Are there any thing such as 2 1/2 position or 3 1/2 position? And how exactly does the crab technique work?
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Double Bass So in the Rabbath fingering system.....
- Thread starter Blazemourne
- Start date
as for the 1/2 positions, the answer is not really. The use of the 6 positions, in practice, is very flexible and one often finds oneself in between positions, or pivoted above or below the position. But Rabbath doesn't talk about them in terms of positions in between the main 6.
The answer to the crab technique question is more difficult. Its a hard thing to describe in words - much easier to demonstrate. Maybe someone else will be a better describer of it than I
Is there a Rabbath trained player/teacher in your area who could show you? If not, I'm sure it will be explained and investigated in great detail in the forthcoming [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
The answer to the crab technique question is more difficult. Its a hard thing to describe in words - much easier to demonstrate. Maybe someone else will be a better describer of it than I
Is there a Rabbath trained player/teacher in your area who could show you? If not, I'm sure it will be explained and investigated in great detail in the forthcoming [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]Ah so technically there are half positions its just that they aren't really called half positions?
No, I wouldn't say so. I would say that the concept of positions is a bit more liquid in Rabbath's system - one is not ALWAYS in one of the 6 positions. But the 6 positions are always the reference point for where you are.
Yeesh. I'm not good at explaining this this
Hope its a little bit helpful.
Yeesh. I'm not good at explaining this this
Hope its a little bit helpful.
Having studied Simandl in the early 70's and Rabbath more recently, I have found the Rabbath method makes much more sense to me and generally makes everything easier and more simple. I'd highly recommend finding a teacher who uses the Rabbath method. That should answer your questions.
Video lesson on Contrabass Conversations explains a lot. The Rabbath technique is very useful and ignorance is never useful. I sit in between the naysayers and the zealots.
I try to get every fingering system down so I can use the what serves the music most at the moment. Sometimes a shift is worth the strength you get from the older way, sometimes thumb position in the lower registers and other times a pivot or four finger is the answer.
Music that needs to played is the only master we should serve in terms of technique.
I try to get every fingering system down so I can use the what serves the music most at the moment. Sometimes a shift is worth the strength you get from the older way, sometimes thumb position in the lower registers and other times a pivot or four finger is the answer.
Music that needs to played is the only master we should serve in terms of technique.
First, Rabbath says to "don't throw nothing away"... in other words, use what you have learned and begin to add to it. You will find what works for what you are doing (that's why all the fingerings)
As for 1/2 positions, he says that is too complicated to try to remember. What is important is the flexibility of the hand. With the pivot, you can find any note from one of the main 6 (or 5 or 4) positions outlined in the NTdlC. If I need to play in Db, I put my hand in 2d position, pivot 1/2 step down and bring my thumb back to its normal place in my hand. If you want to call that a 'half position' fine, but I don't have time for that.
I use the pivot so that I can play a major 3d vertically without moving my thumb. That is a whole step + 1/2 step on either side WITHOUT MOVING THE THUMB. That way you can play a chromatic scale without moving your hand position.
In my opinion, the pivot is one of the most important recent developments in our technique.
However, don't neglect shifting. You will have to learn that and I can tell you that body position is the single most important element in shifting.
As for crab technique, it eliminates shifting. Again, hand flexibility is the key. By holding one finger down and opening or closing the hand to reach the next note, you can play wider intervals without the sound of a shift. Play a D major arpeggio starting with the 0T on the D string. When holding F# with the 2d (or 3d) finger, close the hand and play A on the G with your thumb. While holding that, and after releasing your 2d finger, open the hand to play the octave D with your 3d finger.
Or,....buy the Rabbath CDROM from Liben. All this is in there in film clips.
For application of this stuff, find a teacher that has studied the NTdlC and who plays the music you do. Also, follow what Damon says...the music is the master of what decisions you make as to techniques.
1-DooWatDooWa DooWatDooWa DooWatDooWa DooWatDooWa
(Ellington)
As for 1/2 positions, he says that is too complicated to try to remember. What is important is the flexibility of the hand. With the pivot, you can find any note from one of the main 6 (or 5 or 4) positions outlined in the NTdlC. If I need to play in Db, I put my hand in 2d position, pivot 1/2 step down and bring my thumb back to its normal place in my hand. If you want to call that a 'half position' fine, but I don't have time for that.
I use the pivot so that I can play a major 3d vertically without moving my thumb. That is a whole step + 1/2 step on either side WITHOUT MOVING THE THUMB. That way you can play a chromatic scale without moving your hand position.
In my opinion, the pivot is one of the most important recent developments in our technique.
However, don't neglect shifting. You will have to learn that and I can tell you that body position is the single most important element in shifting.
As for crab technique, it eliminates shifting. Again, hand flexibility is the key. By holding one finger down and opening or closing the hand to reach the next note, you can play wider intervals without the sound of a shift. Play a D major arpeggio starting with the 0T on the D string. When holding F# with the 2d (or 3d) finger, close the hand and play A on the G with your thumb. While holding that, and after releasing your 2d finger, open the hand to play the octave D with your 3d finger.
Or,....buy the Rabbath CDROM from Liben. All this is in there in film clips.
For application of this stuff, find a teacher that has studied the NTdlC and who plays the music you do. Also, follow what Damon says...the music is the master of what decisions you make as to techniques.
1-DooWatDooWa DooWatDooWa DooWatDooWa DooWatDooWa
(Ellington)
