I have been playing the upright bass for about a month now. I started at school because we had a long term substitute orchestra teacher who is a professional bass player, so I took the opportunity. I previously played the violin. When I am at school, I can bow perfectly fine. Obviously it doesn't sound incredible and I have trouble staying on one string, but I can actually make a full sound. Well, when I play at home with the bass the school gave me to keep at home, I am unable to make a full sound. I can pluck just fine, but bowing makes a very hallow, bad sound. I bought Pops rosin, I applied rosin many times, but I still can't seem to bow. It was my understanding that the strings were nylon, but after doing research I see that they are not. If I get any replies on this I will attach photos, I just don't want to go to all the trouble for no one to see this.
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Double Bass Why can't I bow?
- Thread starter uprightbassplay
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- bow help forum
If the substitute teacher is still there,
bring your home bass to school and
explain your issue. Let him look at the bass and what you’re doing.
Otherwise, hire him to come to your
house for a 30 minute lesson or two,
or bring the home bass to his house
for a lesson or two.
Save yourself a lot of grief.
bring your home bass to school and
explain your issue. Let him look at the bass and what you’re doing.
Otherwise, hire him to come to your
house for a 30 minute lesson or two,
or bring the home bass to his house
for a lesson or two.
Save yourself a lot of grief.
How do the 2 basses and their strings compare? Are you in high school? Just trying to figure out why the basses the school provided would differ so much. But yeah, bring your home bass in and ask the teacher to help you understand what is going on. No problem chatting on-lne. But it is no substitute for someone with experience and in person.
Come back after and tell us what he says.
Come back after and tell us what he says.
The strings on the bass at home are a lot more flexible, and plucking hurts less on the home one. Id rather not share my grade level for internet safety, but our instruments are great. Not bad, better than good, but not incredible. I left out the part that the sun is gone and it is our main teacher again who does not have as much expertise on the bass.
Unfortunately the sub is no longer here. My parents are less than enthusiastic about my switching from the violin to the bass, and are not interested in paying for me to have lessons. Thank you so much for the reply though!
Stick with it, you will overcome! And it's so cool to be a double-bass player. Too much Pop's is a bad thing too, by the way. This does not really sound like something you are doing wrong, but maybe the strings, the setup, or even the hairs on the bow. Someone will know, but they might have to seen, feel, and hear it. If you show intelligent and motivated interest in the bass, and thank your parents for opening your mind with the violin, they might follow! At this time in your life, you might just be feeling the need for a change, they could understand that. Hang in there!
OP — hang in there. Keep working at the instrument, realize this is a LONG journey that is so rewarding as you reach higher and higher plateaus. Bowing takes a long time to master. The grip, the arm movement, the bow placement… Practice long notes on open strings for 10 minutes at a time, nothing else, just making a sound. It WILL happen if you work at it!
I made the switch from violin to bass in the fourth grade. I played bass until 8th grade, stopping because I disliked the orchestra director, wanted to peruse art, and like you, my parents never wanted to pay for proper lessons. Once I heard Led Zeppelin as a 9th grader, i was inspired: I figured I’d return to bass as a 10th grader, get free bass lessons at school and then figure out how to play bass guitar myself since parents wouldn’t pay for lessons… this was 1988 and I’m still playing bass today. I paid for lessons myself as a 50 year old — and learned to bow properly.
Photograph the strings. We need to see the silk colors both on pegbox and tailpiece end. Some strings are not really bowable, probably someone here can help working out this side of the problem.
German or French bow hold?
German or French bow hold?
OP: It isn't clear -- are you using the same bow on both basses? My son is playing cello in middle school, and uses a different instrument, but the same bow for each. Also, if you can take pics of the pegbox and afterlength of the strings on both basses, the brain trust here can identify them and may have some suggestions.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
Nylon-wound strings are notorious for not being able to bow easily. It's the nature of how the bow grabs the strings. If the bass is wearing a full set of nylon wrapped strings, then it's not you - it's the strings. Metal-wrapped strings are much easier to bow, so before you think this is completely hopeless, make sure you're not fighting a losing battle up front.
I can take pictures, unfortunately not right now. I am using 2 different bows.
That is great. I only ask, because I thought that might color my expectations of what the school might provide. Would likely be different at middle school vs high school vs college...
Not meant as critical, but if you ARE interested in the bass, demonstrate that by sharing photos of the strings for both basses, look inside with a flashlight to see any labels, give us enough info to figure out what instruments/bows/setups you are working with. Like I said, not trying to be critical. But if you ARE serious about playing bass, it is going to require considerably more effort than providing the info I request. If all you are willing to invest is a couple of non-spellchecked posts to a message board, that might suggest something about your dedication and/or maturity.
For the third time - speaking directly. Not critically.
"When I am at school, I can bow perfectly fine."
It's likely an issue with different bows, different strings, different basses.
If you can get a good sound on the bass you have at school but not on the other bass, there is definitely a problem with the bass and/or the bow you have at home. It quite possibly would need new strings but that costs hundreds of dollars and may not even solve the problem. I would say you should get your own bass to keep at home if at all possible.
No offense meant, but you likely can't do anything well on the instrument when a month in. Start asking these questions after you've put in a year of work and lessons.
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