Arco and Pizz learning options?

[Hector]

I've really gone and muddied the waters here! Just antagonising to get back at fatback for once trying (nearly succeeded!) to convice me to give in to gut string temptation.... Hah, but seriously really sorry for derailing the thread a bit - do love to get the anorak on and chat about the nitty gritty.

Owen, to summarise:

1. Arco technique will help with your pizz, in as much as your left hand will be in good shape (but it won't do much for your RH of course)
2. Practising arco will make it easier to hear if you're in tune.
3. I find a drone in the background whilst practising scales very helpful for good ear training - PM me if you want some.
4. Some have had success using a tuner during practising to fine-tune intonation. If it works for you, go for it. The logic is sound.
5. I like nice little numbered lists.

Edited April 12, 2013 by Hector

[fatback]

Nice list, Hector.

Sorry about the 'nearly' bit in the 'nearly succeeded'.

[Owencf]

i see theres quite a schism, same goes for sitting or standing options.
when at home i stand as i have no stool to use but i Pizz and arco away.
With the tutor once a weeki sit and arco only....for now as he does have an open mind on the teaching side of things.
Once i have the fundamentals we will discuss it.

even though classical isnt my thing it is serving a purpose im still enjoying it and much to the detriment of the flats around my arco work is getting cleaner and much LOUDER

[endorka]

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1365810181' post='2044957']
4. Some have had success using a tuner during practising to fine-tune intonation. If it works for you, go for it. The logic is sound.
[/quote]

I did this when I started on double bass, and it works well as a method of calibrating your ear, to help you ensure that what you think you are playing is actually what you should be playing.

But over time I became too dependant on having the visual reference of the tuner. In my opinion, you must sooner or later abandon visual references such as the tuner and gazing at the fingerboard if you are to have a productive, rewarding and ultimately more enjoyable experience playing double bass.

Far more fun & to the betterment of the music to be interacting with your fellow musicians than gazing at a tuner or your hand all through a gig!

Jennifer

[oggiesnr]

I'm in the "using a tuner to check" brigade.

Opening a slightly different can of worms there can be a good reason for this. Not all of us hear notes the same way and in fact the tempered scale is a compromise created for those instruments that have fixed tuning or frets. When I'm playing solo, certain notes in the scale that sound "in tune" to me are actually slightly out when measured against a tuner. So I'm using the tuner to help re-tune my ear.

If you really want fun, try playing with a cajun box player using a traditionally tuned box where the third and the seventh notes are about fifteen cents flat (and the fourth may be 15 cents sharp) in an approximation of just intonation. It then gets more complicated as they play in cross position (G on a C tuned box). Great fun but really screws up your notion of intonation.

Steve

[fatgoogle]

Also ill just add, even if you might not like the idea, but join a local orchestra. First of all its incredibly fun. Second of all your sight reading, bowing, intonation and ability to become a better musician will go through the roof. It'll be pretty damn scary at first especially if your the only double bass player but it'll really push you and you'll probably start to love the bow and all you can achieve with it.

When i first started my double bass teacher sent me down to the local youth orchestra about 6 weeks after starting because they didnt have one and his wife was the conductor. Looking back the stuff was really simple but it really pushed me to become comfortable with the double bass. Also it wasn't all just classical we did show tunes and some movie soundtracks.

Just an idea if you have time and something that really helped me.

[ubassman]

[quote name='fatgoogle' timestamp='1366359167' post='2051342']
Also ill just add, even if you might not like the idea, but join a local orchestra. First of all its incredibly fun. Second of all your sight reading, bowing, intonation and ability to become a better musician will go through the roof. It'll be pretty damn scary at first especially if your the only double bass player but it'll really push you and you'll probably start to love the bow and all you can achieve with it.

[/quote]

+1 hard, hard work and pretty scary at first but theres nothing better !

Maybe look for a wind orchestra? ...they are often desperate for a 'String Bass' player ( I am guessing players might be quite thin on the ground in sunny Aberdeen )! . Current orchestra I play in has a repertoire where we play a full on pomp and circumstance 'Night at the Proms' set with Land of hope and Glory, Crown Imperial , Nimrod, Jerusalem etc and then another set that is jazzy and big band Sinatra type numbers , Come fly with me, Mack the knife, ( NB wind players look to the DB to get the feel of how to swing - a lot don't do it naturally !!) and the next minute I get to pull out my electric bass and have fun playing show pieces from Lion King, Les Miserables, ....and then theres the Christmas set where we sight read carols and play ...its all really great for opening up the bass, musicianship absorbing it all and playing what ever style you really want to play outside of orchestra .

None of the music is really my genre but its huge fun to play and I see the orchestral pieces as avehicle that takes me out of my comfort zone and into places I wouldnt normally go . Best of all theres nothing better to give you a boost of confidence to be known as 'the double bass player' !. So ...top advice from @fatgoogle !!

[bornagainbass65]

Re: practice with a drone. I found a website called [url="http://www.dronetonetool.com/"]http://www.dronetonetool.com/[/url] The drone sounds go on and on for as long as you can stand it and there is a built in metronome. It says it is a natural cello sound but it sounds more like a the cello setting on a church organ to my woolly ears.

[Bilbo]

There are inexpensive drone apps as well.

[sarah thomas]

I started arco work 4 months ago and have fallen in love with the bow. It's helped me a lot with the pizz stuff too. I have a fuller tone and a much greater awareness of intervals. You just have to watch your callouses don't get too soft!