

[MDEbass]

i'm more impressed when someone plays a 1 octave scale that's really in tune anyways.

Well the next two octaves are just as much a part of the instrument as the first octave. Shouldn't we learn how to play everything in tune, no matter what register its in?

 

[Fletcher Lanning]

I think his point was that if you had to choose between someone who can go three octaves and into thumb position but can't lock into tune with anyone, and someone who can play one octave in perfect tune with those around him, I'd rather have the latter.

 

[Square Bear]

Well the next two octaves are just as much a part of the instrument as the first octave. Shouldn't we learn how to play everything in tune, no matter what register its in?

i guess that hadn't occurred to me. maybe some day i can play in thumb position like the great bassists.

 

[Eric Swanson]

I usually practice up to the B or C above the last G harmonic (on the G string).

Frankly, I rarely play anything above that G (harmonic spot), but I practice beyond it, anyway.

With scales I usually start at the lowest scale note, regardless of the tonic is; if I am practicing in C Major, I start with the open E string, most days.

I break the scales into shifts and usually practice the shifts using double stops, for a good intonation/hand position/muscular memory reminder. None of it is original; its all stuff that teachers suggested.

 

[Fletcher Lanning]

With scales I usually start at the lowest scale note, regardless of the tonic is; if I am practicing in C Major, I start with the open E string, most days.

I totally agree with this statement. If you play scales from tonic to tonic all the time you will end up playing a pattern and not the notes (if you get what I mean). Starting on the lowest note of the scale you can play keeps you on your toes and thinking about the whole key.