Double Bass Tremolo help...

[Shelly Renzelman]

OK, so I feel really stupid for asking this, since I'm sure that my professor taught this to me when I was an undergrad a million years ago and I just can't seem to extract it from my brain , but here goes:

I am playing in the orchestra for the local production of Wizard of Oz and it is one tremolo after another. Can someone please explain to me the technique for playing unmeasured tremolos? What I am looking for is what part of the bow is it played in? When you bow it, is it a wrist movement or an arm movement? and if an arm movement, from the elbow or the shoulder? Anything else that I should know (remember) about this technique?

Thanks a million!

Shelly

 

[PaulCannon]

The dynamic determines what part of the bow you use. The louder it is, the closer to the frog. If it's really soft, you'll be able to just use your wrist and play at the tip. If it's any louder, then your whole arm gets involved. I'm not saying to push back and forth as if you're wearing a cast, but to move all joints.

The important thing is that you not use a lot of bow. When it comes to tremolos, the best thing to do is to only use and an inch of hair and adjust volume with bow placement and pressure.

 

[Shelly Renzelman]

Thanks for the help! Shelly