Double Bass More mass = better sound?

[Fletcher Lanning]

Does the mass of the bass player effect the tone, because I don't know if I'm ready to lighten myself up yet....

P.S.

Go Texas! I used to live outside of Houston and kinda miss it still.

 

[anonymous02282011]

Does the mass of the bass player effect the tone, because I don't know if I'm ready to lighten myself up yet....

P.S.

Go Texas! I used to live outside of Houston and kinda miss it still.

My first upright teacher told me I needed to work on my gut if I ever wanted to be able to hold the bass right!

Seriously though, I was taught that the mass of the bass players *arm* would effect the way one could draw sound from the instrument. The method I was taught was to relax the arm completely, letting the entire weight of the arm fall into the string, and use the bigger muscles in the back to control the "dead weight" of the arm.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Less mass in the bass, more in the player.

Guys with big fat sausage fingers make great tone on bass, guitar, fiddle etc - there's a good side to developing your manly girth!

 

[robobass]

Addressing the original post, which many might not remember, my first question is "is the bridge too thin?" I'm surprised nobody else asked this. A thin bridge will give lots of sound overall, but not the necessary focus and fundamentals you need for orchestral work. The fact that you say the sound is flabby and unfocused and that a mute seems to improve things for you gives creedence my theory, and all the experimenting you do with tailpieces, afterlength, and endpins will be of little help if this is the problem. I bet Arnold will support me on this!