Double Bass vibrato while bowing.

[dirtdog792]

You've got one of the world's great orchestras just a short drive to the north. Symphonic playing may not be your thing, and you may not have the cash to make one of these cats your regular teacher, but even two or three lessons up there could be a real eye opener, and give you a lot to think about while you're between teachers.

I may get nailed for this, but it was a jazz player who told me: "You go to a jazz teacher to learn jazz. You go to a classical teacher if you want to learn technique"

I understand exactly what you're saying. But this is Atlanta, traffic is Hell here. I was taking Jazz lessons with a guy that taught at Emory University. I live south of the city, what should be a 30 or 40min drive takes 3 to 3.5 HOURS!!!! I'd rather wait until the summer and catch a high school or local college teacher. That way I don't have to deal with transportation issues.

 

[dirtdog792]

I started w/ the bow a month or two ago. If you already do okay vibrato w/o it, it'll just start coming on while you're bowing eventually. Then all the usual technique problems/solutions apply, but it is definitely less like the "pat head/rub tummy" thing, which is how I thought of it for the first few weeks.

Never thought of it like that

 

[robobass]

I understand exactly what you're saying. But this is Atlanta, traffic is Hell here. I was taking Jazz lessons with a guy that taught at Emory University. I live south of the city, what should be a 30 or 40min drive takes 3 to 3.5 HOURS!!!! I'd rather wait until the summer and catch a high school or local college teacher. That way I don't have to deal with transportation issues.

Wow! "Civilization will grind to a standstill" - Frank Zappa

 

[ThumpPlunkJunk]

hey everyone,

Been playing fingerstyle for about a year now and have recently started practicing with the bow due to a challenge with a co-worker. I've been getting good results with my fiberglass glasser bow(my brazilwood from string emporium needs to be re-haired). My problem is with vibrato. Me trying to execute vibrato while bowing is like watching a five year old trying to pat their head and rub their stomach at the same time. Except it's not as cute, but equally as funny.
If anyone has any tips or links on proper technique, a push in that direction would be greatly appreciated.

I saw another bassist in orchestra play vibrato when I was in around 6th Grade and I knew then that I wanted to make my bass sound like that and I didn't like the fact that she did it before me.

I just tried to make the sound.

Just like the way a child learns to speak, you just watch others do it first and then you try it.

Pretend you're an owl and you're trying to catch a mouse with one talon, and then rock it back and forth like you're a dog shaking a chew-toy. Make your hand the dog's mouth and the neck of the bass the chew-toy.

 

[David Potts]

One more tip I was recently given by a cellist.

Hold a small ball (eg a squash ball) between your left hand and the fingerboard while doing the vibrato. This will ensure that your hand will roll over the ball during vibrato and stop the motion being jerky?

DP

 

[groooooove]

i'd recommend playing arco without vibrato for a while, get more used to the bow. then vibrato will likely happen rather naturally. its the bow thats throwing you off, you just need to get more used to it. then start the multitasking.

 

[dirtdog792]

i'd recommend playing arco without vibrato for a while, get more used to the bow. then vibrato will likely happen rather naturally. its the bow thats throwing you off, you just need to get more used to it. then start the multitasking.

that's pretty much what ended up happening. I think that I tried to jump ahead too soon w/o a teacher. I went back to trying to get a good consistent tone by just running scales for about 30min. My focus now is getting a good sound every time my bow touches strings. I really didn't expect all this advice, thanks everyone for the help.