Double Bass Little help, please..

[Andy Mopley]

So..we're playing this, Handel's Messiah, a few nights ago and the principal in my community orchestra says that the fast part (attached) should be played with a lot of arm movement, and not as much from the wrist (which I had been doing, using a German bow). I am a little perplexed as to whether this is the right advice, though. What do you all think? And is better to play this close to the frog or towards the tip??

Regards to all

 

[Dbass926]

Perhaps the principal was implying that you were playing the notes a bit too detached and staccato for his concept. It is always easier to know how to fix something when the person correcting you tells you what is wrong instead of what you should do to change it.

As far as this (not particularly involved looking) passage goes, it may help the other strings if the bass line is a bit more sustained because they are playing twice as many notes and filling the sound up a lot more than the continuo section (basses, celli, keyboard instruments). I don't know what the tempo of this excerpt is off the top of my head, but I'd assume it's a standard Baroque "tempo ordinario." My conclusion based on the clues here is you may be more in line with your principal by playing with more sustain, on the string, instead of a flying spiccato.

 

[Andy Mopley]

Thanks Dbass926...The conductor actually asked for the notes to be played staccato. The tempo is prestissimo, so quite fast compared to tempo ordinario.See link, from 1:52...

 

[SAlcott]

Is your principal a French bow player?

 

[Cory Palmer]

I agree with Brent that a principal should be telling you what they are wanting musically not necessarily telling you how your technique needs to change to do it unless you specifically ask their opinion on it. Every situation is different though.

That being said this kind of stroke I would do close to the frog with most of the articulation coming from the fingers. Limiting the motion of the wrist will help. Use big muscles to get the general arm motion then use the fingers to articulate the notes.

 

[Andy Mopley]

Is your principal a French bow player?

No - German.

 

[SAlcott]

My teacher (German bow) says when it's fast repeated notes, shorten up the stroke and play at the balance point with a little bounce for articulation, but not spiccato.

 

[David Potts]

At the frog and at the tip are two extremes, each with their own difficulties. My comfort zone is from just inside the balance point out to a little more than half way.