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Double Bass Joel Quarrington
- Thread starter CallumJennings
- Start date
Something about that high A string makes it happen. The vibrato sounds big like a cello. I read that he studied with Franco Petracchi. Is that true?
Without looking at that video and just listening, I would have said it was a cello - great playing and wonderful technique - but I was thinking it doesn't sound like a Double Bass...am I being obtuse or picky - but why not just play this on a cello..?
- Mar 19, 2002
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- President: Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
Not to be a contrarian...but I rather like it and could deffinately tell it it was a bass...maybe you need to listen to more cellos? 
We just got our second commission this year for a 5 string with a high C and an extension. The first was really fun to play on and I am really excited about this next one.
We have been getting more inquiries too about tuning in 5ths.
I think the demands on the instrument (and the musicians who play them
) are greater than ever.
We just got our second commission this year for a 5 string with a high C and an extension. The first was really fun to play on and I am really excited about this next one.
We have been getting more inquiries too about tuning in 5ths.
I think the demands on the instrument (and the musicians who play them
) are greater than ever.I heard Joel at one of the ISB conventions. He was excellent, and different. The combination of his sitting position, fifths tuning, instrument, and spirocores made for a very unusual sound. There was a lot of ringing to it, a lot of volume, and a lot of overtones as well. I found it very enjoyable, but a player with less-than-perfect intonation would find Joel's set-up very exposing and scary. To my mind, he has made a complete transition in his solo playing away from bass-as-usual, and is quite a unique and musical voice.
I love Joel's sound. Solo tuning is the best, it sounds like a cello on steroids. The best of both worlds.
It can sure be wonderful-- but "the best?" Do you always WANT your sound to be like a cello on steroids?
So, solo tuning is the best for upper-register solo playing. Well, that I can accept.
A while back, I played around with 5ths tuning for a couple of months.
It definitely changed the sound of my bass to my ears (better!). Best of all when I was playing a note in tune, the bass resonated like crazy. It sounded wonderful to me.
But I went back to 4ths and just got an extension to get the low C. It killed me to try to play the same walking lines in Ab or Db using 5ths tuning. I'm no Red Mitchell.
Anyway, JQ kicks ass on the Bottesini recordings. To me, they are the benchmark...though Badila's recordings are awesome also.
It definitely changed the sound of my bass to my ears (better!). Best of all when I was playing a note in tune, the bass resonated like crazy. It sounded wonderful to me.
But I went back to 4ths and just got an extension to get the low C. It killed me to try to play the same walking lines in Ab or Db using 5ths tuning. I'm no Red Mitchell.
Anyway, JQ kicks ass on the Bottesini recordings. To me, they are the benchmark...though Badila's recordings are awesome also.
