• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Is Double Bass a Solo Instrument?

#41
mcnaire2004 said:
I don't know where you get this 999-1 stuff. I have never seen a bass ensemble.
Click to expand...

I'm talking about the bass section in an orchestra - so I go to to concerts in London and the big orchestras have at least 8-10 Double Bassists and I assume these players are making a reasonalble living...;)

So my point is that if I look at the annual programmes for the big concert halls in London or the Proms series for which I provided a link - there are no solo basssists - but hundreds and hundreds of Double Bass players in Orchestras - I thought that was obvious! :hmm:
 
#42
damonsmith said:
So with your (Bruce) Attitude, no, it is not a good career option, for others it is very natural.
Click to expand...

It's not my attitude - I was simply pointing out an article that was interesting, from a current solo Bass player!!

I have no opinion or attitude about this - I am simply pointing out what I see and that is that in London there are almost no Solos Classical DB features - whereas I see literally hundreds playing in Orchestras!

I was asking the question and giving the facts as they are where I live!
 
#43
I think things are changing for the better for the bass. I am glad that there are more soloists now than ever before, and I think the numbers will keep growing. Strings, setup etc... all getting better for playing solos... it doesnt matter too much what the odds are now and in the past, just where it will go in the future. I like the fact that people have different opinions about bass as a solo instrument. My main issue with violinists is that they all want to be soloists and they all sound the same. We are at a point where the bass is coming into the limelight and is still an interesting instrument to listen to. Oh and needing more music for the double bass is why I made the double bass classical music databse Link Removed and passed it on to a ton of composers who I hope will write more solo and chamber music for the DB. ALOHA!
 
#44
Kam said:
Were they musicians or common folk? I think musicians have a harder time accepting the bass as a solo instrument, or being impressed by a solo bass work, than your average orchestra subscriber..
Click to expand...


I agree

A few months ago I played my classical bass solo infront of all the people in my orchestra and I knew I played it well yet when I was finished and nailed the last note they just clapped and didn't comment. It was rather strange to just sit there waiting for someone to say anything. I just ended up picking up my bass and going back to my seat. But playing my piece for my regular non musician friends really enjoyed it.
 
#45
Hi guys.
I think that the doublebass is a soloinstrument, like all the others instruments it has a own voice, like human beings..
Maybe we don`t have pieces from the great classical composers, only the aria for bass, doublebass and orchestra "Per questa bella mano" from W.A. Mozart. But we have a lot of contemporary composers, which are still not named as "classical", but I feel very good about introducing new music to listeners of today, because at the time of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, people were only used to listen to new music and that we have lost somewhere during the decades. People are going to the movies, because they want to see a new movie, so why they don`t go to new music concerts???
 
#48
upload_2020-3-27_17-4-29.png


Borrowed from another post.

I personally don't care for most pizz bass solos. However, in my opinion, arco bass has huge potential as a solo instrument.

My personal philosophy is pizz for rhythm & arco for whenever I feel I want to make a musical (solo) statement. Yes, I have a few exceptions to that rule, but not many.

I respectably disagree with the statement in the original post about the poor sound quality of a bowed bass. When I (occasionally) do it correctly, the sound from my bowed bass is quite complex and powerful.

My current learning routine is to memorize simple melodies that I find interesting (I'm deep into old-timey, hillbilly fiddle tunes at this particular moment) and learn to play them in 2 - 4 different positions on the fingerboard. I also look for tasteful double-stops where I can find them. I've found that each different position brings out different sounds, harmonics, & overtones in the instrument; and the total effect is to make simple songs interesting and compelling. Also, learning to play the tunes in 4 different positions has gone a long way toward making me learn the entire fingerboard.
 
#52
Who da Ville said:
Yes, this video illustrates my point quite well. There's no arguing that Mr. McBride is a master on his instrument.

However, I couldn't take more than a minute listening to his aimless noodling on this video. (IMHO, YVMM, etc.)
Click to expand...
It's your point of view and I can accept it for 100%... but I'm glad to see just the other way round ;) the "message" or whatever you call it can be just as important there as looking/hearing an arco solo from James Oesi, Rick Stotijn, Joel Quarrington, Diego Zecharias or or or... in my opinion and head ;)
and I see and hear lots and lots of boring arco solos ..:P
 
  • Like
Reactions: Who da Ville
#54
Who da Ville said:
Yes, this video illustrates my point quite well. There's no arguing that Mr. McBride is a master on his instrument.

However, I couldn't take more than a minute listening to his aimless noodling on this video. (IMHO, YVMM, etc.)
Click to expand...

It really comes down to the listeners preferences. I tend to get bored listening to most bass solos pretty quickly as well, but Christian McBride has played several pizz solos that I find very enjoyable. What he did in the beginning of the video was a bit too gratuitous for my taste, but lot's people are impressed by musicians doing this sort of pyrotechnic stuff. I didn't really care to listen to the composition all that much either, although it is obviously impressive to be able to play this piece like Christian.

As far as the question poised by the thread, I think bass can obviously be a solo instrument, but it requires a near master to sound good (to me). I don't consider myself a master and I solo frequently out of necessity. I generally keep it short (one time through the form), and people generally don't complain.

As far as the bow's potential for a jazz solo. There was a recent thread on this if you are interested. As a jazz player, what do you practise with the bow? I don't care for bowed jazz solos, but there were a few videos posted in the thread that I enjoyed by artists who sang in parallel to their bowed bass lines.

I find it very hard to create the right sound and feel with the bow for jazz, and I have what I would describe as intermediate bowing technique. I can play lot's of fairly advance orchestral pieces with no problems. To me the bow just does not sound like swing.

Youtube has several videos from KNKS Public Radio that Feature the Christian McBride Trio. I think Christian's soloing (trading off with the drummer) is pretty enjoyable on this take, although I think the arrangement is a bit odd overall.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaFaro01, Chad Michael, Who da Ville and 1 other person
#57
Bruce Lindfield said:
His conclusion seems to be that it is far easier to be a solo player in Jazz than it is in Classical, although he sees no reason why it should be so - despite giving the following reasons of his own :
Click to expand...
I think as a European, he is seeing "jazz" as a bigger category that includes improvised music and is probably thinking about bassists like Barre Phillips and Joelle Leandre, who get good fees to play solo bass concerts all over Europe as well as people like Garcia-Fons. So, arco and the other sounds figure in.
I think it is as good an instrument as any to play lead or solo part, or to take a solo. It is one of the very best for self-contained solo performance, the range once you add harmonics and textural possibilities make at least an equal with piano.

The real difference is bassists in jazz & improvised music are not waiting for composers to write pieces or official gigs to even get us started. The classical world is way Less about going and getting cafe, club or gallery gig to at least get started. Of course it does happen, but, it is still a different world with a different system in place. Youtube has changed some things for sure!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Keith Rawlings
#59
dhergert, that's a great performance, I think. Recently were looking for a great audio database, with basses and instrumental music as well, and this content opened my eyes to dozens of new audio-tracks, which I didn't listen before. One of the best for now is Adidon (Pusha T x Drake Type Beat). I've heard some melodies from it in different tracks, but this performance is the best I think.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Don Hergert
#60
damonsmith said:
It is one of the very best for self-contained solo performance, the range once you add harmonics and textural possibilities make at least an equal with piano.
Click to expand...

Ageed; maybe a little over-stated, but I basically agree...the variety and complexity of available sounds certainly are greater than with a piano. Especially with arco. In my experience, I haven't seen (m)any pizz solos that fully utilize the range, harmonic, & textural possibilities contained within the double bass.

Pizz is a great tool that makes a double bass uniquely powerful as a rhythm instrument. But my opinion is that you need a bow to bring out the fullness, variety, and complexity of sounds needed to make it a great solo instrument.

Don't get me wrong, there are a great many arco solos recorded on youtube that are no less of a wank-fest than comparable pizz solos. But all of the necessary tools/sounds are available to a skilled arco player, if they have the inspiration, to make a musically interesting solo.

P.S. Yes, I found the Christian McBride trio piece posted above very musical and listenable. Thanks for sharing. Another pizz solo that I really like is Dave Holland's "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat":

I really enjoy how he keeps it interesting both melodically and rhythmically. But I'll stick to my argument that there's no way he can tap into the full sonic range of the instrument without a bow.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back