Double Bass Practicing to Recordings?

[Pete G]

Just curious -- do any of you ever practice orchestral parts by playing along with recordings? Pluses, Minuses?

It always seemed weird to me, but I know one great orchestral player who swears by it.

How about playing solos against recorded accompaniment parts (e.g., Music Minus One, or the various folks who sell piano accompaniment CDs or MP3s in the ISB magazine, etc.)?

I never did much of that either, but it seems like a good idea in theory. Now that I have the remote control and all...

 

[kontrabass]

I'd imagine that the pitch of the "A" the orchestra tunes to may affect whether you can practice with a certain recording without adjusting to it. I guess that can be remedied, however, with pitch adjusting software.

 

[reedo35]

I think it is a good way to at least become familiar with the piece.
But like kontrabass said tunings vary. Also I would say listen to several different versions, as tempos and interpretation also vary, depending on the conductor and orchestra.

 

[Bill Bentgen]

Recently I've been putting accompanyment to bass solos into Finale, tweaking the playback, and then saving it as an mp3 file. It goes on my iPod and I play it through an iDock in my practice area.

I did a piano accompanyment for 3-octave scales that I play along with also.

 

[mcnaire2004]

Recently I've been putting accompanyment to bass solos into Finale, tweaking the playback, and then saving it as an mp3 file. It goes on my iPod and I play it through an iDock in my practice area.

I did a piano accompanyment for 3-octave scales that I play along with also.

Is there anyway you could post some of that?

 

[Bill Bentgen]

Is there anyway you could post some of that?

I suppose I could put them on my website. I've got some pdf's of exercises and orchestral parts posted, I guess I could put the mp3's there also. Give me a couple of days. I'll post a notice here when it's done.

 

[Damon Rondeau]

Thanks in advance, Bill -- there are a lot of us out here who would use that.

 

[Bill Bentgen]

Ok, piano accompaniment mp3's for 3 octave scales are posted here:

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If you read the top half of the page there shouldn't be any problems.

Printing the scale book on 11x17 paper might be a pain, but putting anything on 8 1/2x11 is just too small or cramped.

Give me some brutal, objective feedback so I can make improvements. When I get the bugs out, I'll start posting accompaniments to the Vivaldi Sonatas.

 

[mcnaire2004]

Ok, piano accompaniment mp3's for 3 octave scales are posted here:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

If you read the top half of the page there shouldn't be any problems.

Printing the scale book on 11x17 paper might be a pain, but putting anything on 8 1/2x11 is just too small or cramped.

Give me some brutal, objective feedback so I can make improvements. When I get the bugs out, I'll start posting accompaniments to the Vivaldi Sonatas.

Thank you.

Edit: I just checked out your site. THANK YOU!!! it is amazing.

 

[CT DB]

I find practicing with a recording is helpful. I don't thin it can be the only way you practice, but it is helpful for getting a feel of how the piece works with the other parts before your first rehearsal.

 

[Tanglehead]

Don Hermanns has some of these available commercially as well. You can find them on the Lemur site, among others, as well as directly through his own ARC Publishing. He has a set of 6 discs that covers scales and arpeggios in all keys at varying speeds as well as a set of Strauss Tone Poems. The piano accompaniment is played by a professional pianist and the harmonic structure is quite informative in helping adjust intonation WITHIN a certain key.

I'm not a compensated endorser - just a former student who found these to be really helpful. *Full disclosure - I haven't tried the Strauss Tone Poems, but I've spent a good deal of time with the scales and arpeggios and it really helps lock in intonation and solidify technique.

tanglehead

 

[Dan Conwell]

I find playing to recordings a great way to become comfortable with a piece. Also, add me to the list of Don Hermanns' advocates. Using his recordings really improves my intonation.