From other instruments to double bass

[hpc364]

Hi !

 

I want to share my experience, I've been playing the double bass for 7 months, a lot of people say it's a difficult instrument, some bass players don't dare to play the double bass because they believe them.

If you prepare yourself to play the double bass as a bass player you can use exclusively the double bass fingering on your bass guitar (except thumb position), I've done that way for 15 years (after having tried an EUB) before doubling on the double bass.

 

I don't think it's a difficult instrument, it also depends of what you want to do with, if you're coming from jazz or kind of and you want to play classical, it will be tricky even if the best things I learnt come from Edouard Nanny Method (yes, arco playing).

So, if you read somewhere it's difficult and don't have kind of support on various forums you participate, don't read bad comments and sarcasms, just do it, play it, they won't do it for you maybe they've never done it for themselves.

 

It's a very nice instrument, not so difficult, I don't mean you will play everything at the first time but with some practise you will understand the most important bases with your own experience and more because you know what a neck is !

[Beedster]

Mmm, that’s not so much your experience but tour opinion. No traditional instruments are ‘easy’ (while some digital instruments will produce a decent performance with little skill or effort), but the same equation applies in nearly every case; all other things being equal, the more you play the better you get 👍

[hpc364]

6 minutes ago, Beedster said:

Mmm, that’s not so much your experience but tour opinion. No traditional instruments are ‘easy’ (while some digital instruments will produce a decent performance with little skill or effort), but the same equation applies in nearly every case; all other things being equal, the more you play the better you get 👍

Where does my opinion come from ?

[Beedster]

10 minutes ago, hpc364 said:

Where does my opinion come from ?

You’ve been playing seven months and you seem be be talking as if you’ve been playing all your life. I’ve played DB 20 years, cello and saxophone before that, and play guitar and bass. None are easy, I’d rank double bass as by far the hardest. If the sentiment of your post is ‘Don’t let people put you off’ I agree. But I disagree that Double Bass is in any way easy

[hpc364]

2 minutes ago, Beedster said:

You’ve been playing seven months and you seem be be talking as if you’ve been playing all your life. I’ve played DB 20 years, cello and saxophone before that, and play guitar and bass. None are easy, I’d rank double bass as by far the hardest. If the sentiment of your post is ‘Don’t let people put you off’ I agree. But I disagree that Double Bass is in any way easy

I've never said it was easy. Not difficult doesn't mean it's easy, it means it's largely possible.

As a saxophonist, try the trumpet, you will know what I mean when I say it's not so difficult.

[Burns-bass]

2 hours ago, Beedster said:

You’ve been playing seven months and you seem be be talking as if you’ve been playing all your life. I’ve played DB 20 years, cello and saxophone before that, and play guitar and bass. None are easy, I’d rank double bass as by far the hardest. If the sentiment of your post is ‘Don’t let people put you off’ I agree. But I disagree that Double Bass is in any way easy

I also reckon that attempting to apply electric bass fingering to DB is a recipe for disaster in the long term. If you’re not using arm weight to pull the strings down you’re using your fingers and thumb which, if done over time, will really cause you issues.

 

Love your enthusiasm but like all new experiences, it’s often easier with an experienced guide who can help you avoid common problems, pitfalls qnd potential disasters. 
 

Basically, get a few lessons. 

[hpc364]

4 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I also reckon that attempting to apply electric bass fingering to DB is a recipe for disaster in the long term. If you’re not using arm weight to pull the strings down you’re using your fingers and thumb which, if done over time, will really cause you issues.

 

Love your enthusiasm but like all new experiences, it’s often easier with an experienced guide who can help you avoid common problems, pitfalls qnd potential disasters. 
 

Basically, get a few lessons. 

Yeah, I know what a disaster is.

[NickA]

Double bass is physically hard work...you have to keep in training.  And you won't go from root and fifth, or even Donna Lee, on electric to Bottesini on double bass with any speed.  The only real similarity is where the notes are.  But people shouldn't be put off by that. 

 

If you've been using simandl fingering on your electric, then the transfer is not too hard.  If you've been using bunch of bananas on your electric, that transfers too...so long as you never want to be any good on either.  I use ofof on electric and that doesn't work on DB at all.

 

But I'd been playing the cello for 20 years before I seriously tried the bass and that was a lot more applicable than the 10 years I'd had an electric.

 

It's not SO hard to get some notes out .. but the further you go on either instrument, the more different they get.  30 years on I'm still scratching the surface.

 

@hpc364:  what kind of stuff are you playing?  How far are you intending to go with it?

[hpc364]

4 minutes ago, NickA said:

Double bass is physically hard work...you have to keep in training.  And you won't go from root and fifth, or even Donna Lee, on electric to Bottesini on double bass with any speed.  The only real similarity is where the notes are.  But people shouldn't be put off by that. 

 

If you've been using simandl fingering on your electric, then the transfer is not too hard.  If you've been using bunch of bananas on your electric, that transfers too...so long as you never want to be any good on either.  I use ofof on electric and that doesn't work on DB at all.

 

But I'd been playing the cello for 20 years before I seriously tried the bass and that was a lot more applicable than the 10 years I'd had an electric.

 

It's not SO hard to get some notes out .. but the further you go on either instrument, the more different they get.  30 years on I'm still scratching the surface.

 

@hpc364:  what kind of stuff are you playing?  How far are you intending to go with it?

I play simple stuff, only jazz, mostly walking basses, some themes I try to play correctly in thumb position, sometimes solo playing with some 10th or 7th in order to emulate chords.

Nothing fancy but it works, they want me to rehearsal or to play gigs with but I don't feel like going out with yet, my amp is too heavy.

It's possible if people come to my house.

I said yes for a trio but I don't know if my instrument can be put in my car (Fiat Panda), I guess it can, there is no reason.

[neilp]

Don't expect picking up a good technique on double bass to be easy. I've been playing since I was 15, studied at the Royal College of Music, played in the National Youth Orchestra, and I still find the bass far harder than any other instrument that I play. You can get by and have fun, by all means, but that's not the same as really playing. Don't be put off, but expect to put in the work (for more than 7 months) or accept a minimal standard of competence

[hpc364]

8 minutes ago, neilp said:

Don't expect picking up a good technique on double bass to be easy. I've been playing since I was 15, studied at the Royal College of Music, played in the National Youth Orchestra, and I still find the bass far harder than any other instrument that I play. You can get by and have fun, by all means, but that's not the same as really playing. Don't be put off, but expect to put in the work (for more than 7 months) or accept a minimal standard of competence

I learnt to swim into the water.

[NickA]

I get my 400w pjb rig, a double bass and an electric bass in a Skoda citigo!  You'll manage!

 

Some solo classical stuff I play goes into thumb position but my usual walking bass lines rarely do and I'm no fan of jazz double bass solos either.  Orchestral parts rarely hit beyond G octave.

 

I've found playing classical bass music quite useful as it forces me to play things I'd otherwise not ( thumb positions included) makes you think about positions and fingerings and requires good intonation; which all makes for better jazz playing.  The Marcello sonatas are are good starting point ( grade 6 / 7) and I've a book of "solos for the double bass player" to hack away at. The repertoire is thin compared to that for the cello, but it's good for the soul (and technique) even if the music isn't that great!  It got me up to a ceiling that I needed a couple of lessons to get through... and might need a few more very soon.

 

For all the neighsaying, it sounds to me like you're doing ok!  Probably hit one of those ceilings at some point... then find a teacher or fellow bassist to help make the next step.  Meanwhile ...Jam on.

Edited 8 hours ago by NickA