Double Bass Tips for developing a good solo sound

[Zanzibar Delgado]

Hi everyone, I was hoping some of you could point me in the right direction regarding my future playing. I recently graduated from college and will begin attending law school in the fall. Although my primary instrument is electric bass, I played upright in my school's string orchestra throughout undergrad and in high school before that. It was a great way to keep my upright chops up to snuff, but I was never a star player.

That being said, I fear that I won't be able to continue playing in an orchestra in law school, both because of the academic workload and the fact that the university with which my law school is affiliated has a far better music program than my undergraduate institution and I doubt I would be up to par (especially considering that undergraduate students are given preference for spots in the orchestra).

However, I still want to keep playing bass, even if I have to do it alone. I've never been much of a soloist, and I think it might be fun to develop that side of my playing in the free time I have. I've been working on some of the cello suites (the Bourree from the 3rd suite and the Sarabande from the 5th) and haven't been really pleased with the sound I'm getting. I feel like it's more angular and hoarse than lyrical. I'm getting more than a fair amount of scratchiness, especially around the heel area.

1) Is there anything I can do technique-wise to tease out a smoother sound from my bass?
2) Should I look into changing some of my equipment for a better solo sound? I currently use an Eastman VB80 bass, Finale carbon-fiber bow (salt and pepper), Helicore Orchestral (medium gauge), and Pop's rosin.
3) Are there any exercises or pieces I should learn to improve this aspect of my playing? In addition to the cello suites, I already have sheet music for the Koussevitsky concerto and a bass arrangement of Apres un Reve. I don't know if I'm ready for the Koussevitsky though. I've had it sitting around for years but never really sat down with it.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Ed Holmes]

The six Marcello Sonatas (Schirmer's, ed. Lucas Drew) are very nice, musical pieces to learn and are not nearly as challenging as Koussevitsky or the Bach Suites. The Twelve Dragonetti Solo pieces (Henle) are accessible and very fun to play, too (and no accompaniment needed as with the Kouss. or Marcellos). Berio's Psy is cool but sort of difficult.

Your equipment seems fine.

Try giving, momentarily, a little extra weight (not speed*) into the string at the beginning of each note to help get the string to vibrate. That weight should pull or push (down bow, up bow, respectively) the string a little before the stroke that begins the note.

*09/29/15 added: I just read a string bowing PhD dissertation that demonstrated a good sound also depends upon adequate (quick) acceleration of the bow up to the "desired" bow speed (in addition to that little extra push of weight to get the string to vibrate).

I, too, played Bach (cello editions, on electric and db) all through grad school.

 

[damonsmith]

I have found salt and pepper hair to give a real uneven sound. I'd pick a side and go with it. A big part of getting a clean sound is to put a bit of study into all the nasty sounds! Find out what happens when you use the bow at an angle as in my photo, check out all the other wrong ways - know your enemy!

 

[Tom Lane]

Try a bow with only white hair, and, try more arm-weight. You know to move the bow towards the bridge for TP?

 

[Don Kasper]

Do you play German or French bow?
Also, Too - Long Tones....

 

[Don Kasper]

Here are some suggestions, some related to German bow, some applicable to French, as well:

Steve,
My comments apply only to the particular photos of the grip I use:

The thumb, first and middle finger (and the pinky, to a lesser extent), act together to slightly "push" and "pull" the stick. The photo from "above" doesn't clearly show it, but there is about 1/4 inch between the edge of the frog and the inside of my palm. The curvature of these fingers, (thumb, first and middle), allows for a slight "push/pull". Try this:

Place the bow on the D string at about 6 inches from the tip. Now, using your thumb, first and middle fingers, (NO ARM), pull the frog slightly into your palm- it should move about 1/4". ( Note: the thumb may "roll" slightly upward as it pulls; the pinky will simply flex as it remains in contact with the ferrule). Now, using the opposite motion, "push" the frog away from the palm of your hand.
Another way to isolate this motion is to gently place the tip of the bow against a wall, and push against the bow- your palm should touch the frog, as your fingers curve. Now, reverse the motion by "pushing" the stick with your fingers - the frog should now move away from your palm, as your fingers return to their original curvature. Keep in mind that if the fingers are too "flat", (against the frog), they will not be able to execute this push/pull motion.
Starting a note, begins with this motion.
Next, place the bow, on the D string, at its midpoint - let your arm weight rest upon the string. You should be able to "grab" the string, making it move sideways slightly ( but NOT sounding!), back and forth. This is a good indication that the weight of your arm is now "connected" to the string (AND that your rosin is enabling the hair to "grab" the string). To sound a note, initiate the slight downbow "pull" with your fingers, (sounding the D), and then immediately involve the arm/shoulder, etc., and play a long downbow.
This stuff is difficult to explain with words, I've tried to describe the basic process.
Good Luck.
Thanks for your time and interest.

 

[damonsmith]

Also, not just long tones but long tones in TP on every note across all strings. Do scales up all four strings all the to the end of the fingerboard. If you can clean up the sound high on the E, it will be easy on the G!

 

[Co.]

Two things, that helped me a lot are Sevcik and the very first exercise in the Joel Quarrington book.
Sevcik is on imslp School of Bowing Technique, Op.2 (Ševčík, Otakar) - IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library: Free Public Domain Sheet Music so it is for free and Quarrinton is available through his website for 10$, I think.
If you are interested in those nasty sound, you might check out Mark Dresser's DVD/CD/book "Guts". Also pretty good value for the money. It is available at Kadima Collective.