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Double Bass Superhuman ear

Andy Mopley

Andy Mopley

Sep 24, 2011
1,335
318
#1
Hi there

by way of intro...

Relative new comer to the DB, having come from the electric side of the fence...been playing for a few years, under the guidance of a teacher..

Q: In an orchestral setting, be it amateurish or professional, can a conductor actually ever pick up a "wrong" note being played by ONE of the DB section? I know the player knows, but I am just wondering if this "superhuman ear" is a myth or whether you have actually experienced this (and hopefully it wasn't you!!)

thanks for reading!:cool:
 
#2
Usually, yes many can tell if it's just one guy playing the wrong note, but usually not exactly who (allthough guesses tend to be accurate ;) )

However, anyone with some experience hears if it's just a mistake, or if its a misunderstanding, or even a complete lack of interest. As a beginner, you should not be afraid to play the wrong notes, it happens to everybody, and everybody has been there and done that.

However, I do know of people who've experienced people who could instantly tell who played the wrong note, most of the people I've heard of had perfect pitch, so they could even tell exactly what you did wrong, and exactly how wrong.
 
#6
I've sung in a 100-voice chorus in which the director could pick out individual singers whose intonation was the least bit off. Scary.

Reminds me of the stories told about legendary Chicago band director Walter Henri Dyett, about whom it was said "If a mosquito peed on a bale of cotton, he'd hear it."
 

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