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Double Bass Page-Turning

Calebmundy

Calebmundy

Supporting Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,135
819
Nashville
www.youtube.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: DNA Amplifiers, Lākland Basses
#1
I do quite a bit of musical-theater work on electric, and I've gotten a great handle on finding a few ways to take care of awkward page turns, but I can't see how take care of it during an arco section.

I don't do many gigs on upright, and very few of those involve page turns, but I would hate for it to come up again without some ideas. This is of course assuming that I am the only player in the section. Any ideas?
 
#2
Calebmundy said:
I do quite a bit of musical-theater work on electric, and I've gotten a great handle on finding a few ways to take care of awkward page turns, but I can't see how take care of it during an arco section.

I don't do many gigs on upright, and very few of those involve page turns, but I would hate for it to come up again without some ideas. This is of course assuming that I am the only player in the section. Any ideas?
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I don't have any decent solution to be honest. There are some tricks that help speed up the process though. Carry around a few paper clips, weird as that sounds. It doesn't fit to be fumbling with the corners of pages when a speedy page turn is required, so tack one on the corner of the page, and grab the clip for the turn. Unfortunately, it doesn't help so much with sight reading, but if you can use this trick to your advantage just once, then it wasn't in vain.
 
#4
Funny story I've heard regarding page turns.

Larry Wolfe (assistant from BSO) was giving a masterclass a few years back and someone played Mozart 35 for him. On the top of the last page of the piece is a tricky slurred arco lick. Whoever was playing asked him about this lick and Larry Wolfe says "Well, I'm afraid I can't help you with that. I haven't played it in twenty years!"
 
#5
I always turn pages with my left hand, keeping the bow on the string. First, I fold up the lower corner of the page. I lean forward as we near the page turn, and reach around my bass.

Most publishers plan for bad page turns, but when it isn't possible, I photocopy the next line and tape it to the top of the page.
 
#7
Calebmundy said:
I do quite a bit of musical-theater work on electric, and I've gotten a great handle on finding a few ways to take care of awkward page turns, but I can't see how take care of it during an arco section.
Plan for it, photocopy it, and/or tap-along with left hand tap-on pizzicato while turning with the right.
See if you have a neighbor in the group who can lean over to turn on those really bad page-turns. Every so often in the orchestra, for a pops show there'll be a big-band-stlye "Jazz Bass" part with written-out hits, chords and lines. One of the other bassists has to stop playing the arco part and lean over to turn the "Jazz" guy's pages!
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#11
bejoyous said:
.

I use the tip of my bow to turn the page. I've got it down to about 2 beats of music.
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That is an awesome figure.

Good tips all. I did a show once on upright with some bowed page-turns, but I couldn't remember how I did it. It's so easy on electric between open strings and some careful tap work.
 
#13
I have two suggestions. First, I always try to share a stand with someone else in the section so that at least one of us gets all the notes. Second, for parts that have difficult page turns, try to memorize the few bars that surround the page turn, especially if you're the bassist who's playing through the page turn. You can also write (gently and in pencil) a few hints as to what's coming next.

It may not seem reasonable to memorize music like that, but I've always surprised myself at how much of the music I already know after a month of rehearsals.
 
#14
Maybe not relevant as I played uptempo musicals with electric, but anyway

My theory was NEVER turn a page. For musicals, I put the music in a 11x17 hard backed ring binder like they use for engineering drawings, so you can - if required - look at six sheets of music taped together - if required. The only problem with this system is - if you are on stage, you may need two lamps to get adequate lighting instead of one. It is also a problem to carry around and flip pages during sound checks.

On church work we get a new book each week and the piano parts are tough since they are bulky and bass players - unlike piano players, have to stop to turn a page. And people actually do notice when the bass player stops playing.

My solution, I just memorize a few bars or scribble in the margin where required.
 
#15
ZonGuy said:
Maybe not relevant as I played uptempo musicals with electric, but anyway

My theory was NEVER turn a page. For musicals, I put the music in a 11x17 hard backed ring binder like they use for engineering drawings, so you can - if required - look at six sheets of music taped together - if required. The only problem with this system is - if you are on stage, you may need two lamps to get adequate lighting instead of one. It is also a problem to carry around and flip pages during sound checks.

On church work we get a new book each week and the piano parts are tough since they are bulky and bass players - unlike piano players, have to stop to turn a page. And people actually do notice when the bass player stops playing.

My solution, I just memorize a few bars or scribble in the margin where required.
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It's an idea, but I don't think it applies everywhere. When you're forced to play on original transcripts in an orchestra, and the music is lengthy (like a Beethoven symphony), page turns are unavoidable. It makes sense to memorize a few bars until you can turn a page, but when you're playing non-stop for several lines on both sides of the page, it's just ridiculous to try. I wish more editors would leave those blank pages that say "Page left blank to facilitate page turn." That thoughtfulness always makes me smile. Somebody out there does care for us.
 
#16
In musicals, you sometimes have the luxury of getting your own personal part. The $$$ licensing fee includes a CD with all the parts, and the musical director prints out everybodies part before the rehearsal. Beats the old system of getting a dog-eared part that has been through several previous shows.

Prior to rehearsal, I tape my parts together and hole punch, so each song faces up on both sides of the page. Generally, a max of three pages. If there is a song with only one page, I will tape a blank sheet on the right hand side, so that sheet doesnt get buried in the book.

Then I proceed to highlight with pencil and yellow, orange, blue and green highlighters. After a couple of read-throughs, I practice only the highlighted sections. For warm-ups, I play only the hightlighted sections that still give me problems.

And by the third show, I am starting to get bored.
 
#17
Photocopies are the best thing in the world. I did "Guys and Dolls" over the summer and had to copy the entire play because They decided to have a bad page turn in like every song. Had it down where i only had one or two bad page turns in the entire piece.

But for any other page turns, *german bow* I hold the bow in my left hand in front of the bass, flip the page with my right and grab the bow with the right hand. If done correctly i only miss a beat or two, depending on how fast the beat is of course
 
#18
This post has nothing to do with helping you, I typically just try and get that page over asap, no real technique to it for me really. But here's a little orchestra story that makes me smile:

When I was audtioning for All-State Orchestra I remember asking my friend, a very fine violist and friend since 1st grade, what chair he got. A disappointed look came across his face and he said, "7th, but at least I don't have to turn pages." If you're not the top dog, at least you're not turning pages like them.
 

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