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Double Bass what's the loest note on a double bass? etc.

#3
yeah Lo_est was just a typo, sorry... i'm in manic intenet phase doing a few too many things at once.

really, it's same frequency as my bass guitar? that seems odd to me, the strings look a lot longer, are they a lot tighter? Or is there just a lot of body round them on a double bass that makes the scale length look longer?
 
#5
bassteban said:
Sorry- if I don't get on someone 3 times a day I have to turn in my spelling Nazi card. Can't have that. :)
On topic- my DB is tuned exactly the same as my 4-string BGs. I use the same tuner. Can't comment on the physics.
Click to expand...

I read somewhere that the "double" came from doubling the cello an octave down *CORRECTION: IT IS NOT BECAUSE IT IS LOWER THAN CELLO, BUT BECAUSE IT IS THE NEXT LOWEST INSTRUMENT BELOW THE 'BASS VIOLA DA GAMBA', SO IT IS "BASS" BASS INSTRUMENT, OR "DOUBLE" BASS*, or from the fact that it was written an octave above sounding, hence contrabass, which I guess is the same. The strings def seem to be tighter, and thicker. I believe the 3/4 double bass scale is around 40", making it indeed longer than electric bass scale.


String Note Frequency
G 97.999 Hz
D 73.416 Hz
Aˌ 55 Hz
Eˌ 41.204 Hz
 
#6
Yep, the strings are a lot longer on a double bass. You're typical bass guitar (long scale) has 34" inch strings, and double basses vary, but most are usually in the ballpark of 41-44".

String tension is considerably higher (usually around 250 pounds of tension for the 4 strings, about double that of a 34" bass guitar).

Longer strings, under higher tension, means more work to pluck a string, and more vibrational energy transferred to the larger body, which means louder notes. Which is why a double bass (unless something is wrong with it) is louder than an acoustic bass guitar.

The low E is 41Hz. Sometimes, a double bass will either have an extra low string, or an extension on their low string, to allow them to play even lower, usually a low C, or even a low B (31Hz).
 
#9
zeytoun said:
Yep, the strings are a lot longer on a double bass. You're typical bass guitar (long scale) has 34" inch strings, and double basses vary, but most are usually in the ballpark of 41-44".

String tension is considerably higher (usually around 250 pounds of tension for the 4 strings, about double that of a 34" bass guitar).

Longer strings, under higher tension, means more work to pluck a string, and more vibrational energy transferred to the larger body, which means louder notes. Which is why a double bass (unless something is wrong with it) is louder than an acoustic bass guitar.

The low E is 41Hz. Sometimes, a double bass will either have an extra low string, or an extension on their low string, to allow them to play even lower, usually a low C, or even a low B (31Hz).
Click to expand...


All present and correct !! I think the thing is that a Double bass note just feels a lot bassier and darker than any bass guitar and it has a weight and presence that can never be matched by BG.

On BG I usually avoid the G string as it sounds thin, twangy and guitar-like - whereas on Double Bass, the G string has the bassiness(!!??) required, yet speaks quickly enough to play fast lines; so ends up being favourite string! ;)

They are like chalk and cheese despite being tuned to essentially the same notes.
 

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