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Double Bass Simandl bowing question

P

pb-bass

Sep 14, 2007
3
0
#1
Hello... hope someone can help. This is a pretty specific question, but one I have been wondering about for a while. In Simandl Book1, Part III, the book gets into slurred bowing exercises. The first exercise, Variations of Bowing (on p.69 in my edition) is running up and down basically in Bb. It indicates fingerings that are obviously appropriate when bowing every note separately. There are then 28 variations of bowing (slurs, staccato, etc) provided to try on the exercise. However there are no fingering suggestions provided in the variations. My teacher (who is a little whiz-kid bassist chick) stipulates that different fingerings should be used to minimize shifting within slurs, but I am thinking that that is defeating the point of the exercise, which is to practice making notes articulately legato or staccato as independently of shifts as possible (i.e. make shifts sound the same as playing in same position). Am I out of my mind?:confused: Many thanks
 
#2
Your idea will work too, but I always have people come up with different fingerings for this one. There is an augmented second, from Ab to B natural, that is one place you either have to shift or string cross, but otherwise, you can make fingerings that work.

If you want to leave the fingerings as-is and try them out, you can lift the bow just slightly during the shift. This will mask the sound of the pitch sliding up or down.

Great page, best one in the book in my opinion!
Laurence
 
#5
No doubt, fingerings have to take into account slurring and bowing, also dotted rythms.
Sometimes there is no alternative but to shift while slurring, otherwise try to avoid it. In dotted rythms try to shift betwee the dootted note and the short note that follows so that the short note"belongs" to the dotted note that follows.

Versatility of fingering knowledge is the answer!

David Potts
 
#6
On a recent trip to Japan I picked up the Streicher method book, Vol 1 and while playing with the Streicher German bow hold, went back to these two pages in the Simandl. I now just leave the Simandle open to these pages and do a half dozen of the bowing exercises everyday before going on to anything else.

Louis
 
#7
David Potts said:
No doubt, fingerings have to take into account slurring and bowing, also dotted rythms.
Sometimes there is no alternative but to shift while slurring, otherwise try to avoid it. In dotted rythms try to shift betwee the dootted note and the short note that follows so that the short note"belongs" to the dotted note that follows.

Versatility of fingering knowledge is the answer!

David Potts
Click to expand...

In the excerpts portion of the Zimmerman edition their is some Mozart written for 2 instruments on one staff (the book then describes how the music was played in unison or alternately)(sorry no page #'s, don't have the book here).
The text offers some fingerings and leaves some out. The fingering given though seems to encourage more shifting, staying on one string, and keeping the left hand up around 3rd position when possible.
After experimenting with the suggested fingerings and then trying the same phrases closer to the nut, with less shifting, and more sting crossings, I am coming to the conclusion that staying up around 3rd position and remaining on one string is preferred for getting a bigger sound. Is it just my inexperience keeping me from getting the sting to vibrate freely during slurred string crossings in half position?
So far I have not seen the challenges of shifting during a slur to be any greater then string crossing during a slur and the advantage of not having to start another string moving leads me prefer shifting.
My thinking (and the books suggested fingering) seems to contradict the quote above though.
Any thoughts?
 
#9
To me the worst (to be avoided) shift is to the same finger as you slur, change strings and change position (highest risk of failure?). Next best is change strings and position while slurring but change fingers, etc, etc. You can follow the progression.

To quote Tom Martin: "There are passages to play musically and there are passages that have to be heard. Sometimes these conflict."

Sometimes I'm reduced to "Buffaloeing", putting my head down and charging at the problem!!
 

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