Guest Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Hi can any one recommend any simple exercises and tune? I am very new to the Upright and find just scales a little boring so i am looking for some simple tunes or exercises. I recognize the importance of scales etc but my practice time is limited and i also find playing simple tracks which i know helps with the intonation as i know what notes i am aiming for! cheers steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endorka Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Get a copy of "A Tune A Day For String Bass Book One" by Paul Herfurth. The tunes are pretty cheesy, but they work in exactly the way you describe. I've used this book myself, and book 2 as well, and it has improved my playing substantially. Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougal Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 [url="http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/096406/details.html"][/url] Had my copy for almost 20 years. If you have guitar pro 5 or similar I have programmed the tunes & piano accompaniments to play along with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 (edited) Thanks Dougal ,I have guitar pro so it would be very useful. I have a huge library of guitar pro files but most of them are beyond me at the moment, I could manage 'So what' on the electric but i think i may be some time before i can play it on upright if ever. Despite the slow learning curve i am loving playing the upright, it's really opening my ears and even playing something simple like BB King's 'The thrill is gone' great, hard to describe but somehow i connect with the music more, every electric player should give it a go Edited September 19, 2008 by steve-norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endorka Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 [quote name='dlloyd' post='287439' date='Sep 19 2008, 04:41 PM']Arrrggghhhh!!!![/quote] So you're not a "Tune A Day Fan" then? :-) I found the books very useful, in a large part because of what Steve pointed out, that if you know how the tunes should sound it speeds up the learning process greatly. I think the books are well structured; they get you playing in most of the important keys, in most of the non-thumb positions. They are also very progressive; there is none of this turning a page and finding yourself completely out of your depth because of a huge leap of difficulty, something that many method books suffer from. Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Try the Simandl book or Rufus Reid's 'The Evolving Bassist' - each represents a systematic approach to playing (they both work just as well for double bass and electric - its the notes that matter, not the power supply) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endorka Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 [quote name='dlloyd' post='289941' date='Sep 23 2008, 01:34 PM']I think it's probably quite telling that all the music teachers used them, and you're right... once you're past the first two books you can basically read anything you'll see up to grade eight.[/quote] Quite! I've done a lot of reading work recently where I've thought "thank goodness for those tune a day books..." [quote]I haven't seen them in twenty-odd years. Have they been updated or is it still "Merrily we Roll along" and "Old Folks at Home". I see the covers have changed...[/quote] No idea, the ones I have are from more than 20 years ago, but I can't imagine they will have changed much. Would be interesting to know for sure though. I tell you, playing the melody to some of these tunes with the bow on the double bass to a standard that people would actually want to listen to is pretty hard. Some of them have huge leaps, and keeping the intonation good is non-trivial. Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endorka Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 [quote name='bilbo230763' post='289985' date='Sep 23 2008, 02:19 PM']Try the Simandl book or Rufus Reid's 'The Evolving Bassist' - each represents a systematic approach to playing (they both work just as well for double bass and electric - its the notes that matter, not the power supply)[/quote] Seconded, I have both of these and they are good. They make a lot more sense now I've completed the Tune A Day books :-) I'd say a tutor is probably a requirement if you're to get the best from those books. Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 [quote name='dougal' post='287602' date='Sep 19 2008, 07:28 PM'][url="http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/096406/details.html"][/url] Had my copy for almost 20 years. If you have guitar pro 5 or similar I have programmed the tunes & piano accompaniments to play along with.[/quote] Many thanks Dougal, some useful stuff in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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