Double Bass Keyper- Romance and Rondo

[Jive Sleeper]

Hi everyone,

I recently started work on this piece (its in the soon-to-be replaced AB grade 8 list) and I'm having a a bit of trouble with the first section of the Rondo, which starts on the G at the top of the treble stave.

The main thing I'm struggling with is making a half-decent sound up at the top end... does anyone have any pointers/ exercises to help develop tone at this register?

Also, what kind of bpm do you guys take this piece at? The marking is allegretto, so I'm working towards about crotchet= 100

This is my first post here, I've been a semi-frequent lurker for quite a bit and found some really useful stuff here, so thanks!

Will

 

[fergus currie]

This passage is played in harmonics which if you are just staring out are a little counter-intuitive. fingering is a key factor here and like the lower positions there are structures which help get things together. First practice simple arpeggios on the g string from G (where the rondo theme starts) like: G-B-D, then up and down G-B-D-B-D. These should be fingered as follows: Thumb-1-2. Now do the same thing on the D string and on the A string. The bow needs to be closer to the bridge and move lighter and faster but still have that 'in contact' feel.

When you have got these arpeggios smooth and sounding good you can add the C natural with the 3rd finger on the D string. This whole group of arpeggios should feel as if it is one 'position' like 1st, 2nd, thumb position, etc. Now you are in a position to start doing scale fragments in this '1st harmonic position' (that's wht I call it but I dont know if it has another name).

I say scale fragments becuase at the moment you can not play a whole major scale from start to finish with the notes provided here. You can play G major from D to D but not G to G (yet, this you will get as you move into higher harmonic positions).

Start with D E F# G A B C D . You will notice that there are no consecutive notes on the same string! Here's the trick:

1. Start on the E with 2nd on the Astring now imagine a diagonal line going across to the G string where your thumb would play a G harmonic.
2. This diagonal line is where the scale is! There is always a digonal line (parallel to this one) connecting scales in harmonics on the bass.

Try getting a clear smooth change between the strings and keep your position solid as you did when you started in 1st position down at the bottom of the instrument. Faster bows and closer to the bridge keep the bow perpendicular to the string! use a metronome and practice slowly and everthing will come in time!

Cheers
FC