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Double Bass NDB Christopher, first double

scuzzy

scuzzy

Feb 15, 2006
6,117
1
15,064
Troy, MO
#1
Hello. I am wandering over from the EB side, I have been playing since 8th grade and have always wanted a DB, but could never find one that fit my budget. I recently sold an Ibanez bass and had enough to purchase this bass, which was being sold for a very nice price of $650. It came with a French and a German bow, bag, and the Simandl book.

The model is a 3/4 Christopher DB203T. I know this journey will be humbling, but I am eager to see how this will stretch my playing, as I've been in a rut for a while now. Any and all tips are welcome.

Forgive the posture, it was an impromtu picture for my mom.
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#6
scuzzy said:
If anyone is aware of a good teacher in the St Louis area, let me know. I've gotten the clear from the wife to take a bit of lessons to get the ball rolling in the proper direction.
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Check out Webster University's Community Music School. You sign up for a semester's worth of private lessons. Tim Weddle, who is the principal bassist for the MUNY, is a good teacher.
 
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#7
Nice looking Christopher, welcome.

I was a guitar player and never took any lessons, not to impugn the advice of others. Depends what you want to do and play. But if you play guitar or bass well at all, I don't think moving to UB is a big deal personally. At any rate, enjoy! You'll get hooked, I hardly touch my guitar anymore...
 
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#8
AGCurry said:
Check out Webster University's Community Music School. You sign up for a semester's worth of private lessons. Tim Weddle, who is the principal bassist for the MUNY, is a good teacher.
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Thank you! I will look into that.

210superair said:
Nice looking Christopher, welcome.

I was a guitar player and never took any lessons, not to impugn the advice of others. Depends what you want to do and play. But if you play guitar or bass well at all, I don't think moving to UB is a big deal personally. At any rate, enjoy! You'll get hooked, I hardly touch my guitar anymore...
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Thanks! Time and money may dictate as well.
 
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#9
210superair said:
Nice looking Christopher, welcome.

I was a guitar player and never took any lessons, not to impugn the advice of others. Depends what you want to do and play. But if you play guitar or bass well at all, I don't think moving to UB is a big deal personally. At any rate, enjoy! You'll get hooked, I hardly touch my guitar anymore...
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This is just about the worst advice anyone could offer. Find a teacher who can get you started out with proper posture, good left hand technique, etc. Lessons are the best investment you can make when starting out.
 
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#10
SAlcott said:
This is just about the worst advice anyone could offer. Find a teacher who can get you started out with proper posture, good left hand technique, etc. Lessons are the best investment you can make when starting out.
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Lol, like I said, I did not mean to step on the idea of lessons, but they're not for everyone, it depends. I never took lessons, nor would I. If he wants to play orchestral pieces, lessons are a good thing. If you want to play old time music, or rockabilly and pass a bottle, you can. Did Billy Black take lessons? I'm self taught on every instrument I play, and I have been told I do OK. It just depends. To me, posture isn't something that even comes into play.

Calling it bad advice is probably ott IMHO. But of course, opinions vary. No harm in that.
 
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#13
My first upright teacher (Doug Miller, who used to live in Seattle, now in the Bay Area) told me at my first lesson “This is a big instrument, and it will hurt you if you don’t play it right. Fortunately, we have a couple of hundred years of tradition in how to play it right.”

I think that’s the best argument for at least taking a few lessons when you start.
 
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#15
oren said:
My first upright teacher (Doug Miller, who used to live in Seattle, now in the Bay Area) told me at my first lesson “This is a big instrument, and it will hurt you if you don’t play it right. Fortunately, we have a couple of hundred years of tradition in how to play it right.”

I think that’s the best argument for at least taking a few lessons when you start.
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Which, tradition or that it's big? That it's big, cannae argue that. Mine is yet to attack or hurt me tho. Tradition? Never been a fan...other than family tradition.

It may be an interesting thread to see who's taken lessons and not. I don't claim to be the norm. I make my own repairs on things most guys would take in to a luthier, but I've always been a dive right in kinda guy. When you get into the UB this is what you get tho, no? Lots of dichotomy. That's the beauty that of the family. Lesson guys will say you need lessons, no surprises there. I'm not saying no, I'm saying it depends. But I don't have interest in doing many sonatas.... :thumbsup:
 
#19
SAlcott said:
Grabbing a fistful of neck & string and thumping out some roots, fifths, and a simple walking line is fine if that's what you aspire to and can use in your musical life. On the other hand, if you want to be able to actually operate the machine, some basic instruction is necessary to prevent bad habits and possible injury.
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thanks for all the responses!

this is good advice. i play at church, and arco has potential to go very well and add a lot to what we do, so I want to get some instruction in that, as it is so foreign to EB.
 
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