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Double Bass Left-hand position numberings in bluegrass?

Jack Clark

Jack Clark

Aug 17, 2008
1,022
14
Idyllwild, California
#1
In 1979 Mel Bay published an elementary bluegrass double bass method by Earl Gately that is still being sold out there. As a newly-retired beginner, I picked up a new copy from Amazon. Seems to me it has a good bit going for it, except that Gately renumbered all the left-hand positions sequentially simply 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. beginning with half position as his 1st position. Even though the book is 30 years old, I've never heard of this before anywhere. Do bluegrassers routinely do this? I'm inclined to renumber everything the traditional way, if I use this book.

On a separate question, and just out of curiosity, does anybody know enough about the history of double bass methods to explain why the traditional classical numbering system has been hP, I, II, II/III (or II-1/2), III, III/IV (or III-1/2), IV, V, etc. instead of simply I, II, III, IV, V, etc. the way Gately did it?
 
#4
In my (limited) experience position numbers are only used in a couple situations. One, between a student and their teacher and two, within an orchestral section to describe a particular fingering. Outside of that (as in your bluegrass book) I would venture to say the position numbers were laid out for convenience's sake with little regard for what was traditional from a classical perspective. As in Jazz, Bluegrass will almost never have two bassists on the same stage so there is very little need for that kind of bassist to bassist communication in the Genre.
 
#5
I have not seen this book,,but I would guess its numbered that way to mimmic a electric bass,,or calling the frets- positions,,just a guess,,as far as grabbing the neck like a bat,yeah alot of folks do play like that ,but you can really improve you playing by working on your left hand technique.
It really will help you play much better in tune,,Kent
 
#6
Jack Clark said:
On a separate question, and just out of curiosity, does anybody know enough about the history of double bass methods to explain why the traditional classical numbering system has been hP, I, II, II/III (or II-1/2), III, III/IV (or III-1/2), IV, V, etc. instead of simply I, II, III, IV, V, etc. the way Gately did it?
Click to expand...

Jack, this is an interesting question and I'd like to know the answer as well. But I'll bet you'll get an answer quicker if you post this part of the question in the "Orchestral Techniques" sub-forum. Us bluegrassers are probably not the best guys to ask about such things ;)

Mark
 

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