Double Bass Sitting in the orchestra

[Bruce Calin]

I'm not sure I understand the question, at least as it applies specifically to sitting. But if I have to flip a gate open or closed mid-piece, I try to anticipate and do it during a rest (ideal), when I am playing open strings (2nd best), or when I am playing a passage in a low position, ideally on the E/C string (I might miss a note or two doing that).

This is what I generally try to do, too, but I find I have to reach back too far if I'm sitting and it's anything quick. It's also clunky with my left hand reaching around the pegbox to get to the capos. Maybe I should shorten the peg, or make some other adjustment with the instrument, but at this point I'm not sure.

 

[Lee Moses]

This is what I generally try to do, too, but I find I have to reach back too far if I'm sitting and it's anything quick. It's also clunky with my left hand reaching around the pegbox to get to the capos. Maybe I should shorten the peg, or make some other adjustment with the instrument, but at this point I'm not sure.

Okay, I think I get what you're saying. I know sometimes I have a lot of shoulder pain that makes it difficult for me to mess around with the extension at all. But sitting shouldn't make too much of a difference; it should be about the same distance sitting or standing, although the angle may change. I would try shortening the endpin to see if that helps.

 

[evanrunyon]

I have a couple of weeks of pretty intense orchestra playing coming up and am tempted to sit which I haven't had to do normally. The problem is that I can't seem to find a way to access my extension capos easily. Any suggestions?

Takes some getting used to doing it confidently without looking, but if you have (and use) an extension, your sitting situation should accommodate it;


How I've got it set up, my hand never goes behind my head. The only time I can see that being a thing is if I was asked to fumble around in the basement while playing molto sul ponticello, which doesn't happen often enough for me to really worry about it (at least not at this stage in my career!).

 

[Mark_T]

Takes some getting used to doing it confidently without looking, but if you have (and use) an extension, your sitting situation should accommodate it;


How I've got it set up, my hand never goes behind my head. The only time I can see that being a thing is if I was asked to fumble around in the basement while playing molto sul ponticello, which doesn't happen often enough for me to really worry about it (at least not at this stage in my career!).

Great sound. Who made your extension? I have to be careful at least with my E gate that it doesn't push the string aside as it closes. The other ones are less prone to the side-to-side thing. My old bass's extension had only an E closer and it had that problem too.

 

[evanrunyon]

Great sound. Who made your extension? I have to be careful at least with my E gate that it doesn't push the string aside as it closes. The other ones are less prone to the side-to-side thing. My old bass's extension had only an E closer and it had that problem too.

If I'm just closing the E gate and the rest are open, I have to hold the string down for the mechanism to catch it properly without just pushing it aside; press down with index finger, shut gate with middle. I suppose it's a pretty nuanced gesture, but I honestly don't even think about it as I'm doing it anymore (granted, I've been using this extension for fifteen years so I've had a bit of practice). The bass & extension are both by Arnold Schnitzer, with a plenty of tweaks–including a new tailpiece–after the fact from Kieran O'Hara. I believe this was the first bass that Kieran was around for the entire process of building, so he knows it very well.

 

[LouisF]

One of the (few) reasons I prefer my Stenholm extension is that I don't have to reach back above my head to get to the keys. They are more or less at eye level when I'm seated (forgive the romantic pre-show lighting, but you get the idea)

 

[Sibe]

Seems the problem mostly fixed itself for me. I'm not exactly comfortable sitting but it works well enough for now with my left leg raised up on the rung of the stool to get through the rehearsals and performances. Anywhere else I am definitely going to keep standing!

 

[Bruce Calin]

On an orchestra bass section gig last week I was somewhat surprised to see that two of the regular players(I was a sub) were seated but the other two were standing. Apparently this is the normal situation in this section. I don't know what the other regular player does but I assumed I would be the only stander. You live and learn.

 

[Don Kasper]