Double Bass Most in tune bassists?

[Alex Scott]

I’m always seeing people bash intonation but rarely praise it, who are some bassists that have the most spectacular intonation?

Any particular recordings?
Jazz or classical

 

[groooooove]

I do like to think that being a pro player means playing in tune, but i do understand that sometimes just being in tune alone can be impressive depending on the music.

i can recall rehearsing and performing with david grossman of the NY phil when he was the soloist with our local symphony on long island. perfectly in tune every note - i forget the name of the pieces, but it was a viola concerto he was playing on bass that was not easy..

I'm pretty confident nearly any member of any major symphony would be roughly the same?

obviously edgar meyer, but certainly also xavier foley or bozo paradzik - particularly his cello transcriptions, are all impressive in this way, not to mention masterful interpretation.

 

[Don Kasper]

George Mraz would be near the top of that list.
IMFO, of course.

 

[bassmanbrent]

In the jazz world, I think Larry Grenadier is pretty outstanding. I don't have a specific recording to mention. He always sounds great (and very in tune) to me.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Classical

Joel Quarrinton

 

[bigmikebass]

I’ll also second Edgar Meyer and Quarrinton. I saw Dave Holland years ago, and he was also pretty ridiculous.

 

[Carl Hillman]

I’m always seeing people bash intonation but rarely praise it, who are some bassists that have the most spectacular intonation?

Any particular recordings?
Jazz or classical

Have: Dave Holland
Had: Ray Brown, Rinat Ibragimov

 

[garrett2]

Meyer, Campet, Roccato are three I've been struck by how precise the are. I think anyone who plays classical music from the 20th c. and on needs freakishly precise intonation.

 

[Pings Bass]

I assume by "spectacular intonation" you must mean on the regular over time, because a note is either in tune or not. Once the beats stop, you can't get any more spectacularly intonated than that. I've heard some jazz players lose it in the upper registers, likely due to not being able to hear themselves. But most pro players I hear mostly just seem to nail it. I think having poor intonation in the pro world is quite rare, actually. Hard to imagine that would be tolerated in any professional orchestra.

 

[Francois Blais]

Arild Andersen is amazing.

 

[the_Ryan]

Théotime Voisin (assistant principal of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra) might be the most in tune bassist I’ve ever heard

 

[Ross Kratter]

Michael Moore plays beautifully in tune all the time.

 

[Earl]

Mraz absolutely! Also NHOP

 

[jeffbassguy]

Steve Rodby when he toured with Pat Methany

 

[logdrum]

I like Gary Peacock a lot , William Parker, Eddie, Miroslav and Leander, Intonation be dammed, I like what they excite in my mind and heart, Also Renaud-Garcia-Fons -- who probably has a leg up on Meyer and other on intonation and extended arco technique but to be point on strobe tuner is not really the point. I also love Danielle Roccato's work . Pulse it like a train and make it sing like a human voice

 

[Alex Scott]

Thanks everyone, some great bassists I know and some I’ll check out! I am kind of on a self discovery, playing with a tuner and drones and stuff, and just want to hear and see some great players also play in tune noticeably so I can kind of come to grips with either what’s possible. A lot of the players I love don’t or didn’t always play perfectly in tune (sometimes expressive, sometimes not so kuch) and I keep seeing those practice mins videos with players switching between equal and just intonation, I’m not sure I’m hearing it all as deeply as i would like to.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Lorraine Campet. Saw her live last night, and her intonation was just astounding. I also saw Sam Suggs this afternoon, and he’s in that discussion.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Saw her live last night,…

You know yer just pissing Unka PeeDub off…

 

[Mark_T]

Ed Barker

 

[PaulCannon]

As far as improvising players go, Renaud Garcia Fons is about as clean as they come. It's one thing to get a good take in the recording booth, but I've seen him live enough times to know that he's just always on point.