philparker

Hey, it looks great - well done, I hope you enjoy!

As above. Technically it is called a minor 7 flat 5, and some people refer to a min7b5 as a half diminished. Some people refer to it as diminished because they are talking about triad chords, which don't contain the 7th, (a diminished chord has a double flat 7th - bb7) however, for our intents and purposes as bass players it is half diminished.

Do you read any of the newsletters from Jason Heath, now Double Bass HQ? He's on YT quite a bit, but often represents the DB community. Davis Heyes is a regular contributor and will sometimes have an offer on music pieces or studies. I got a news letter through today with an offer of 100 studies in minor keys, which can be bought for any contribution you wish, with 'free' being an option. Or 50% discount to purchase two books of studies, in major and minor keys. I haven't looked at them yet, but knowing David, they will be good and beneficial. I have just downloaded the minor keys studies, for free, but I am away from my DB for the Christmas period so I can't review. DB HQ link for the minor keys studies: https://shop.doublebasshq.com/products/bass-clef-studies-book-2-100-studies-in-minor-keys?ck_subscriber_id=90329882

Yes, David is a world-class educator, there's no doubt about that. I don't have access to all my material at the moment, as I am away visiting...2 books I regularly use by David are: Aiming High and Scaling the Heights, which are pieces and studies that help in the transition to thumb position and in thumb position. They look like straight-forward pieces to start with, but there's so much more to them when you 'study' them and dissect them etc. I would have to wait a couple of weeks to check out some of my other stuff, but a lot of exercises we did (me and other students of a similar level) we were given printed hand outs to work on. I didn't want to buy all the material as there are lots of albums where you only need one or two pieces. Sorry to the OP for diverting from the main subject!

These are the exercises I have been using for quite a few years now and continue to do so on a daily basis (or at least each time I practise). I used to attend the workshops run by David Heyes and we always started with these exercises (and others). I am sometimes skeptical about method and exercise books, but not in this case as David himself uses these exercises also on a daily basis. Eventually, I took private lessons with David and finally realised, with method, good technique, and muscle memory, it was possible to hit any and every note, which we did from more than one approach. I also learnt how to work out the best [for me] finger positions, to which I could transfer this skill to both guitar and piano, with the same thought process. Although I have the book, and one or two others, all the exercises are ingrained into my memory and for every practise time, these take priority, scales and arpeggios next, pieces and fun-stuff last.

Curiosity got the better of me! Starting at bar 22 with open G, to B to A, then a half-step shift with C-4, D-1, E-4, then as fingerings up to bar 29 G-1 on the 2nd string for better control, reverting back to open G on Bar 30. I have tried it a couple of ways, and each way works, but this one I'm more comfortable with it. Now it can be seen it context, perhaps there will be some other suggestions, but as Nick A says - whatever you're comfortable with!

Back in 2018, I was playing an Open Day (I think they called it 'Rusties') with the BSO String Section, where amateurs spend the day with the principle string leader, learn about 3-4 pieces, and all come together mid afternoon to perform 'Tutti'. We were a very small section of 4. I can't remember the piece, but we had a long shift to high 'B' that I was struggling with and I thought, I can just play quietly there and then fine tune my position. The conductor singled out the bass section to go through that phrase and I was rightly worried, but decided to go for it with confidence. The other two amateur bass players didn't even play a note when we got to the 'B' which accentuated my poor intonation even more. Luckily, the conductor smiled, looked at me and said "don't worry, the intonation will settle". I've since spent a long time working in the thumb position, but pencil marks are definitely on the cards for some pieces!

I think it also depends where you are coming from for the first C and where you are going to after the last C? As a general rule, try to get two notes in for one hand movement or at least eliminate an awkward shift by placing your hand in the best place to reduce the length of shift (to a half-step or whole-step), or the number of shifts for any particular phrase, for the most efficient movement. My bass is a 'D' neck (I didn't know this was trendy-modern!) - if I was coming from down the neck, LH half-position or one-position, and going back down the neck after that phrase: I would play all on the G-string, C-4, shift to position 4 on the neck, D-1, E-4, D-1, and finally C-4 (providing I'm going back down the neck). If I was already high up the neck (position 4 or 5), I would play D String, C-4, half-step shift down, then G-string, D-1, E-4, D-1, if staying in that position, half-step shift up for C-4 on the D-String; or going back down C-4 on the G-String. All the above sounds more complicated written down than I can visualise playing the phrase. Please let us know the notes before and after the start/finish C as that will make a difference.

Thanks for the heads-up, I'll watch it this week sometime!

As a private venture i.e. working for yourself, I would say you don't need any formal qualifications. I also believe the ability to teach well cannot be measured by any formal qualification either. (as said above). Sometimes, looking at teaching courses or qualifications may help you with formulating a plan and a structure to use with students, but often, those running courses for tutors make too much of what you should do (and charge too much!). I think you have self-recognised the requirement for good theory and good technique. I would also suggest very good patience and the ability to quickly recognise the quality of the student and being able to adapt your teaching methods to their strength with a good balance of challenge, encouragement and reward.

Well, that's not including the very useful Chadwick I still have - strings vary on that bass. Great for taking away on trips. Yes, I have Pirastro Oliv's on G and D (Evah Pirazzi's on A and E) and it bows remarkably well, but they are so nice for Pizz.