Hi I've been playing electric for 6 years (24 years old) and I've decided I want to go all in and make music my career/life. I'm really interested in working cruise ships for a little while and going from there. I'm also looking into the military. I'm about to attend the players school of music in Florida this spring to advance my electric skills but I'm really considering adding upright. So do you think it's critical that I learn upright if I want to have a successful career?
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Double Bass Learning upright necessary?
- Thread starter ELITE55
- Start date
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
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- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
If you don't really care what kind of music you play, then it is way to expand the possibilities for gigs. How accomplished you'll need to be on each is pretty contingent on where you are located, the more competition for gigs, the better you'll need to be. There ar eplenty of folks out there, however, who have made either a life or a career, sometimes both, playing only one or the other.
Especially since a URB is not great on a cruise ship - no space! Personally, I think playing the upright is a labor of love because it's a great challenge and sounds GREAT to me, but, probably not that important to a lot of folks. That said, one of my teachers tried to substitute an Eminence EUB at his Asian festival and was told "no way" because it didn't look right. He had to put up with whatever rented instrument they handed him. Still, learning to play the URB takes most folks a few years to gain competence so it's not for the faint of heart.
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
There's a couple military bass players on the forum (Pacman, and Leo). IIRC, they double on both EB and DB. I've met Leo and I vaguely remember him telling me there was another bassist in his band who was EB only. My impression is that DB is not required.
A couple of things for the OP. If you plan to make a living at playing bass, then you should give doubling on upright some very serious thought. It will open up more avenues in theatre and jazz gigs, for example.
Anything that limits you, like only playing your favourite kind of music, will directly impact your pay cheque.
Personally, I look at different types of music as a challenge, and I really like the variety.
Anything that limits you, like only playing your favourite kind of music, will directly impact your pay cheque.
Personally, I look at different types of music as a challenge, and I really like the variety.
Ya I'm very tempted to pick up upright but since I'm 24 I feel like I would have to put electric aside if I wanted to get good by the time I reached 26,27. I guess you could say I'm impatient but I would just have to put that much more time into it if I wanted to be great at both.
