Where/How did you learn to play double bass?

[Zac Watson]

Hey Justin

Rewatched the footage from the Nine Inch Nails Lights in the Sky tour, and was enjoying watching you interpret the Ghosts material and Piggy on upright. Loved a pizz sound and the bow tone.

My question is, how/where did you learn to play double bass, and would you say you have the same facility to be as creative on it as you would on electric bass?

Cheers

 

[jmjbassplayer]

I learned during the trial by fire of an album I made with Beck called Mutations. I had two weeks to borrow one and woodshed like crazy. Enough to get a basic tone, play somewhat in tune, and obtain a small dynamic range. Pizz only. We cut the album, then for the tour I played upright and since then increased my skills ever so slightly, enough to get away with playing sessions periodically. Likewise, the NIN tour: just cramming as much as possible until my fingers bled and blistered during rehearsal, then getting some equilibrium during the constant gigs. But I don't spend enough time on it, both now or in the past, to consider that I have remotely the same facility as electric. I'd call it maybe 30% of that facility.

 

[RayWithFlats]

Wow, I can’t believe you’d only had TWO WEEKS on double bass before recording Mutations, that’s insane (in a good way!) Mutations is hands down my favourite Beck LP, there are great songs throughout his career but for listening to a full album it’s Mutations then Midnight Vultures.