Double Bass Multiphonics resources

[jj.833]

Hi,
I'd like to learn a bit about producing multiphonics on bass, or other 'uncommon' sounds that can be heard in works of Stefano Scodanibbio, Mark Dresser etc.
I don't know where to look for a teacher, not am I able to find online or printed resources that would be explanatory enough to show me how to do it.
If someone has any practical leads, please put them here.
Thank you!

 

[garrett2]

Mark Dresser's Guts.

Modern Double Bass

Thread

 

[PaulCannon]

Håkon Thelin has a very detailed site explaining multiphonics.

It's a very specific skill, and not commonly requested. It's also obnoxiously difficult to control on command.

I did recently learn a neat trick about using a violin bow, or at least violin rosin to get them to speak more easily. A heavy bass bow with a sticky rosin like pops is designed to catch the fundamental of the string quickly, clearly, and easily. Since a multiphonic is the exact opposite of that, it makes sense to me that you would need a light bow with very little rosin.

 

[Co.]

For multiphonics, the exact location of the bow on the string is critical. It can help, to really think of harmonic nodes, also for the contact point of the bow.
Just some ideas to get you started:
Between harmonics lie their combinatory harmonics, or however you want to call them. For example in between the 4th and the 5th partial, you will find the 9th partial (4+5=9). Place your finger on the 9th partial and your bow on a partial that is not blocking any of the 3 partials mentioned, so not on either a 4th, 5th or 9th partial. For example try placing the bow on the 7th partial.
Try left hand in neck position (for example on D string F#, F3/4#, G) and then in thumb position (F#, E, D).
Try alternating between the pure harmonics with one finger. Like from 4th to 9th, then from 9th to 5th back to 9th. Then stay on the 9th and experiement with dynamics by manipulating bow weight and speed. All of this while keeping the bow around the 6th or 7th partial.
Somwhere in this experimentation, there is going to happen some multiphonic sounds. Now instead of trying to avoid them, just get them as rich and stable as possible.

 

[damonsmith]

It's a very specific skill, and not commonly requested. It's also obnoxiously difficult to control on command.

There are at least two ways to play them:
1. One way, which I heard from Barre Phillips talk about first is to have your finger straddle two harmonic nodes and get the two harmonics to speak at the same time, this is very difficult to control.
2. The other way, which I may have been the one to discover, is use the subharmonic at the node which combines with the actual harmonic. This is pretty easy to control one you learn it. You get to it with bow pressure like a "normal" subharmonic.
You can combine it with compound harmonics (stopping two nodes to get the multiple of the partial. ex. stopping the 3rd partial & the 5th sounds the 15th partial) to get richer multiphonics.
Of course it all goes back to Dresser's research.

 

[Co.]

The easiest way to get a multiphonic is probably by having the left hand between bow and bridge.
First one to notate it might be Fernando Grillo. Can also be found in Scodanibbios first Studi.