Double Bass What can we learn (or not learn) from cello?

[ouija]

Maybe I'm just being dense, but aside from the obvious differences in size of, well, everything, between the cello and bass (proportionally, too)...well, a cello sounds like a cello (told you I might be being dense ). I don't really feel like enough tone qualities are common between a "good cello tone" and a "good bass tone", or the bass in my head, anyway, for me to really want to emulate the technique. If figuring out how the bass techniques out there relate to the bass' tone has been dabbling in calculus, I feel like figuring out how other instruments' techniques relate would be some quantum mechanics that I'm even less ready for. And that isn't strictly necessary (for me, at this point in my development, for the sounds I want, IMO, etc, etc). Besides, with bass technique approaches are varied enough that I feel like I have more than enough of value left to explore, anyway.

Musically though? Always good to hear what sounds people go for on different instruments...and to be dense again a phrase is a phrase

 

[dbassnut]

One can learn a great deal about dramatically exaggerated head movements and painfully artistic facial expressions from cellists.

funny, I get that alot as well when I have to play cello scores on the bass in the orchestra. I still don't understand why their bass clef looks different from my usual bass score bass clefs though. *grin*

 

[AndreyR]

Most cello players have a great tone. Bass players should not be any different. Since I am still developing my tone, I like to listen to music played on the cello, and try to copy the tone. If I can match it, it becomes more awesome - very sweet, but more fat than a cello. Too bad my bass doesn't vibrate between my legs (cello players would get that joke).

 

[Dbass926]

I think that in making fun of cellists there are a few kernels of good advice here. If you've ever played some basic cello you know that several of the notes we take for granted in 1st position (F#, C#, G#) that happen to be very important leading tones in most orchestral repertoire are located in slightly less convenient places on the cello. Because of this, I have noticed I must always be extremely careful where I place those notes when playing a Bach aria, say, or any continuo music with just a cello and bass.
There are lots of these tendencies - the above notes tend to be flat, whereas the notes in a cellist's half position (C#, G#, D#, A# or Bb) tend to be sharp.
I'm positive from experience these aren't artistic decisions, but a product of the instrument's makeup and they are definitely ways to bring a whole orchestra's eyes onto you, who will always look like more of a doofus than the cellist, who is probably a hot girl, anyway.
What I'm saying is, intonation isn't just a matter of playing in tune, it's also about anticipating what your fellow musicians will play and matching that before it has a chance to go wrong.