Weird harmonics when bowing on EUB

[sonicaddiction]

Hi!
I just bought a used Yamaha SLB 200 bass fitted with D'Addario Helicore Pizzicatos after a twenty year break from upright bass almost only playing electric. I also got a new bow and rosin a week ago and am having trouble getting a decent sound when playing arco. When playing the G, D and most of the time A strings I get an ok sound but when playing the E string I'm getting a really harsh octave-ish harmonic instead.

I've narrowed it down to three possible causes:
1. Technique. I haven't played for 20 years.
2. New bow and rosin. I've tried different amounts of rosin and different tensions on the bow but to no avail.
3. Strings. Maybe the Helicore Pizzicatos aren't the best strings for bowing. Could perhaps changing to a set of strings made for arco playing solve most of the problem? I'm thinking Evah Pirazzi for instance.

I'm also considering lower tension strings since my weak programmer/electric bass playing fingers aren't used to the increased effort. How do lower tension strings affect the sound, playability and ease of bowing?

I'm mostly playing in a setting with a piano, a couple of vocalists, two acoustic guitars and violin, for your reference.

Thanks in advance!

Edited November 15, 2016 by sonicaddiction

[TheRev]

Probably a combination of all three, but I'd reckon the strings are a major contributor.
Some strings just don't bow well - I have Presto nylons/Spiro weich on one bass and they're horrendous under the bow. The same bass used to have Innovation Braided and they were lovely.

[Marc S]

I'm not a great bower myself - I just have a dabble. But I have noticed that of the different types of string I've tried,
there are huge differences between them all. Some are much easier to bow, and some are not suitable at all....

But as TheRev says above, it is probably a combination of all 3 factors ....and maybe some other factors you haven't thought about yet?
And yes, try different strings more suited to arco

Most of all, welcome back to the wonderful world of DB / EUB, and best of luck

[NickA]

I have some d'addario "hybrid" strings on my double bass which are OK for pizz (plenty of sustain) and OK for bowing. My bass teacher says they are the worst of both worlds! He uses arco strings and has a lovely orchestral tone, but frankly his pizz sounds awful (dead). I would say don't go too far down the "strings for bowing" road as you will lose all your sustain!

I also have a set of Tomastic Spirocore which are what a lot lof Jazz players use, they have great sustain but are very high tension. They can be bowed just fiine, it just takes a little more time for them to speak and there is more pressure required to hold the strings down on the finger board (so they need a lower action). I stopped using them as I was having trouble playing fast passages and they made my fingers hurt. A bloke at Thwaites Bass shoppe recommended me to go back to spirocores, get an adjustable bridge and raise the action a bit for bowing .... (beats me)

What I'm trying to say is that you can bow pizz strings but pizz on pure arco strings sounds crap. Try some stickier rosin (Nyman or Hidersine "winter") then work on drawing the sound out the strings; you need a bit more pressure to get the sound started and then ease off to keep it flowing. Press too hard and the strings stick to the bow, too light and you get weird harmonics instead of the full note and yes the E-string is the hardest one!

Practice practice practice and no easy short cuts I'm afraid!