- Mar 18, 2009
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- Bass Is The Heart Of The Band -Patrick Pfieffer
I know it's fretless and That makes it harder but let me know if it's harder to play with it upright.
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Is The Double Bass Harder To Play?
- Thread starter bassdude7907
- Start date
RedLeg
Supporting Member
- Mar 18, 2009
- 65
- 0
- 30
- Disclosures
- Bass Is The Heart Of The Band -Patrick Pfieffer
IME, yes- but it's not the position as much as it is just a completely different instrument, which happens to be(IMO)much more physically demanding. Simply put, it takes more muscle to get any kind of decent sound from one(DB), and stamina also comes much more into play.
You might also ask this question in the DB side.
You might also ask this question in the DB side.
- Mar 18, 2009
- 65
- 0
- 30
- Disclosures
- Bass Is The Heart Of The Band -Patrick Pfieffer
RedLeg
Supporting Member
the DB side is not well known for their open and welcome outlook. definitely not for the faint of heart
Precisely. There's no volume knob. How loud it is depends on how much energy the player transfers to the string. While good technique can help make one's efforts more efficient, the simple reality is that to make it louder, the player has to put more muscle into it.
The neck is much thicker, and the scale is much longer. These both make it more challenging and physically demanding as well. It's a similar instrument, but also a very different one from the electric. It can be a real workout to practice on for two hours.
On *decent sound* I was not really referring to volume; again- IME- it takes some serious effort to get good sustain, to say nothing of dealing w/finger- and other extraneous noise. It's of course possible to add a pickup, mic or both & amplify to your heart's content(or for that matter, go EUB)- but just getting that big mass of string moving(and keeping it moving)can genuinely kick one's ***.
Edit: All this said, I think everyone who wants to call themself a bass player or bassist should try one out- it sure makes slab seem easy by comparison.
Edit: All this said, I think everyone who wants to call themself a bass player or bassist should try one out- it sure makes slab seem easy by comparison.
Technique is paramount, not just in order to get a decent sound but to avoid hurting yourself. Players can frequently get away with poor form on the bass guitar but if you do that on the double bass you are much more likely to hurt yourself badly.
As far as the guys on the DB side, most are very nice. Don't go over there as a noob asking for advice and then tell the pros who have been playing DB for 20,30 even 50 years that their suggestions suck just because they didn't give you the answer you wanted to hear.
Also just like over here.... use the search functions, read the stickies and newbie threads. Most questions have already been discussed 1000 times already.
Peace,
S
As far as the guys on the DB side, most are very nice. Don't go over there as a noob asking for advice and then tell the pros who have been playing DB for 20,30 even 50 years that their suggestions suck just because they didn't give you the answer you wanted to hear.
Also just like over here.... use the search functions, read the stickies and newbie threads. Most questions have already been discussed 1000 times already.
Peace,
S
The bass guitar is closer related to the guitar, than the upright bass. It's a different instrument altogether that achieves the same role. The similarities end at EADG, IMO.
The upright is very physically demanding (and the reason I can no longer play one... I hope to find one one day that's a bit easier for me) and proper technique is paramount. You can get sloppy on an electric bass and sound fine, but sloppiness on a DB will kill you.
The upright is very physically demanding (and the reason I can no longer play one... I hope to find one one day that's a bit easier for me) and proper technique is paramount. You can get sloppy on an electric bass and sound fine, but sloppiness on a DB will kill you.
Playing the double bass is not a matter of muscle or sheer physical strength; it is about finding out how to make your body work most efficiently. A teacher is a must to get started properly.
See following quote from TheSuzie.
"Technique is paramount, not just in order to get a decent sound but to avoid hurting yourself. Players can frequently get away with poor form on the bass guitar but if you do that on the double bass you are much more likely to hurt yourself badly.
As far as the guys on the DB side, most are very nice. Don't go over there as a noob asking for advice and then tell the pros who have been playing DB for 20,30 even 50 years that their suggestions suck just because they didn't give you the answer you wanted to hear.
Also just like over here.... use the search functions, read the stickies and newbie threads. Most questions have already been discussed 1000 times already."
