Hi all - I just had surgery on my left shoulder to repair my labrum and will be in a sling for the next 6 weeks. So my ability to play upright is pretty much gone for a while. I was thinking of spending some of the time beefing up arco technique (or at least just not losing what I already have). Any suggestions on series of exercises that uses just open strings with the bow?
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Double Bass left arm is out of comission for a while
- Thread starter FishstickFender
- Start date
You can also download the entire Sevcik method here:
http://imslp.org/wiki/School_of_Bowing_Technique,_Op.2_(Ševčík,_Otakar)
http://imslp.org/wiki/School_of_Bowing_Technique,_Op.2_(Ševčík,_Otakar)
I also recommend the Zimmerman book. You might not be able to do the fingerings, but the bow excersises will do you good.
what about the Eugene Levinson book... what's it called? it's usally referred to around here as the E and A book. School of agility? i'll edit later if I find the name.
Lots of basic things to practice as well as the good suggestions above, in headings below that I can expand on if you wish.
Son File (Filay), for very smooth bowing
Note Starts and stops, including the ideas of lift and release
Bow arm movement
Bow hold
Legato bow change
On string and off string bow strokes
Good Tone
Good projection
Production and control of Crescendo and Diminuendo, from bow stroke to bow stroke or within one bow, in various combinations
Building Resonance (Maximum sound from minimum effort)
Studying the relationships between bow speed, bow weight and contact point to vary your sound
Picturing a sound you would like to make and listening as you explore variables
Feeling emotionally connected to the sound as an extension of self not as a result of doing X Y Z (the mechanics)
and the list goes on ........
DP
Son File (Filay), for very smooth bowing
Note Starts and stops, including the ideas of lift and release
Bow arm movement
Bow hold
Legato bow change
On string and off string bow strokes
Good Tone
Good projection
Production and control of Crescendo and Diminuendo, from bow stroke to bow stroke or within one bow, in various combinations
Building Resonance (Maximum sound from minimum effort)
Studying the relationships between bow speed, bow weight and contact point to vary your sound
Picturing a sound you would like to make and listening as you explore variables
Feeling emotionally connected to the sound as an extension of self not as a result of doing X Y Z (the mechanics)
and the list goes on ........
DP
In your position I would take some time out and read up on bass history, listen to records, find some new pieces to play, and maybe think about organizing how I should more efficiently use my practice time. I did this some years ago and it worked wonders.
Use your down time to tighten up any loose ends in your existing repertoire too. I doesn't hurt to go over concertos with a pencil and a rubber rather than a bow, occasionally.
Get well soon, Fish and Dave.
FC
Use your down time to tighten up any loose ends in your existing repertoire too. I doesn't hurt to go over concertos with a pencil and a rubber rather than a bow, occasionally.
Get well soon, Fish and Dave.
FC
Fergus' advice is good. I have just had the same sort of thoughts after thinking that you may not even be allowed to hold the bass upright to play one-handed.
I have just had an eye operation that will take a few weeks of recovery before I can pick up and carry my bass (this accounts for the flurry of responses from me in current threads!!)
During breakfast this morning I have just re-read the first two sections of Warren Benfield's "Art of Double Bass Playing" (Summy-Birchard, Illinois, 1973) and found a mountain of concise advice to think about in relation to lots of the recent and current threads in this forum. Also I thought you might have some music, either pieces or studies you haven't played (or excerpts) that you could practice fingering at sight or devise lots of alternate fingerings for. Or you could work on in-filling gaps in your knowlege of theory, such as in my case, harmony and counterpoint.
Best wishes for your recovery.
DP
I have just had an eye operation that will take a few weeks of recovery before I can pick up and carry my bass (this accounts for the flurry of responses from me in current threads!!)
During breakfast this morning I have just re-read the first two sections of Warren Benfield's "Art of Double Bass Playing" (Summy-Birchard, Illinois, 1973) and found a mountain of concise advice to think about in relation to lots of the recent and current threads in this forum. Also I thought you might have some music, either pieces or studies you haven't played (or excerpts) that you could practice fingering at sight or devise lots of alternate fingerings for. Or you could work on in-filling gaps in your knowlege of theory, such as in my case, harmony and counterpoint.
Best wishes for your recovery.
DP
Benfield's book is the most concise colection of orchestral playing tips anywhere! Great reminder, Dave!
+1
FC
+1
FC
Some strength training with the unaffected arm will help limit muscle atrophy in the affected arm while it is in the sling (due to a certain amount of nerve cross-over from side to side). Ask your doctor or PT you'll be seeing for some specific exercise advice. Buell Neidlinger used to make his students at Cal Arts play open strings only with the bow for weeks on end before he would allow them to use their left hand!
Thanks for the reminder about the Benfield book. I have a copy of it, but I hadn't looked at it in some time, because I remembered it being mostly devoted to so-called "extended techniques" like talking into the f-holes, rattling the bow stick between strings, and so on.
But now that I have given it another look, I see that whole section is only about four pages long. I guess it made such a negative impression on me because I really loathe "squeak and fart" music.
Anyway, now I'm re-reading it and enjoying it very much -- lots of very solid information in there.
But now that I have given it another look, I see that whole section is only about four pages long. I guess it made such a negative impression on me because I really loathe "squeak and fart" music.
Anyway, now I'm re-reading it and enjoying it very much -- lots of very solid information in there.
