Ostinato stuff in Eb/Bb minor - fingering is a bind.

[thisnameistaken]

Just wondering what you chaps do when you're faced with a repetitive pattern in Eb or Bb minor with a lot of root/third stuff in it. Do you play it in half position and constantly have to move, or do you play it further up the board?

I prefer the sound in the lower positions but it just doesn't seem practical sometimes. Do I just give up and move to a more comfortable position?

[MandShef]

I've got a piece we're playing with our orchestra that is in that range. I was getting a really tired left hand playing it, and felt like I was having to shift too much. Maybe not an issue on concert day when we only play it once through, but in rehearsals when we play the same bit over & over again - ouch! I've just today reworked the fingering further up the board. It might not have as strong a sound up there, but it's comfortable enough that I can keep going without tiring, and it probably looks better to do less shifting too (it should never look like hard work!). Also I suspect intonation is better moving across strings rather than shifting around. I'd say go with the practical option & move up.

[fatback]

This is where the Rabbath pivot really comes into its own.

I'm always afraid, as a newbie, of overselling this, but it's made my life so easy.

[Doddy]

For me it depends on what the ostinato is. If I can comfortably play it down in the
lower positions I will,otherwise I'll play it in higher up the neck.