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Double Bass Upright basses

#21
Started on electric but took up upright 20+ years ago. You really need to learn how to play an upright properly or you risk some hand damage. I was used to playing long sessions on the electric. But after a non-stop 3 hour session on the upright I was having some pain in my left thumb. I figured it would be sore for a few days. It's been many years and the pain is still here. In the meantime I learned how to properly handle an upright - I could have avoided the damage had I learned to play the upright properly in the first place.

So take a hint and get a few lessons.
 
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#22
The fingering system you use on bass guitar will have some impact on how difficult the transition is.

I started on upright and started playing bass guitar a few years later. I use Simandl 1,2,4 fingering on upright. I used the same fingering for over 10 years on bass guitar. During this time, the two instruments seemed similar in some ways. IMHO picking up bass guitar was easy.

But a few years after turning pro, I started sensing it would be beneficial to use one finger per fret on bass guitar. I also eventually transition from 4-string to 6-string which further changes the way one navigates the neck. I stayed with Simandl fingering on upright.

At this point the instruments seem more different than alike.

I have had quite a bit of formal training on upright and never felt the need to take lessons on bass guitar. If you want to try out upright, I suggest renting a bass and taking lessons from a good upright player. IMHO, trying to learn upright on your own would be very difficult. Much better to have an expert who can guide and mentor you, rather than trying to figure it all out on your own.
 
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#23
I've relocated this to the DB forums.

General wisdom is that EUBs are not effective stepping stones to acoustic double bass. They are not necessary going to be cheaper, nor will they accomplish sonically what DB does.

The reason to play EUB is because is (not doublebass) is the instrument that speaks to your and/or best serves the music that you want to play.

Is it really a big deal to switch from BG to DB? In my experience, yes. But, if it's important to you, it is obtainable and worth it. Perceived short cuts will prolong your misery, not help you avoid it.

Rental and lessons are the way to find out for sure.
 
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#26
Wow - lots of commentary on pain/injury due to improper technique. Quite surprised based on my experience, as I've not had any issues, but clearly they exist, so I acknowledge and defer to those suggesting professional guidance for your own good health.( as well as development of proper technique through competent instruction).

I did not mean to be so flip, in lite of these recent interjections, nor am advocating some sort of "shortcut" technique, whatever that may have been in reference to. However, I still encourage you to try. Hate to see you miss out on another level of musical enjoyment, especially since you clearly have some interest.
Just be careful if you go it alone to test the waters. Obviously, if it hurts, there's your sign...
 
#27
james condino said:
There are several proficient players around here who started on mandolin and then switched to upright bass. You got this!
Click to expand...

And with that in mind, I'd opine that thoroughly learning music fundamentals on any stringed instrument will help you a lot on the double bass. BUT, the double bass is a very different instrument than any other instrument, so it is best not to expect to step right into it.

And, if you get seriously into double bass, it might be good to polish your business and accounting skills, because you'll likely get more gigs.
 
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#28
I always come back to this:

The traditional methods of teaching musical instruments have been developed over the last 200+ years, and they are used worldwide to get hundreds of thousands of bored inattentive middle schoolers playing at a functional level quickly and with the minimum of bad habits. While, of course, it's true there are many people who learn to play at a functional (or even a high) level by going some other route, why wouldn't you just go right down the good ol' garden path that's been well-trodden for all those years? The chances that you're going to develop bad habits or be unable to get certain things at all, is pretty high in self-teaching things like how to play a musical instrument; why plan a course where failure is a high probability?

I will say that I can tell upright bass players who've "taught themselves" rather quickly; puny little tone caused by picking at the strings up around chest level; no endurance when playing in flat keys; weird left hand shapes that poop out quickly and require twice as many shifts as necessary; dozens of dots and stickers all up and down the neck. That doesn't take into account all the people I talk to who OWN a bass, but never play it because "it's too hard" - well, no, it's not really "Too hard" if you learn how to address the thing properly and use proper technique. I can play a three hour gig in flat keys and come away with only normal fatigue, and I don't practice dozens of hours a week, either.

Few people, wanting to learn how to play golf, would decide a reasonable course would be to teach oneself by going to the batting cage and swinging at baseballs. Most people who want to learn how to play golf go down to the driving range or the public course and engage the local golf pro for some lessons.
 
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#31
Turnaround said:
Started on electric but took up upright 20+ years ago. You really need to learn how to play an upright properly or you risk some hand damage. I was used to playing long sessions on the electric. But after a non-stop 3 hour session on the upright I was having some pain in my left thumb. I figured it would be sore for a few days. It's been many years and the pain is still here. In the meantime I learned how to properly handle an upright - I could have avoided the damage had I learned to play the upright properly in the first place.

So take a hint and get a few lessons.
Click to expand...
I started playing DB seven years ago. For the first six years I suffered bouts of pain here and there but nothing really significant (mostly "growing" pains as I got used to the instrument). I basically stopped playing DB over covid and started up again for a specific gig this past spring. It wasn't easy but I made it through that gig fine. A couple of months later I had another gig. I was told I'd be playing one set, and that's what I prepared for. I ended up playing two sets and my left hand is still bothering me several months later from over-exertion. :rollno:
 
#32
As someone who's played and taught both for quite a while and was self taught early on myself I'm a firm believer in at least basic instruction for both. Both can cause unnecessary physical and pain issues if played incorrectly. BG has more potential for this IMO but either can develop problems if done for enough time. I was a professional player for longer than I care to think about before I wised up and realized that some of my self-taught technique was holding me back and potentially harmful. A few lessons with a competent and knowledgeable instructor can get you on your way. Even the comments here about how hard the DB is physically make me cringe. Sore fingertips okay- anything else needs attention.
 
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