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Double Bass So Gerold’s cooking up something new...
- Thread starter Kaspar Vadsholt
- Start date
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Sorry, Ekol, I just couldn't resist my other reply.
If you have a dark-sounding bass with Bel Cantos, you must be used to a dark sound. Moreover, Bel Cantos are pretty forgiving of imprecise bowing, Temperas not so much. I am having to learn to use less bow weight and pay more attention to bow placement. Assuming that you are excellent with the bow, you should expect the Temperas to be great with solo playing; they will give you more volume and be fully expressive of your input... ideally, that's what we all would want.
In an orchestra section, you - and others - will hear your playing more clearly than before. You may get looks from your section mates, and those looks may not signify approval, especially before the Temperas have settled. Solution? Convince them to get Temperas too, so that there's no question of who's not blending!
Since I'm the only bassist in my orchestra, my primary challenge is being heard clearly, and I don't have to worry about section mates.
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I think thats pretty accurate.
So I want to share our experience: We had 50% Tempera and it was ok, no big issues with blending. But now our whole section plays Tempera (just one has old Sonores, but its not so far away) so we can actually confirm what AGCurry says. It works amazing when everyone has them.
Actually it's a big relieve, we can really work on intonation, on phrasing, and we are much more integrated in the orchestra sound. It's not strings+basses, it's one big string sound. We are extremely happy with that. We did a lot of testing before we decided to really stick with it. But the result is perfectly clear, especially if you go 10m or even 20m away. Something that sounds a little "scratchy" at the instrument, sounds clear after distance (You know that when you ever played plain gut)
The volume of the whole section is at least 30% higher, the sound is massive.
It takes a little time to adapt and get rid of imprecision. Belcantos never sound really great but its easy to get an avarage okish result. If you play Tempera, it's a different story.
So guys, give it a try and think twice. Do you want to be bored to death, because everything you do in the orchestra sounds mumbly, warmy, bathtub nice or do you want to make music like the other strings do ?? (kidding, in the end its a question of taste of course)
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How did you convince your group? We have 2 players (including me), but the others don't want to change anything. I don't understand that, why can't musicians be at least a little curious?
Actually it was a bit difficult for me at the beginning, the strings are a bit louder than my previous ones and I had to learn to dose my arm weight. But in the meantime I actually manage very well and it's also quite nice to have less pain, also on my fingers
Actually it was a bit difficult for me at the beginning, the strings are a bit louder than my previous ones and I had to learn to dose my arm weight. But in the meantime I actually manage very well and it's also quite nice to have less pain, also on my fingers
How did you convince your group? We have 2 players (including me), but the others don't want to change anything. I don't understand that, why can't musicians be at least a little curious?
Actually it was a bit difficult for me at the beginning, the strings are a bit louder than my previous ones and I had to learn to dose my arm weight. But in the meantime I actually manage very well and it's also quite nice to have less pain, also on my fingers
If you view your colleagues' mindset or setup as being a problem, you should make sure you're comfortable being viewed by them in the same way.
You make the best argument for your setup and approach by turning up and using it. If others are interested they'll let you know.
If you love how you sound, great. If it matters to you that others don't, it might be that you don't love your sound as much as you could.
I understand your point, but unfortunately i sometimes have the impression that there is a certain conservative attitude in the european classical music scene that doesn't necessarily always have so much to do with quality consciousness, but rather with obduracy.
on the other hand, two colleagues tried my bass yesterday and had to admit that it simply sounds much better than before. Let's see, maybe I just need to learn patience.
Patience is a good idea anyway when playing tempera, because they need quite a while to settle completely. They really do sound better every day and I haven't had so much fun rehearsing in a long time.
on the other hand, two colleagues tried my bass yesterday and had to admit that it simply sounds much better than before. Let's see, maybe I just need to learn patience.
Patience is a good idea anyway when playing tempera, because they need quite a while to settle completely. They really do sound better every day and I haven't had so much fun rehearsing in a long time.
Good point.
If we could travel to the past, I wonder if we would notice similar obduracy in resisting the advent of steel strings.
I totally feel you. I used to play in a group like that. Now I am lucky to be surrounded by team of great bass players who are really motivated and always interested to improve. Not so much convincing was needed, just a few notes on my old baby
but in the end we made a group decision and I think everyone is very happy with it.
Nice, this seems to be the orchestra model, but sounds beautiful also for the solo playing:
An update after using Temperas for a few months...
I love them. My initial impressions were that they are loud, bright but balanced, very supple, and that they require less bow weight and more attention to bow placement. Those impressions have not changed, but the strings have gotten better with time and use, losing their perceived harshness ... or perhaps, with experience, I have come to embrace the higher overtones more than fear them.
I like them so much that I bought a second (used) pair (thanks, @Adam Booker ). I put these on another bass yesterday, replacing Oliv G/D/A and Spiro weich E. Arco was pretty glorious, but I made contact noise with pizzicato... greater flexibility and string excursion exposed the need for a fingerboard planing/dressing - even with the G string 10 mm high. Luthier, who liked the strings and the bass, has the bass now; he says with the fingerboard work he should be able to reduce the string height AND get rid of the contact noise. Happy.
I love them. My initial impressions were that they are loud, bright but balanced, very supple, and that they require less bow weight and more attention to bow placement. Those impressions have not changed, but the strings have gotten better with time and use, losing their perceived harshness ... or perhaps, with experience, I have come to embrace the higher overtones more than fear them.
I like them so much that I bought a second (used) pair (thanks, @Adam Booker ). I put these on another bass yesterday, replacing Oliv G/D/A and Spiro weich E. Arco was pretty glorious, but I made contact noise with pizzicato... greater flexibility and string excursion exposed the need for a fingerboard planing/dressing - even with the G string 10 mm high. Luthier, who liked the strings and the bass, has the bass now; he says with the fingerboard work he should be able to reduce the string height AND get rid of the contact noise. Happy.
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G with 10mm clearance under the string reminds me of playing period music with raw unvarnished gut - that's an aggressive set up! My G has like 3mm of clearance lol
Has anyone heard anything about the "pizz-optimized' Temperas? I have been on the waiting list for about a year but haven't heard anything yet. I would LOVE a string that could fill the void Velvet Anima left.
I asked via insta and there is not going to be a pizz version. You need to stick to sonores if you want that vibe
Yeah, but Temperas should be even better for pizz now, because they are making an updated version. There should be less fingerboard buzzing than the original version had on some basses.
In my opinion, the Temperas are great pizz strings.
Yes I agree totally... in a more "old-fashioned" way then for example the Perpetuals, but I like them also a lot in the "pizz-mode"...
Are you aware of a string that has a similar pizz response to give us a frame of reference?
