Double Bass = The Ultimate Challenge Jeff BradetichDear Bassi Friends, T met Jeff Bradetich for the first time in England at the British Intemational Bass Festival. He immediately appeared to me as a very talented performer, artist and teacher. More than that, he was humanly very frank, sensible. What he gave was in its entirety, nothing was hidden, no mystery. Everything was clear and based on fundamentals as the students needed. In one word, he gave everything from himself, When Jeff sent me the proofs of this fantastic work, I immediately recognized the same frankness and generousness, ‘AS a teacher, we all gain our experience with years of teaching, and we all think to organize our thotights in a method. Jeff did it with care and well-organized chosen points. Once again, he speaks about every aspect of our dear double bass, but, the most important for you, students from all over the world and from every level, please, trust him! Take everything as your real basis for a well-founded technique! I personally, and totally, agree with the content. All the bass world community has to thank Professor Jeff Bradetich for his wonderful work that synthesizes bass playing into a single, unified entity. ‘Thierry Barbe - Principal Double Bass Opera de Paris National Orchestra Professor Double Bass Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris Président Association des Bassists et Contrebassistes De France Jeff’ Bradetich’s new book on double bass pedagogy and performance is incredibly articulate and meticulously well thought out for the aspiring bassist, Double Bass: The Ultimate Challenge is full of “need to know” information that doesn’t exist in most other books. The photographs and illustrations are explicit. The chapter’s subject matter covers what one might expect, but I have never seen such detailed articulate text to expel myths and to get right down to the core of why? and how?! Teachers and bass professors will love how this book communicates to the beginner through to the advanced players in their studios. Yes, this is primarily targeted to aspiri bassists in any genre will benefit from using this wonderful resource. classical bassists, but all Jeff Bradet depth and experience to author such a masterful text. No matter your level of playing, Double Bass: The Ultimate Challenge needs to be in your personal library to refer to for years to come. BRAVO JEFF BRADETICH! sh is a world-class virtuoso performer and passionate teacher who has acquired enormous Rufus Reid The Evolving Bassist ivToall of those who came before us and will follow in our footsteps, whose playing and teaching inspires us all.With every great challenge comes tremendous opportunity to improve, to advance, to create and to inspire. Double Bass players have this opportunity everyday when they engage their instrument. Certain unalterable truths pervade all great string playing. These wuths come in the form of rules and concepts that govern the physical and musical approach to the instrument, Their application to the bass needs much thought and discussion, as we strive for a greater understanding of how to achieve the best results. Each individual will find, of course, certain exceptions or variations to these rules and concepts based on their nationality, physique, interpretive skill and musical maturity. It is, impossible to say that one particular way works best for all people. ‘What is most important is that these ideas are explored and understood so that the performer and teacher have a strong foundation from which they can find not just a way to play the bass, but to find the best way to conquer the vast panorama of the fingerboard, the endless palette of tone colors from the bow and to create great music on the double bass, Jeff Bradetich, June, 2009 Denton, Texas, USA viContents 1. Foreword iti TI. Introduction vi IIL. Contents 1 IV. Chapters 1. Physical Characteristics 2 2, Standing vs. Sitting 6 3. The Right Hand 13 4, The Left Hand a8 5. Fingering Concepts 52 6. Shifting 9 7. Intonation 82 8, Bow Strokes 90 9. Harmonics 17 10. Vibrato 121 11. Pizzi 126 12. Practicing 134 Technical Exercises Pull Out V. Bibliography 152 VI. Acknowledgments 153 VIL. Biography 154 | | Cover Photo - 1767 Italian Double Bass labeled | G. B. Guadagnini owned by Jeff Bradetich |1. Physical Characteristics Playing the double bass is an athletic event, perhaps the most gymnastic of all musical instruments. In bass playing, as in gymnastics, there are three major physical characteristics necessary for success: Strength (On the bass, much more strength is needed to push the strings down, ‘create hammer action with the left fingers on the string, and to produce a large sound than on the other string instruments, Fatigue sets in more quickly on the bass, which, consequently, makes practicing longer hours ‘more stressful than on the other string instruments. Strength is a major determining factor in the success of anyone who ‘attempts to play the bass. Larger and stronger hands are a clear advantage over smaller or weaker hands. Size and strength of the bone structure ‘within the hands is also a key factor. With the advent of smaller basses, shorter string lengths and lighter gauge strings, individuals with smaller hands and weaker innate strength are not excluded from playing the bass. ‘They are, however, still at a marked disadvantage.What one hand does, the other wants to do also sensor muscles Stiffiiess, being muscle bound and a lack of flexibility are common problems on the bass. The louder one tries to play, or the harder one tries in general, the tighter the muscles become causing excess tension, This tension can create a stiff or narrow sound. A flexible and relaxed use of right arm weight and energy, however, allows for a fuller, rounder, and warmer sound, The same is true musically. Phrases will be turned more "musically" and sound considerably more natural when excess tension and stiffness are not present, Flexibility is necessary for fast playing as well. In order to move the fingers quickly, stiffness or excess tension ‘must not be present. Coordination Coordination is a difficult term to define, The old "rub the belly, pat the head” trick is widely used to illustrate it. In all athletic events, the right and left hand must work in unison with cach other, There is a nacural dependency between the two hands - what one hand does, the other wants to do also. What has to be developed, however, is the independence of the two hands when needed and to be able to distinguish when each are present and necessary. A common example of coordination problem is in shifting. A less accomplished player will tend to move the bow as far and as quickly as the left hand during a shit The result is an emphasis on the sound of the shift and not the notes oF the music. Also, when playing fast passages with slurred bows, the player will tend to move the bow too fast. These are both results of a ‘dependent right hand wanting to do what the left is doing but needing, instead, to be independent and do an opposite or different motion, Developing Strength With all the knowledge of muscle and strength development available, improvement of general strength is readily accessible, Specifically on the bass, strength in the shoulders, forearms and fingers is vital. Light barbells with gradually increased repetitions, us well as pushups and pull-ups, are good shoulder exercises. The \wrist curl is terrific for building up the forearms. On the bass, basic trilling exercises are perfect for strength building, (Fig. 1) More extreme type exercises should be used sparingly. (Fig. 2) Caution should be used when using a mechanical device to strengthen the fingers. (Photo 1) In all exercises, start casy and limit the time. Injury caused by overuse is a common problem both from playing and from exercising. Developing Flexibility Stretching is the key to flexibility. Good flexibility exercises specifivally for the bass include: shoulders, forearms, fingers and thumb. With each stretch, hold the position for up to 30 seconds and don’t “bounce” the muscles. (Photos 2-5) Photo 3 Exercise to stretch the flexor musclesPhoto 4 Exercise to stretch the fingers and hand Photo 5 Exercise to stretch the thumb Finger Flex Exercise . ‘An important exercise to develop flexibility in the bow hand for both French and German bow is the Finger Flex Exercise. ‘Hold the right arm out straight from the body. Keeping the right wrist flat and straight with palm facing down and fingers curled at the second knuckle, raise and lower the fingers (not the thumb) only using the major set of knuckles (closest to the wrist), Raise the curled fingers up high enough to create a concave arch, feeling the stretch, then lower and straighten them as far as possible so that they form a sharp 270° angle. ‘The motion should be that of a crane, not a tailgate. (See Photos 51-54 in the chapter on The Right Hand) Developing Coordination ‘Any general body coordination exercise or activity is always beneficial. In music, eurhythmics is a proven facilitator of overall coordination. On the bass, with the use of the metronome, all exercises that call for pin point accuracy or timing between the two hands that work on specific : muscle groups are helpful, such as dotted rhythms, replacement exercises, shifts in separate bows, etc, (See Technical Exercises) Tactile memory : For the most part, the physical characteristics of tactile memory are innate, not leaned. Every person, however, has a certain capacity to . develop this ability. Those with the best natural sense of tactile memory and control tend to succeed at the highest levels in all matters physical ‘There are any number of ways to practice tactile memory, from touching ‘your finger to your nose to shooting basketball blindfolded. On the ‘ ‘bass, itis vital to constantly remind our muscles of the feeling of playing correctly. With the bow this means developing a sense of the feel of the bow moving across the string and the varying degrees of resistance berween hair and string; of being aware of the angle of the bow to the string and the tlt of the bow towards the nut. : ‘Tactile memory in the left hand requires memorizing the feeling of where ‘each note lies on the fingerboard and of the distance of each shift. Visual ‘and aural senses play a role in the overall discernment of right or wrong, but ultimately the tactile sense will allow players to tell if they are playing correctly before the note sounds. (See the chapter on Intonation) All of these issues of physical characteristics will be discussed throughout this book as they apply to double bass playing. —_—_————2. Standing vs. Sitting The debate rages on. Should the player stand or sit? Why is the bass held in a certain way? How is the correct height of the instrument determined? How is it possible to tell if the instrument is the correct size? ‘What criteria should be used to choose between sitting and standing? Determining Factors The following factors are the keys to answering these important questions! + Bow Placement = (determines) bass height + Body Balance, Posture and Bow Placement = correct size of instrument + Body Balance, Coordination, Tension and Body Height = standing vs. sitting Bass Height 'No, the height of the bass is not determined by the nut, being at the level of the ear! Neither should the player bend at the waist in order to put the bow on the string (Photos 1-4 on next page) The height of the bass is not determined by the nut being at the level of the ear!When the bow placement meets the optimum sounding point on the string, then the correct height of the instrument has been found ‘Two issues help determine the height of the bass: 1. The body should be in a natural upright position with the ‘ow army in a natural position. This will allow the bow to Fil on a certain place on the string. (Sec the chapter on ‘The Right Hand) +. Where is the best place for the bow to fall on the string? The bow needs to be played over a 10-12 inch range on the string, but within that range there is only one placement ‘that will produce the optimum, core sound of the bass that tuill become the player's signature sound. This placement Will cbviously differ from player to player based on many Pretors, teacher, innate sound in tho eat, freedom to explore, quality of instrument, nationalistic style ee ‘yen the body and bow are played in the most natural way possible at carer placement mests the optim sounding point on the string, ches the correct height of the instrament has been found. Upright Angle of Bass er DE tne bassin relation to the body determines the distance Of the aight arm from the body. The right arm is stronger, and works ere woe iy ofth less stress, the closer it sto the body, Therefore, the moe aaaeaht the angle ofthe bass, the closer the arm wil be f0 the body ‘The Orig aounced the angle of the bass, the farther the arm will be £9 aa rath farther the arm is from the body, the more the show'det the body re work to hold the arm up working against the mature! Jpplication of weight into the string. (See photos inthe chapter on The Right Hand) Size of Instrument Se a rnstemse is the key in determining the correct size of the Comm ifthe bow placement is good but the Tet hand has t0 euch inseersance for position, the instrument is too big. Photo) Ve tone ait is comfortable but the bow can’t reach beyond the end of ths Keaerteard, the bass is too big or the end pin is too short. (See Photo.) Foret eft hand can’t comfortably reach 1-4 in first position, the *ttg Tength is too long. (Photo 6) Ifthe player has to make contortion ofthe seretten angle to negotiate over large shoulders on the Bass 10 gain acco) rer au postion, the shoulders are too big andr the neck is set 00 10¥, Ce iernepot the instrament. Ifthe player's shoulders are not level and the body is not balanced then the instrument is too big, (Photo 7) Standing “There are four basic standing positions and bass angles in common use: 1. Perfectly straight up and down 2. Slight lean into the performer: 3. Large lean into the performer 4, The bent endpin When the instrument is held completely upright, the right arm angle When ire the body and there is no weight of the instrument on de eR ross Photo 8) When the instrument is leaned back into the player, she ant Sim is farther away from the body, more weight from the Petrument is assigned to the left thumb and the left arm angle is very tight in lower positions. (Photos 9-11)Photo 1 & 2 Using the ut-in-the-ear method for determining the height of the bass causes the bow to Fall in the veroms place Photo 5 Photo 4 With evel zhouldore, equal wight ‘0m bot feet an a good how placement, the nut is considerably higher than the esr Photo 3 Using the nut-inthe-ear ‘method forces the player to bend over to reach the proper bow placement Phowo7Proto 14 Photo 12 Bent end pin 10‘The more the instrument leans back into the player or forward away from the player, especially when it leans to the side of center, the more difficult it is to obtain the proper angle of the bow to the string. This is particularly common in younger players, (Photos 9 & 10) If the angle of the bass is constantly changing, many problems ensue, This is very evident when moving into and playing in thumb position. IF the bass leans against the left shoulder while in thumb position, it creates two totally different angles of playing: 1. Aftiore Upright angle in lower positions 2 A sharper angle in thumb position The end result is different bow angles, different angles of the left hhand to the string, and inefficiency in the transition between lower to higher positions. The bent end pin was designed to balance the instrument so that no weight from the instrument falls on the left hand, allowing the hand t0 move more freely. The bent end pin throws the weight forward, changing the balance issue in a favorable way. The angle of the bass is generally directly in front of the player, more cello- , necessitating the right arm to play farther away from the body and’ making the top string less accessible to the bow. (Photos 12-14) When using any standing position, the player should stand with both feet at a natural distance and both feet should carry an equal amount of body weight. (Photo 15) A common problem in standing is the placement of most of the weight on the right leg which contorts the rigat hip which leads to balance problems and Jong-term injuries. (Photo 16) Sitting ‘There are three basic sitting positions in common use: 1, Lean the bass totally against the left leg 2. Sit with the bass directly in front of the player evenly touching both lees (similar to the cello) 8, Amiddle ground between 1. & 2, In order to maximize the most efficient application of weight into the string, the arm angle should emulate that of the ideal standing angle, ic. as close to the body as possible. This may very well necessitate the angle of holding the bass to be more upright than sloping, and more towards No. 1 than No. 2. (See Photos 41-43 in the chapter on The Right Hand) Since each string demands a different arm angle, it is vital to determine which angle is needed for the majority of playing so that the angle of the bass changes as little and as infrequently as possible, The G and D strings are played most frequently, therefore the angle of the bass should be set so that the arm angie iat its most efficient when playing these two strings. ‘When playing long bows on the E string, or when playing for an extended period on the lowest string, it is helpful to tur the bass counter clockwise until the right arm angle is comfortable and in @ position equivalent to that of the A or D string. Photo 15, Photo 16a It should be noted that many professional orchestra players choose @ hate cellistic position in order to facilitate the lowest strings without ‘any readjustment of the angle of the ba ‘There are also three approaches to the position of the fect when sitting: i) Both feet are on the ground (necessitating a slightly lower stool) 9, The left foot rests on one of the rungs of the stool (allowing any height stool to be used) 3, The left foot rests on a small guitar stool, Number 1 above eliminates most of the stress on the lower buck by kkoeping the spine and torso balanced and straight. (Photo 17) Number 2 puts the most stress on the lower back by necessitating # twist in the spine and torso. (Photo 18) Number 3 reduces this stress by moving the left foot into a lowor amd jhore open position away from the stool. (Photo 19) The guitar stool ae ealso esed to help keep the left leg from dampening the back of the instrument. 'A further reduction in stress_on the spine can be obtained Gryonomically by lowering the front two Teys of the stool, which Casters some of the body weight to the feet and away from the spine. Standing vs. Sitting Standing Standing allows easier adjustment of buss angles and arm angles as needed and dictated by the music + Standing does not restrict the player to a single seated position + Standing demands development of greater control of balancing the instrament especially when playing through the break area, probably the biggest problem for youn players « Btonding tends to work better for shorter individuals because of the relationship of size of bass to body height and arm angles Photo 19 ais Sitting «Sitting eliminates the issue of balancing the instrument and all of the related problems it causes + Playing through the break area is initially much easier when sitting + When a player has excess tension in either hand/arm, siting helps to solve these problems more quickly than standing «Sitting tends to work better for taller individuals because of the relationship of size of bass to body height and left arm angles ‘There is certainly no one answer that works best for everyone. But by understanding the factors wielding the major influence on the player, a solution that works best for the individual and the instrument can be found, 23. The Right Hand The Bow: Servant of the Music What is the purpose of the bow? To produce sound. What kind of sound? A good quality sound all of the time. ‘A simple concept with vast implications, the importance of which cannot be overemphasized, The ultimate goal of the bow is to create expression through sound. In order for that to happen, complete technical control of the bow is needed 50 that it works for the player’s musical needs, not the other way around, Too often the bow is dictating to the player how it will be used, thus creating coordination problems and unwanted results, Much has been discussed over the years about the differences between German and French bows. The ultimiate goal of great artistry, however, is clearly the same for both and has been achieved by numerous individuals using either bow. 3Bow Hold When teaching the bow hold, @ goal must first be established, What is he purpose ofthe bow, why hold the bow «certain way, and was is tne goal in holding the bow this way? (see above) Without establishing = purpose for the bow and the bow hold, especially in the Yount! student’s Papose eee opment ofa good bow loki may seem irelevant and mies tant Te ca be extremely frustrating to any student fo tr tO hole Ye pow correctly when it feels awkward and they can achieve a corn evel of success by just grabbing the bow like a club. Trying to forre & sever go bold the bow correctly is a sure path 10 losing the student student 10 methods are nceded to allow the bow to become one with the thand and an extension of the arm. French Bow ‘The French bow hold has three cssential points of contact and control: the index (first) finger, little finger and thumb, ‘The Index Finger: The index finger of the right hand should rest on he se rat tne bow between the first two Knuckles in the groove of the seek cde ofthe finger closest to the first knuckle. (Photo 1a & 1) “The Little Finger: The litte finger of the right hand should be placed o= recite the bow, not om the top ofthe stick as with violin bow o's Many French bow frogs have a small dot of inlaid pearl in the Ney Many Pr ihe fog, The pad of the Title finger should be placed directly (on top of this dot. (Photo 2) “The Thumb: The thumb of the right hand should be curved and placed sine of two locations: 1. On the stick, directly next to and buring YP ‘ainst the end ofthe frog, or 2. On the frog. butting up against the U- seein curve ofthe frog, (Photos 3 & 4) The contact point ou the thumb should be the pad near the tip. (Photo 5 & 6) “These three points of contact create a triangular base of balance and control. (Photo 7) Exercise: Hold the bow straight in front at arm's length. Lift the middle eaeraarere of the right hand off the stick so the bow is only being els wie index finger, litle finger and thumb. Rotate the bow in > with held wiper motion back and forth, Feel the importance of each finger and its role in balancing and controlling the bow. ‘The Two Middle Fingers: The role of the two middle fingers of the unt hand is basieally for stability and to add weight when nese Exereise: Lift the two middle fingers off the stick and then just let there {hop onto the stick in a natural way. These fingers should be extended seo one botiom of the frog but eurved, not stiff of straight. The reward finger (depending on the size of the hand) generally just tovchss second Boge ihe pair where it joins the frog at the ferrel. (Photo 8) (Ghamately, the second finger of the right hand will nid the first Finger" Herre ow pulling motion, but this will generally develop later in the learning process. “The distance between fingers should be very natural and curved. (Photo Q) ies particularly important to mot extend the index finger, making @Photo 1a Photo 8Photo 10 Photo Ls Photo 16 Photo 15ap between the index and second fingers. (Photo 9) This causes lundue stress in the right hand and forces the player to push the bow into the string. This, in turn, tends to create more of a pressed sound and makes it difficult to pull the bow across the string and produce a resonant tone, "The Right Hand Arch: This arch should look the same as that of the left hand - a very natural shape similar to that of holding the steering wheel of a car. (Photo 10) ‘The Right Wrist: The wrist should basically be flat with a downward attitude and thrust on the down bow and a slight rising at the end of the up bow. (Photo 11a & 11b, 12a & 12b) When the wrist is basically flat and level with the forearm and top of the right hand, is not raised upwards away from the string and has a downward thrust, it allows more weight to be applied to the string, therefore producing the greatest potential of ‘volume and (onal resonance with the least amount of effort. The transfer of the weight from the body through the arm, hand, bow and into the string happens most naturally when major joints arc not overly bent or extended. The amount of flexibility in the right wrist is determined by the demands of the music. In legato playing the wrist needs more flexibility than in the short staccato styles ‘Common Problems: Index finger: The biggest problem with the index finger is that the bow tends to slide up to the second knuckle joint. This creates a pushing action and forces the right wrist to rise upwards, reducing flexibility in both areas and making it difficult to apply much weight naturally into the string. (Photo 1B) Middle Fingers: These fingers should never curl up towards the top of the frog. (Photo 14) Little Finger: This finger has two basic problems: 1. It tends to be ignored and allowed to come off the stick and float uselessly in the air, (Photo 15) 2. The tip rests on top of the stick (a la the violin) instead of in the middle of the frog. (Photo 16) ‘Thumb: One of the most challenging early problems in French bow technique stems from the thumb. The most common problem is the thumb collapsing and then sliding through the frog area. (Photo 17) Another common problem is squeezing the thumb when trying to hold the bow and when playing loudly. Wrist: Tension is the most common problem with the right wrist, adversely affecting every note played. Players often hold the bow with too tight of a grip causing the wrist to stiffen up. This in turn forces all bow strokes to be performed using just the large muscles and, in essence, short-cireuiting the necessary use of the small muscles. This also eliminates any flexibility. 1f the wrist is bent upwards as a basic position, the weight is sent upwards away from the string and makes it impossible to put the necessary weight into the string to produce more than a soft sound, It also creates an unnatural “carrying” motion of the bow actoss the string and doesn’t allow the bow to engage into the string. (Photo 18) Photo 18The arch of the right hand should look the same as that of the left hand Exereises to develop the bow hold + Finger Flex Exercise + Wind shield wiper exercise + Rocket exercise Finger Flex Exercise See complete exercise description and photos later in this chapter Wind Shield Wiper Exercise See description under The Two Middle Fingers - Exereise above. Rocket Exercise Hold the bow vertically with the tip pointing straight up in the vie Using just the fingers end thumb, “olimb” up the stick of the ‘bow to the tip and then back down again to the frog. German Bow ‘There are two basic approaches to the holding of the German bow: ‘The Thumb: 1. The pad of the tip of the thumb rests on top of the stick of the bow, (most common in America). (Photo 19a & 9b) 2. The thumb extends over the top edge of the stick, (most common in Europe). (Photo 20a & 20b) First and Second Fingers: 1. The first and second fingers work together and touch the side of the stick on the tips of eurved fingers. Their placement on the stick is shortly before where the frog ends. (Photo 19a) 2. The first finger touches the side of the Stick but the second finger slips underneath the stick, (Photo 21) ‘Third Finger: the third finger basically just goes along for the ride. (See Photo 21) Little Finger: The function and placement of the Tittle finger is the same for both German bow holds. The tip of the finger rests bn the flat underside of the ferrel near where the hnir meets the frog. (Photo 22) Right Hand Arch: The arch of the sight hand should look the Sane as that of the left hand - a very fiatural shape similar to that Of holding the steering wheel of a car, (Photo 196) Right Wrist: The wrist should be kept fairly straight but not Ai It should be basically flat and level with the forearm and top of the right hand. The transfer of weight from the body through the arm, hand, bow and into the string happens most fhaturally when major joints are not overly bent or extended (Photo 23) 18Photo 190 The German Bow Photo 196 Photo 22Photo 246 Photo 24aCommon Problems: ‘The Thumb: The most immediate issue bere is when the thumb is curved tco much and pressing too hard into the stick. (Photo 24a) Also, when the thumb slides off of the top of the stick towards the strings, the ship loses its captain, (Photo 246} First and Second Fingers; Often these two fingers are used a5 straight scrows eliminating any exible use of the right hand. (Photo 25) ‘Third Finger: The second and third fingers wrap around through the middle of the frog in a death grip. (Photo 26) Little Finger: In young players, the litte finger is often straight and the ‘bow rests On the inside of the finger. (Photo 27) Right Hand Arch: The proper arch is commonly lost when the fingers are straight and holding the bow like tongs. (See Photo 25) Right Wrist: Two common problems keep the wrist from working properly: 1. It is bent too far outwards. (Photo 28) 2. It is too stiff and inflexible. If the wrist is bent outwards as a basic position, the weight is sent away ‘from the string making it impossible to put the necessary weight into the string to produce more than 2 soft sound. It also creates an unnatural “carrying” of the bow motion actoss the string and doesn’t allow the bow to cogage into the string except by pressing hard with the thumb, Tone Preduction “The violin is to the double bass as a stale wheat cracker is to dark rich The violin is to the chocolate, ‘The author won't be revealed for fear of self irimination double bass Obviously, when the violin is played well, it has a wonderful sound. The @S a Stale wheat cracker sound of the bass, however, can be evocative and profound in; ; its Own right Belore atierpling.tomake atcund oa the bats, a baste 45 £0 dark rich chocolate concept of sound is essential. In order to perform on the highest artistic level, s mature and highly evolved concept of sound is vita, The hass is capable of producing many sounds and colors with its vast tonal palette. In order to learn t9 produce the many variations of sound, a basic tonal theme, or concept of sound, must be identified. Therefore, the first and most essential aspect of bass playing that needs to be established is the true, core sound of the bass. Is it a booming sound, a round sound, 8 focused sound, a light sound, or a dark sound, etc? What is the innate ‘nature of the bass sound? What does the bass naturally do better than any other string instrument? With such a large resonating eavity and long string length, the double bass can produce a truc, core resonant sound that continues to ring long after the other string instruments have fallen silent, This is the innate nature of the bass sound. Once 2 concept of sound is established and a method to achieve it is initiated, then all questions regarding posture, size of bass, endpin height, and standing vs. sitting can be addressed. From both a philosophical and practical approach, it is vital that first a goal be established, then a means 'o achieve that goal identified. Only then is it possible to address the a —Photo 29 Bow closer to bridge more intense and focused sound pertinent questions: Why is the bass held im a certain way? ov 1 the Pertinent Gott ofthe instrument determined? How is it possible o tll if Cereustrament is the correct size? What criteria should be used to choose between sitting and standing Determining Factors “The following guidelines help to answer the important questions: + Bow Placement = (determines) bass height + Application of Weight and Atm Angle to the Body = upright angle of bass « Baly Balance, Posture and Bow Placement = correct size of instrument + Body Balance, Coordination, Tension and Body Height ~ sitting vs. standing |AIL of these vital aspects of ass playing are interdependen! and reroonnected and are discussed in the chapter on Standing vs. Siting see Tal analysis, however, it is sound, and the expression throngh 10 NG, that is the single most important aspect of music making. ‘Three major factors of sound production involving the bow: + Placement + Weight + Speed Placement sraeeeitowing isa step-by-step process for establishing bow placement 1. Goal: Identify the placement of the bow that produces the ‘rue, core sound 2, Goal: Identify the placement of the bow that produces the most resonant sound 3, Identify 1 and 2 above by moving the bow slowly across ‘One open string (The D string is an ideal string to start with) 44, Start with the bow near the fingerboard and slowly work the bow down the string until the optimum resonant and core sound is heard 5, Go beyond this point farther towards the bridge until the Sound becomes ponticello (icy), then return to the optimum tone “The end result will usually be in the middle area between the end of the standard-length fingerboard and the bridge. (Photo 29) Basic bow placement rules: Tne placement ofthe bow determines the intensity ofthe tone Be Bow closer to bridge ~ more intense and focused sound «Bow Closer to fingerboard = less intense, softer and more diffuse tone 7 2 ame tain for a longer time in one bow, move bow closer to the bridge « reeSid passage work, move the bow aviay from the bridge to a point where the string responds most quickly «Higher pitehes = move bow closer to bridge 1 Lower pitches = move bow closer to fingerboard 22.The optimum bow placement determines the height of the instrument, Once the basic bow placement that produces the core, true sound of the bass is determined, then the height of the bass should be adjusted so that the bow falls in this optimum zone when the player's shoulders are square and the bow arm is in a natural position. This will climinate the typical problem of leaning the body to the right in order for the bow to reach the string. This will also help determine the correct size of the instrument. If, for example, the bow placement is correct Dut the left hand has to reach very high to play in first position, then the instrument is too large. (Photo 30) ‘The French bow allows for a longer reach of the right ‘arm towards the bridge than the German bow. (Photo 31a) Therefore, if a player has a short arm, the French bow would allow for a lower bow placement than the German bow and would also help to eliminate a straight or extended elbow Ifa player has a very long right arm, the German bow would shorten the reach and would allow for a higher bow placement than the French bow without having to severely bend the right elbow. (Photo 31b) Bowing Lanes Due to the length of the bass string, there exist at least ten different bowing lanes on each string Diagram 1) Each point of bow placement produces a slightly different tone color and expressive potential, thus providing the bass player with at least 40 different tone colors. When that is combined with the broad spectrum of dynamics available and the wide array of bow speeds, a vast tonal palette of almost endless color is possible on the double bass. Weight The amount of weight applied to the bow draw comes from the down thrust of the bow into the siring (vertical) and the pull of the bow across the string (horizontal). Sometimes the term “pressure” is used in place of weight, but the connotations of imply tension or pressing the bow into the string, two concepts that produce very negative results ‘The most important aspect of weight application into the string is: Pulling, A pulled sound is the ideal sound and is quite noticeably different than a pushed sound. Diagram 2 shows the vertical and horizontal angle of weight applied to the string on a down bow. Photo 30 Diagram | - Potential Bowing LanesBasic weight application rules: aan ie tepund is primarily determined by the amount oF ‘weight applied to the string. te eAeply more weight into the string ~ louder sound 1 QRRY Siplying more weight into the string, the bow placement and speed must adjust accordingly, generally, Pinccving closer #0 the bridge with a slower speak by mowitjgng more weight and moving farthes from the Writes e much faster bow speod is aceded and Ine resuft will be less clarity «apply less weight into the string = softer sound peeing less weight into the string ca demand ethet rine ir faster bow speed, depending on the tye of a Slowey ned by the music. Ifa soft But very focuses toe eit desired, a slow bow near the bridge with sumet no weight is needed. If an airy oF more Tmpressionistic or sotto voce sound is wanted, Men © tmler bow speed near the fingerboard is necessary- ‘The German bow, because of ts undeshand bow bold, innately Are see tesal pulling motion, This gives it a clear advantans Svct ‘the a nate in producing a loud sound, especially i te initial rrcies of playing. The French bow, especially with younse! tess- stages oF Byers, fs often played with @ pushing moti. The French ne Dever, should emulate the same type of pulling movion OS that of the German bow. Photo 32 ‘Two exercises to develop a pulling motion: ererAieeon pulling, motion: ‘The objective is, to mt Wosant down into the string. One person helds te Heuer ith both hands on either side of the bower's Pony then provides resistance against the bower who pulls the bow in a downward motion down ino He Pring, similar to pulling a wagon. Then, apply application of weight to the string. (Photo 32) sPevotwar pulling motion: The objective is to pal sarge across the string, One person holds the bow NeiBiine tip and provides resistance in @ tupcol-vae ae oe tthe bower pulls a down bow: (Photo 33) or the up bow, the same exercise is used with One Ferson holding the serew of the bow and providing Peredance to the up bow pull. On the French bow 4 fs serially to feel the pulling motion in the livle finger of the right hand. (Photo 34) Developing « pulling motion on the up bow is a very advenoet Dever at may cause problems for the younger stident Ore technique fat tolling is developed in the down bow then “re the ae stgt step ould be to apply the same concert ote uP Pov Im both of these exereses it is important to develop a fectng of pulling the sound out of the bass m as natural @ way 08 possible, Bvoiding excessive force and tension. . Resistance Restight is applied to the string and the bow. pulled astra the Aing, a certain feeling of resistance between the, Vt and string string pe felt, If there is no resistance, the bow will lont actors the seer the sting and not engage it Ethene is tgo much resistance te ring will be choked and a deadly sound will ensue.Generally, younger players will substitute a squeezing of the bow grip for the proper application of weight. At this point, a change in the focus is, necessary. A conscious effort must be made to minimize the effort in the fhand and, consequently, maximize the resulting sound by channeling the energy into the pull of the bow. This is more easily learned by practicing Tong bows, and can be enhanced by emphasizing the use of the larger muscles, especially the back muscles. (Latissimus Dorsi) (Diagram 3) “arm Weight” is a bit of a misnomer. Weight does not come just from the arm, but is initiated in the back muscles and uses muscles in the shoulder, arm and hand working together, In general, a large heavy person with big arms will naturally produce a big sound because of their inherent weight. How then, does a person with less body weight produce a big sound? The answer is in how the weight is applied to the string. ‘Two Practice Exercises: 1. Play the open D string only in down bows (quarter = 90). Play down bow for a half note, then half note rest. (Fig. 1) During each draw of the bow, focus on one ‘aspect of weight and bow placement at a time (from above). As one aspect becomes comfortable and manageable, move on to the next point 2, Crescendo on the down bow, decrescendo on the up bow. At quarter note = 72, start pp at the frog and crescendo to maximum fortissimo at the tip. Maintain the maximum dynamic through the bow change, then decrescendo on the up bow to pp at the frog. (Fig. 2) Focus on pulling the bow with resistance against the string. As the up bow decrescendos, release the weight being applied to the bow and make sure any tension in the right hand is released, This is a superb exercise for gaining control of crescendos in down bows and volume at the tip of the bow, and learning to allow the right hand to relax and release at the end of up bows and decrescendos. Speed ‘There are many different schools of thought regarding bow speed. Should speed be the determining factor of sound production or should it be the result of decisions made about placement and weight? speed is the determining factor, it presupposes that it produces the tone quality and quantity. If this were true, sound production would have little connection with what the music calis for. Music is always calling for different intensities and volumes of sound, and placement and weight are the key determining factors for these issues. ‘When the bow is placed at a certain distance from the bridge to produce a certain intensity of sound called for by the music, and x amount of ‘weight is used to produce a certain volume of sound as required by the music, then the bow speed is determined. (P+W determines § = tone quality and volume) (P = placement, W = weight, S = speed) Therefore, speed is the result of decisions made about placement and weight, but all three factors are in constant flux and negotiation with each other to find the best result Diagram’ Latissimus Dorsi Placement and Weight determine SpeedGeneral rules of Speed: «Faster bow speed = lighter or fizzier sound 1 Slower bow speed = clearer or more focused sound 1 Foo much Bow speed ~ overtones and squesks, eliminating pure tone ‘Too slow bow speed = choked, grinding sound Bow closer to bridge = slower speed demanded Bow closer to fingerboard = faster speed demanded ‘Apply more weight = slower speed demanded (Watiable depending on desired tone) « Apply less weight = faster speed demanded (varigble depending on desired tone) «+ Higher pitches ~ faster bow speed demanded 2 Lower pitches ~ slower bow speed demanded ‘The above are trie when the basic same resultant sound is desired. T's The aove “represent any portion of whe regular tonal and volume spectrum. ‘when more unique, individual or experimental, sounds are desifsd, wane anges ia these rules can be necessary. In tradition! playing, rae t ciaicalacy true when playing the soft echo of a phiass andlor txploring the soft sound on the D string. By keeping the Dom closer to are pat using an extremely light touch, faster bow speed nd the brie oa sumptuous sotte voce of unusual mood ean be producss ig. 3&4) Bruch Kol Midret > = The bow is like water - it wants to follow the path of least resistance Energy Speed, in and of itself, is not a particularly musical concept On the last levels of playing itis the amount and usage of @HerE3 the bow Dies ir produces much of the expression, When the bass is plays seo et dor dull manner, itis often the lack of bow enersy wsed that is ‘creating the problem. Conductors often yell atthe basses to “use more bow” when they, Wart 2 costes noes more bow produce a Touder sound? That depends louder sou pOacking in this scenario is the mevessary mou Of arene atthe bow. Is energy equivalent 0 bow speed? Not exactly The smrouat of bow used can be the same regardless of the enerBy ‘expended. Ghorgy comes from within the individual as an inner drive ‘with an extrovert expression through the bow. Consistent Tone One of the most important goals of sound production is to chain One ent rone all of the time. Most players ean produce a good ‘one corse or most ofthe time, but very few can consistently produpe a ‘world some ioe all of the time. The use of the bow is like flowing weter | © Class tone oer the path of least resistance. This, unfortunately, is oRen the cause of inconsistent tone. 6Basic Rul 1 Biv tout move bral to he brdge, pepenticler to RNs it = the string cmlicton ud + Draw the bow from frog to tip all on the same point on eh" (ile les of Consistent Tom Draw the bow straight across the string from frog to tip the string Eliminate floating motion of bow up and down the string and its resultant non-musical sounds ‘Avoid a pendulum motion of right arm ‘Allow flexible motion at the bow changes to maintain a consistent tone through the bow change (See Dip the Tip Exercise later in this chapter) Avoid changing the angle of the bow especially when changing from down bow 10 up bow as well as up (0 Photo 350 7 End of the down ee g a. Photo 34 Start ofthe up bow after a significant tuning out ofthe angle of the bow away from the left hand eliminating Consistent application of weight tothe string down (Photos 35a & 35) Methods for developing 2 consistent tone: + Use a mirror to see how the bow moves across string (Photo 36) . + Record with both audio and video to see and hear what is actually happening + Watch the vibration of the string and try to keep it at a consistent width throughout the bow stroke + Tunnel vision exercise. Place two fingers on the string next to the bowed string. Allow the bow to move between the fingers like a train through a tunnel, but don't allow fingers, or bow, to float up or down the string. This is a great method for a teacher to get an accurate reading of how the student’s bow is tracking on the string. (Photo 37) + Practice adding weight and speed as the down bow ‘moves to the tip to keep the tone and volume consistent + Practice reducing weight and speed as the up bow moves towards the frog to avoid a sudden swell at the very end of the up bow (a common disease in bass playing) The Secret Factor of Tone Production ‘There is a fourth major factor in tone production - vibrato. Less experienced players may vibrate but often with no noticeable effect on the sound. As vibrato is developed it becomes an integral part of the voice of the performer, often identifying one from the other. Vibrato acts as an amplifier of the tone. Without vibrato, the tone is, generally a straight signal. With vibrato, the tone is put forth with greater amplitude, producing a rounder, fuller, sweeter, more resonant and ‘energetic tone, The use of non-vibrato can be used with great effect when specifically called for in the music, (Fig. 5) but in terms of traditional classical sound, the use of vibrato is a necessity, not an option. For technical application and development of vibrato, see the chapter on Vibrato. Fauré Elegy Fie 5 = Arm Usage = ‘As mentioned previously, the primary purpose of the right arm is to pull the bow across the string and to apply weight and energy into the string ‘The right arm should not be held rigid, but should be flexible in all ofits, Joints. A common misconception is that the elbow should be locked 2note 38 Photo 388, straight, This is a terible disaster! There is no athlete Of = Guality who moves with locked or straight joints. Example Ty sei with stiff, locked knees. It is stow, cumberson, {0 festive and looks funy. This holds true ou the bass for {he ae se vrst and fingers. The elbow should have a slight bend in {ttor both French and German bow, even on long, legato stots, (Photo 38a & 39a) In this way, strength and flexibiliey combine to produce the best result. “The only exception to ths is atthe end of the down bow whete ihe right elbow must extend fully to allow the dow bow (0 Taishtpulling stright across the string. (Photo 38b & 396) Common Problems of Tone Production: P The right arm works in a pushing motion 1 The right arm is used too far away from the body (See Arm Angle below) y+ The right elbow moves out away from the body: sashes down bow and creates @ pushing and/or torquing motion «The right arm and hand have straight or Locked joints «The right hand squeezes the bow + On French bow The Tittle finger isn’t kept in the middle of the frog and used to help pull up bows + The fingers aren't flexible and involved in the string crossings + On German bow «The right thumb presses too much 2 The right wrist is too bent upwards , with the bass fumed more clockwise and! leaning primarily against the left leg (Photo 41 & 42) In each postion play just the G string. Notice (he angle of the right arm ie SStation to the body and the direction ‘which the bow is being in relat photo 40, the right arm will have 'o Pe raised much higheT aimty from the body at the end of the dow pow, Also, the draw of the away From ellistic” position is much more OF 29 00) bow yn bow pulling away from the body. he ‘seated position with the the dow ed against the left Teg allows for ‘much more natural horizontal pulling motion. Bow Angle Bow Ang of the bow when moving across the Sern, should, for the Trt part, be parallel to the bridge and perpendicular to the suing, (Photos 43 & 44) ‘The angle of the bow when applied to the sin should have a slight tilt The onthe left hand in order to obtain the most efficient application of tesjant imo te string. As weight is apnea © tho string, it is generated weietthe body and transmitted through he af ‘hand and fingers into the sort the hair and, finally, the string. The ost direct line of application sti Mteight is the most efficient. (Photo 45) ull hair, or flat aig, though it seems legion, forces the right hand to Fall Ereatly away fom the siring and allows Soe fof the weight to pass the sting. On French bow. this angie encourages a raised Tight bypass 1s rari sends the weight away from the siting (Photo 46) ‘Too much tlt to the angle of the bow towards the nut, of course, will Jompromise tone production and constrict the free motion of the bow arm, (Photo 47) ‘Am efficient tit of the bow will not alow. OF totally full bair on the tag until a certain volume of sound i= ‘feached, approximately mez0 forte. In order to help maintain weight into the sting ft the tip of the bow, # ight flatening of the bow hair is seeessaY to obtain the optimam Sefame and fuliness of tone. (Photo 48) “The angle ofthe bow hair wil also determine Ho freely the bow moves Ievoss the string, Flatter hair tends to Create slightly more resistance t0 actos ainess ofthe bow motion in relationship the string, than does tre ight tt. This isthe exact same tilt of 1s ‘bow as on the other string 2 Srements, The violin and viola bows ar tilted towards the nut by inane bow towards the player's left hang ‘On the cello and bass the tlting ted towards the nut by uting the Powe towards the player's left band. ‘ Exercise to Feel The Natural Flow of the Bow Exerriee front of the bass player and Tightly ouch the bow with bott Stang it poth ends of the bow as the player Crore the bow across the ares. (Photo 49) The player should slow change angles of the bow ting Chair to tilted. The player should slso ‘gradually move the bowfoom the fingerboard towards the bridge. Feel the flow of the bow as it tnoves across the string, Notice how the feeling changes as the angle of the bow is altered and the placement of the bow on the string fluctuates. ‘Common Problems 4 * Ifthe wrist is bent upwards on the French bow, the angle of the bow will tilt outward, away from the strings. The application of the weight will be interrupted, and the efficient production of sound will be impossible. (See Photo 46) «+ The right hand should not roll outward on the up bow, tilting the stick of the bow away from the strings. A common problem ‘on German bow, the angle of the bow is often correct on the down bow, but flops outward on the up bow. (See Photos 35a & 35b) + Play with wo hdirs syndrome. A common misconception, especially among orchestra directors, is that playing with only ‘two hairs of the bow will create a soft sound. This, in fact, will create a very weak sound that should never be acceptable, When the bow is tilted too far towards the nut (left hand) an inefficient application of weight will result. Regardless if playing loud or soft, a fall tone should always be produced, never a weak sound. To play sofily, reduce the amount of ‘weight applied to the string. The only exception to this rule is in the playing of artificial harmonics. Too much bow hair on the string will not allow the harmonies to speak clearly. + Too much bow angle at the tip of the bow. This is a common French bow problem where the angle of the bow tilts more than is necessary towards the nut at the end of the down bow. This greaily reduces the amount of weight that can be transmitted into the string in the upper part of the bow. (Photo 50) St 1g Crossings There are many innate differences between the German and French bows. Primary among them is sound production and string crossings. Of all the aspects of bass playing, string crossings have perhaps the greatest need for efficient physical motion. The strings themselves are a relatively short distance from each other, but the demands on the arm, hand, fingers and bow are considerable. French Bow Perhaps the biggest advantage of the French bow over the German bow is hat the French bow allows for the use of the smallest muscles in string crossings, Small muscles can move much more quickly and precisely over short distances than can large muscles. Therefore, it is essential 10 use the fingers of the right hand in string crossings as this will greatly reduce the necd for large muscle motion. If only large muscles are used in the string erossings, then all advantages are lost. Exes to develop finger flexibility in the right hand Finger Flex Exercise: Hold the right arm out straight from the body. Keeping the right wrist flat and straight with palm facing down and fingers curled at the sccond knuckle, raise and lower the fingers (not the thumb) only using the major set of knuckles (closest to the wrist). Raise the curled fingers up high enough to create a concave arch, feeling the stretch, then lower and straighten them a3 far as possible so that they form a sharp 270° angle. The motion should be that of a crane, not a tailgate. (Photo Sla & 51b) a _ Photo 50 Photo 51b‘Next: repeat the same exercise holding a pencil between the right fingers and thumb, (Photos 528 & 52b) “The third step isto hold the stick of the bow, using the left hand to steady the upper part of the bow, and repeat the same motions, (Photo 33a & 536) Fourth, hold the bow normally, using the left hand to steady the Upper she bow, Repeat the previous motions while maintaining a proper Partin the bow. (Photo 54a & Sab) It is important to keep the bow ‘moving up and down in the same plane. Fifth, place the middle of the bow on the G string and, using only hs fingers lower and raise the bow back and forth perwoen the © and sige” A slight tick-tock sound will result as each string is Telessed Sfuttes keep the bow angle exactly the same as it moves from string 10 string and from down bow to up bow. Finally, draw the bow equally on the G and D strings as a double Hop finge musele motion) and use only the fingers to rise and lower the bow’ (are Ming to sting (omall muscle motion). It is essential that the settside of the right hand (the little finges) is thoroughly involved i caeine the motion, as iti the serew of the bow that rust move (he farthest distance, No matter what part of the French bow is being used for the suri ae erate the ends ofthe bow will always have to move farther than the croesleret the bow. The path of least resistance (Lc. where the least middle ef demands are placed on the bow) is in the middle of the bow. When the string crossing happens here, the tip and frog of the bow move Aeet me minimal distance and demand the least amount of large muscle ‘motion. “The purpose ofthis exercise isto create flexibility, dexterity and comtrol eee icvontity the function of the fingers of the right hand. Ultimately, ares crossing is not created with just the fingers, but isthe symihesis of all muscle motion in an efficient manner. Common problems in French Bow String Crossings? avon rst finger is overused and the litle finger is underused + The angle of the bow to the string changes as it moves from string to string + The motion is generated with the wrist 2 ‘The joints are not allowed to be flexible German Bow ene Sermne the German bow does not have the luxury of the same amount ae eanetL muscle finger motion for string crossings as the French, i is ortel that the German bow utilize as Tittle large muscle arm motion af possible. To obtain optimum speed and control, the bow must aso mere eo eit alstance as possible. I playing on the D string and moving to the string, the bow should begin to move or roll as far as possible tears the a Sting side of the D string before the bow stroke is over. In this see the motion and distance needed to change strings is absolutely minimal. (Photo 55) Often, a change of angle in the Germen bow is used to help with ‘he Cra’ crossing, (See Photos 35a & 3Sb) This produces a different bons SHE for each string and creates inconsistencies in articulation, apd sale usage. The tone sulfers, too, as the hair swishes up and down 2 eea vertically on the string instead of just moving horizontally across the string, The Finger Flex Fxercise above can assist the German bow in string crossings by creating more flexibility, control and application of the small museles. This exercise is primarily aimed at creating flexibility and identifying the function of the fingers of the right hand. No matter what part of the German bow is being used for the string crossings, the ends of the bow will always have to move farther than the middle of the bow. The path of least resistance (je. where the least ‘amount of demands is placed on the bow) is in the middle of the bow. ‘When the string crossing happens here, the tip and frog of the bow move the same minimal distance and demand the least amount of large muscle motion. ‘Common Problems in German Bow String Crossings: + Changing the angle of the hair when crossing strings Not preparing the string crossing ahead of time ‘Using a jerking right arm motion Using too much arm and large muscle motion, No flexibility in right arm, wrist, hand, and fingers’ Bow Changes (Exchange of Weight) ‘There are two basic functions at the end of a bow stroke: 1, The bow stops or lifts off the string 2. The bow stays on the string and smoothly connects to the next note ‘One of the great mysteries of string playing involves what happens when the bow is changed from up to down and down to up in a legato, or dgtaché, smoothly connected passage. ‘The physical mechanics of a bow change at the frog The change of bow from up to down is more complicated than just changing the direction of the bow: It involves an exchange of variable amounts of weight, accommodating various bow speeds and placements. ‘To establish parameters on this discussion, one of the most important laws of physics needs to be employed: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.! If the arm, hand and/or wrist are stiff and inflexible, the bow change will have the equivalent tight and unsmooth sound. If a fluid, uninterrupted motion in the bow arm is used, a smooth and connected sound will result, In order for this to be obtained, the bow must be allowed to move continuously. Prerequisite to this is the need for flexibility in all of the joints of the right arm: shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers. (See the ‘chapter on Physical Characteristics) Continuous sound in string playing is similar to the circular breathing of an oboe player or of a swimmer making a tur at the end of the lane. The swimmer does a somersault, in order to change directions in the pool and keep the momentum going without coming to a complete stop. This is the fastest and most efficient method of changing directions for a swimmer. The same is true for the bow. For legato playing, the bow must never stop moving, therefore some part of the bow must keep moving even dating the change of direction "Newton. (1687) Philosophigo Naturalis Principia Mathematica 33 For every action, there is an equal and opposite reactionDiagen 4 Bow change ati Bow change at fog = Photo 560 Up bow shadows bowing “Dip-the-ip Photo S6a Up bow stadow bowing Lack of flexibility in the right wrist Photo 588 “‘The shape of this motion is often referred to as a “figure eight” motion, tout in reality it looks more like a straight line with small loops at each ‘end. (Diagram 4) At the end of the up bow, the loop indicates the tip of the bow making @ continuous motion by dipping slightly, At the end of the down bow, the loop indicates the screw of the bow making a similar ‘continuous motion, as if changing the bow from a high string to a low string with a down bow to up bow motion, ‘Exercise: Dip-the-Tip At first, practice “shadow bowing” by holding the bow above the string ‘but near the regular playing position. Use the left hand to help hold the bow up off the string but don’t restrict the movement of the bow. Practice making the dip-the-tip motion. (Photos 56a, 56b, 57a & S7b) Next, transfer this motion to just one note on the G string (E), The tip of the bow is allowed to dip towards the floor at the very end of the up bow stroke, making a slight loop. (See Diagram 4) Statt with a fall bow ‘motion and gradually reduce the amount of bow and increase the speed (aim 50-180). On the French bow, this particularly requires flexibility in the right wrist. Ifthe wrist is tense, the tip of the bow will be forced into ‘an upward angle. (Photo 58a) With flexibility in the right wrist at the end fof the up bow, the bow will be allowed to dip slightly and make a looping motion during the change of direction. The change of bow ‘motion does not happen with the fingers or with a change of bow grip, & ‘common assumption on the French bow. The German bow also needs to have flexibility in the right wrist and fingers in order to allow the bow to ‘extend fully and dip. (Photo 58b) As the down bow begins, the tip should move back in the direction it, ‘came and not suddenly “pop up” to a higher plane. This is a common problem for both French and German bows. With the German bow, the bow motion is exactly the same as that of the French but physically requires flexibility in the fingers of the right hand to allow the tip to dip. To dip the tip of the bow without flexibility in the fingers would require the right wrist to bend inwards, making a smooth change awkward if not impossible. With either bow, this dipping motion constitutes the final 5-10% of the bow motion. It creates a smoother and more connected sound and, on the highest levels of performance, allows for the complete finishing of the musical value of « note. Also, this natural continuous motion allows for a ‘more eonsistent sound throughout the entire bow stroke by diffusing the common swell atthe very end of each bow, especially the up bow ‘Common Problems in Bow Changes: ‘+ Bow placement on the string changes + A noticeable swelling of sound immediately before the bow change + The bow is changed with the right fingers + Tense right wrist + The bow loses its constant contact with the string + Stopping the bow at the bow change + The tip moves in an upwards angle (away from, the floor) at the end of the up bow 35Diagram 4 Atihe end ofthe down bow, lower the Bow 30 hat the up bow returns ina slipnly lower plane ‘Down bow pulls the sting Diagram 6 ftom the “let” side Up bow pulls the string from the “ight” side “The physical mechanics of a bow change at he OP The Physical mechanics of a bow change a (Ne YP The ‘phyesaact same rules as at the frog. Based on the sere rineiples and purpose as the dip the tip mova, & same Pit mation is Used for a smooth down 0 Up Pow exchange at the tip. ‘at the frog, the focus is on a continuous motion of fre eat the tip, in contrast, & continuons motien of the tp. A ine bow is needed, Tf the screw stops atthe et se te pow and then begins the up bow sa exactly of the evveation, an unwanted crunch or Biecup s In the cadenza from the Bottesini Concerto No. 2, Ist movement, (Fig, 19) the 1-2 of the C-E major 3° allows for greater ease through the ‘whole passage and makes the high A more accessible. Bottesini Concerto No.2, Ist mvt, Cadenza a SF Perfect 4% Playing P 4% on the bass, which is tuned in 44, presents a particularly nasty problem. Traditional fingering would require a player to play both notes directly across the string with the same finger (bar the notes). This approach is acceptable in first through third positions, after which it becomes literally impossible to physically connect the two notes together for a musical result, This also leaves the player vulnerable to bad pitch, fn an unbalanced hand position to shift and with an awkward feeling in hs . fe Teft hand. Fig. 20 demonstrates that by fingering each note Fis.20 =j independently (fingered bar.) each note can be vibrated and played to its =s Eat {ull thythmic and musical value. Fingered bars in the middle positions ‘work best with 2*! finger on the higher string and 1* finger on the lower string. ‘This also helps to climinate the usual stop of sound from occurring between P 4 played with the same finger. This happens when the first note is released and the finger is lifted up off the string and then moved ee to the next string. (Fig. 21) It is physically impossible to not have an Fig 21 3 unwanted space between the notes when played this way. a a | participants from Bradetich master classes and workshops, Summer 2005-07 i °Fig. 22 from the Ginastera solo is an example of the utilization of 2-1 below thumb position. Fig. 22B shows how 2-1 can be applied in thumt position (fingering above the line) with a traditional fingering below the ine. When played quickly, and in slurs, the real advantage of the fingered bar becomes evident. Ginastera Variaciones Concertantes, Riprsa dal Tema per Contrabasso Fig. 24 illustrates a combination of the two P 4" fingered bars Bach Ist Suite, Gigue Jig 4 © FG DMA D Less common, yet still useful, is the 4-3 P4! fingered bar. This situation ‘occurs when it is not possible to play the note on the top string with 2 or 3 and a 4-4 bar is not functional. (Fig. 25) ‘Mendelssohn Symphony No, 4th mvt. Saliarello xs é & .t , # Fig. 25 © Do Vanhal Concerto, Ist mvt 5 #2 cees fe ee i - o DG Bach Suite No.1, Prelude D6 Dom Common Problems: Most often when learning this technique, students ‘will wildly contort the angle of the left arm and hand. Technically, itis important to keep as normal of a hand shape as possible and to make as Small a physical motion as possible when using this fingering concept. 0 ——‘This hand motion may well feel a bit strange at first, just like any technique being learned for the first time. Once this is learned, however, in will feel as natural as any other aspect of left hand technique. For the intervals of major and minor 2™*, augmented 4, perfect 5, ‘major and minor 6% and 7%, unisons and octaves, see the section on Double Stops on page 73 ‘Two Basic Types of Fingerings Lyrical vs, Speed Fingerings Ina broad general sense, there exist two basic types of fingerings: Lyrical fingerings avoid string crossings and play as much of the phrase 1s possible on the same string to maintain tonal consistency and to create the vocal quality of the music through shifting. Speed fingerings, on the olor hands avold shifts and utilize string crossings in ofet to play 25 many notes in one position as possible. Speed fingerings are usually preferred over shifts when shifts are too slow or make the hand work too hard to accomplish the necessary speed of the passage. String crossings within a lyrical phrase can easily disrupt the production ‘of a consistent tone color. One of the greatest criticisms of the bass sound is that it is not consistent - being able to produce the same quality of sound from frog to tip of the bow and from note to note. Almost all players can produce a beautiful sound some of the time. It is a supreme challenge, however, to produce a beautiful sound all the time. This is, another of our life pursuits. If, at first, the character of the phrase is determined and then a conscious choice is made about which type of fingering will produce the best result, then much of the tonal inconsistencies in bass playing will be eliminated. Lyrical Fingerings Shite On all string instruments there exist three basic ways to move from one note to the next: {1 Step Wie motion within a posit (withou siting) “Across-the-string motion 3. Shifting : - On the double bass, shifting creates some of the greatest problems both in terms of execution and musical appropriateness. The shift, however, embodies the innate nature of singing and when utilized properly, provides tremendous opportunity for expression. ‘To Shift or Not to Shift, das ist die Frage! ‘To answer this question, the performer needs to determine if the passage is a lyrical or speed passage. In melodic singing passages, lyrical fingerings should be used which will require mest intervals to be shifted (in the context of modern playing). In There are two basic types of fingerings: 1. Lyrical 2. Speed To Shift or Not to Shift, das ist die Frage!Fig. 26, the opening passage of the Eccles Sonata is played all on one string maintaining 2 consistent tone color and allowing the music to be ‘expressed through the shifts (fingering above the line), res Beet Saas be Da Very frequently, the first two notes of this passage (and subsequent 4°) are played across the string with a very noticeable tone change and resultant non-singing sound (fingering below the linc). This presents aa important dilemma: the bottom fingering is indeed eusier to execute, but - the top fingering is more musical and allows for greater expression. If» performance is pending in the immediate future, then it would be Dest 19 Mee the fingering that is most successful at that time. However, if the player has determined which fingering is essential to the music but is not Jel able to perform that fingering, then perhaps it is best to postpone the York until é later time or delay playing the piece until the necessary Skill has been acquired, ‘The orchestral tone poem Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss presents many examples of @ singing sound that requires a shift but would be casier if played across the string. In the phrase of Fig. 27, the ideal sound is probably that of the French hom. The bass can most closely imftate that sound by shifting (fingering above the line), not by playing the figure across the string (fingering below the line). Strauss Zin Heldenleben eo ae ae ° é —_ 6 The Bruch Kol Nidrei presents many opportunities for applying this fingering concept as well. The opening phrase (Fig. 28) assumes the quality ofa cantor's voice to a much greater degree when played all on Gne string (top markings) than if it were played across the string (bottom. markings), eee Se SSS SSS ‘The same is true to a lesser degree in the Beethoven 9th Recitative. In the iast statement, the A-D slur is most often played across the string, but when played all on the G string a much more heroic and joyous expression can be created. (Fig.29) Beethoven Symphony No.9, ath mvt Recitative wae EE Ee e‘Another important example of this is Fig, 30. Vanhsl Concerto, 2nd mvt é ‘Tonal Consistency Playing an entire passage on one string to create tonal consistency is @ musical concept that demands a conscious awareness on the performer's part. Obviously, a lyrical phrase should most often be played this way. ‘When a professional singer sings a lyrical phrase, they purposefully sing with a consistent tone color throughout the phrase and would never attempt to sound like they were singing “across-the-string.” Even within, the context of a fast passage, however, there often exist lyrical moments that demand a consistent tone quality that can only be achieved by playing the entire passage-én the same string. In the Dragonetti Concerto (Fig. 31) the last note of the two phrases (F# in bars 26 and 30) should be included on the G string so that the preceding half note can be vibrated with 2 finger and a change of tone does not occur between the two gotta) Dragonetti Concerto, Ist mvt ede EY Fig 3 With this said, it is important to realize that technical problems can be created unnecessarily that, if the entire lyrical line were to be played on one string, would make the phrase sound difficult and awkward. A good ‘example of this is present in the 1* movement of the Vanhal Concerto. (Fig. 32) This phrase is clearly lyrical in nature and needing tonal + consistency. To play the entire A Major arpeggio all on the G string ~* (markings below the line) would create multiple consecutive shifts and disrupt the style. ‘Vanhal Concerto, Ist mvt Ta Fig 32 A different problem is presented with the opening two notes of the 2! ‘movement of the Dittersdorf E Major concerto. (Fig. 33) Dittersdorf Concerto, 2nd mvt. > $ Fig. 33 Here, a choice has to be made between closing the G on the D string or playing the open G string. Closing the G on the D string does create @ tone color change when playing the second note (D) on the G string but allows for vibrato on the first note. The open G does not allow for vibrato, and the tone change from an open note to a closed second note, even on the same string, is still noticeable and probably less desirable. In either case, a shift between the first two notes is not called for musically. To Shift in a Slur or Not ina Slur The next aspect of the shifting question deals with shifting in slurs. The difference between shifting within a slur or shifting at a bow change is ‘musically and tonally very noticeable, especially on the bass. L a @‘The 1# mvt. of the Koussevitzky Concerto allows the opportunity of looking at this question of fingering not from the standpoint of easier and harder, but from which is musically better. The two fingerings presented in Fig. 34 are technically fairly equal ia difficulty, but represent two radically different musical statements, The fingering below the music ‘avoids shifting in any of the slurs, therefore presenting a very clean sound. The fingering above the music is filled with shifts in slurs creating a much more passionate, romantic sound. Kousseviteky Concerto, Ist mvt xe é Bee oo a Fig Although botif fingerings “work,” the concept of the upper fingering Clearly expresses more of the intent of this music written in the Late Russian Romantic tradition, filled with great drama and passion. “The same is true in bar 77. (Fig.35) The shift to the last high note (top fingering) creates a pronounced effect as compared to the + 3 fingering, below the line. Koussevitaky Concerto, Ist mvt ste a pe ey! Ghee wd cle £e = re a skit Another prime example of the importance of deciding when to shift in a Slur comes in the first movement of the Vivaldi 3 Sonata ino minot Here again, it is vital to determine what type of music is being played ‘and what innate characteristics need to be expressed. This will detenmine the bowing, which in turn will call for a certain fingering, There ate two options to interpreting the opening phrase: 1. Staccato with reasticulation fon the 16% note - very stately; 2. Totally legato - very lyrical. (Fig. 36) ‘Vivaldi Sonata No 3, Ist mvt sits Fis 36 With the first interpretation, which was more the common practice of the period, the fingering above the line is necessary. This fingering shifts al the break in the sound between the dotted 8 note and the 16% creating & clean result, one that is stylistically ideal, This natural and coordinated motion of the shift before the fast part of the rhythm (before the 16 note) also follows the fingering rule of preparing what is coming next. (See Goal Preparation later in this chapter) ‘The lyrical fingering below the line eliminates the shift in the slur but presents two problems: 1. It requires the shift to be played during the fast part of the rhythm, which can create an uneven feeling to the music and Be The 16% note is often ignored, or not pronounced clearly, when it is played as the seeond note of a two-note slut.‘The important issue here is not what ecles Sonata, Ist mvt fingering is used, but what is the best tye ‘way to play the music. Once the stylistic 4 parameters are set and the interpretive red and technical options are known, é re ® eae reaching a justifiable interpretation is shit obtainable, Fig. 37 provides two more examples of decision-making needed in Beethoven Symphony No.5, 3rd mvt, Scherzo un pat = ove slurs. The fingering above the line eliminates the shift in the slurs. BLA sun Other Important Shifting Concepts Upeshifts (shifting to higher notes) are usually easier to execute in down bows than in up bows, Down-shifis (shifting back on the instrument to Jower notes) also tend to be easier in the down bow, especially when shifting over the break ares. Generally, shifting from the 1 or 2° finger on an up-shift i$ easiest, and shifting to 2! finger on the top note is easiest. 5 keyed (Fig. 38 = up shift) B “Kk Ni __ Fig 38 ——— ‘On down-shifts it is generally easiest to shift from the highest finger on the highest note back to 2%! or I* on the lowest note. (Fig. 39 - down shifts) Migek S ta No.2, 2nd Bruch Kol Nidret . . z P ree z, Beethoven Symphony No.5, Scherzo eee a eee ? , 9; 9) 8 y 3; Pp: oP Raf Pp ha PoP oa or Pog GR o‘The second patter in Fig. 47 is the same as a Bb Major shiftless seale in thumb position (Fig. 48) and the third pattern (bottom fingering) is the, same as a C Major shiftless scale finger pattern in thumb position. (Fis 49) No matter what key these scales are transposed to, the fingerings remain the same, [Bb Major Shifiless Seale Fingering Pattern bier Asi Fig 48 ‘€ Major Shiftless Scale Fingering Pattern Msn Bb Major Fig. 39 6 Xo ‘These three finger patterns constitute nearly 90% of all finger patterns used in thumb position, Figures 50, 51 and 52 respectively, demonstrate how each of these patterns can be applied to the music. Dragonetti Concerto, 1st mvt x» ERERES pie Fig 50 Dittersdorf Concerto in E major, 1st mvt 2 Fig 51: obo Do Hoffineitser Solo Quartet No. 2, Lst mvt 3s A book DER ey Fig 52 In his book Simplified Higher Techniques, Franco Petacchi identities these three hand shapes as chromatic, semi-chromatic and diatonic. The most practical application of these fingering concepts appears on the previous page. Ultimately, in addition to the intellectual understanding of the three hand shapes, the physical shape needs to be felt, just as a pianist Jdentifies a chord and the hand automatically moves to that hand shape. Important Notes ‘Another major factor in deciding the most musical fingering, is to identify the most important notes of the passage. Often the longer value notes of a moving passage and the note being shifted to are the most important notes. Based on the unique characteristics of each finger discussed previously, the 24 finger is most often the ideal finger to use ‘on the most important notes, > Petracchi, F. 1982, Simplified higher technique, Yorke Edition: London. “ iIn Fig, 53, the fingerings printed above the music take full advantage of the strengths of the 24 finger. Eccles Sonata, Ist mvt : Fig. 33 Botesini Concerto No2,2ndmet ' SD 6 | Replacement Fingerings Fig. $4 shows a practice exercise to develop replacement fingerings. This fingering concept is designed to eliminate unwanted shifting sounds in slurs, to help prepare upcoming notes more efficiently and comfortably, and to smooth out rough or awkward passages. yom Fig 54 Siig = Replacement fingerings are particularly useful in Baroque or Classical ‘music, or wherever the sound of a shift in a slur is not a musical ideal (Fig. 55) Schubert Trout Quintet, Sth mvt, 10 ban before E Fig 55 Sighing motives and appoggiaturas are two common examples of where avoiding the sound of the shift in the slur is appropriate, Replacement fingerings make this possible. (Fig. 56) Vanhal Concert, 2nd mvt 2 a a oe oe ae ee ee Ses i c Haydn Symphony No. 31, Variation 7, Double Bass solo | Kousseviteky Concerto, Ist mvt Bog te etGoal Preparation ‘This fingering concept could be better expressed as: Get 10 Your Goul as Soon as Possible/Prepare What is Coming Next. Too often, fingerings are pased on the note you start from instead of the note you are going to. Fig $7 demonstrates how to prepare what is coming next by choosing fingerings based on where the notes are going instead of from what Note they started. ligeekt sapere Hie 7 7 id De ‘This is an important break from the so-called “old school" of fingering Where the same note would tend to always be played with the same finger. Bottesini Concerto No2, Lst mvt. ‘ Shifting after ehythmic ties oe , sain or brief rests is one of the ops tt ss A ae most effective forms of Fie 58 oe preparing what is coming ote ; 2 hext. In just the Ist mvt. of 3 the Bottesini Concerto No. 2, Brahms Symphony No.1, Ath mvt, tus tebe 30 opportunities exist to she sia apply this fingering concept. —! (Fig. 58) Mozart Symphony No 39, 1st mvt St Su Shit Staley “Another rule of goal preparation is to avoid shifting from 4* finger up to {he next note with 4 finger, and shifting from 1* finger down to the next ote with 1” finger. Fig. 59 clearly demonstrates how to preparo what is Coming next, avoids 4-4 up shifts, and utilizes 1-2 for half steps to assist in goal preparation, Instead of playing all of the notes available in one position, the fingering puts the hand in the upcoming position before the ‘ld position is necessarily used up. Scarlatti Sonata No.3, 2nd mvt Vannl Concerto, tt mvt Fig. 60 demonstrates a fd the combined use of replacement fingerings and goal preparation. Fig 60 = eplcemin gsngs repecce # EEE f—t f t ‘eslcomea Fagrege eplaesnet rseonsIn Fig. 61, this concept, as applied to string crossings, provides ‘Vanihal Concerto, 13t mvt opportunities to eliminate awkward left hand motions. The first two ; notes of the Vanhal Concerto and the Misek 2 Sonata both have aD- Fig el A string crossing in an area of the bass where barring the notes with the same finger limits the musical .expression. Playing the most important note (D) with 2! finger and moving to the second note (A) with 1* finger in a replacement finger/across the string shift, allows ‘Misek Sonata No.2, Ist mvt both notes tobe played fully and helps to prepare the movement to the ye 3° note of the phrase, Here a fingered bar would not work as well, a5 ee - it would interfere with the hand motion from the 2" to the 3 notes, When deciding how to prepare to move to an important note or through a difficult passage, it is vital to determine which finger is available to play the next note. If you need to arrive on a certain note with a particular finger, then’ the preceding note(s) need to allow for this to happen. In Fig. 62, the fingering 2-4-4-1 (below the line) does not allow for the Ab to F to be played musically because the same finger is being used to cross from one string to the next 4-4 and to shift 4-4, But when the C-Ab is played 1-2, the 4 finger is allowed to be free to shift to the next note. This passage would be more comfortably and effectively played 1-2-4-1. As a general rule, it is best to eliminate same-finger string crossings when a shift is involved. In Fig, 63, the shift from 4 on C to 3 on A is extremely difficult and ‘weak. By using the same concept as before, new and more effective solutions become available. Three solutions would be: 1-2-3-1, 1, or, if ending on a harmonic G with the thumb is not offensive, then 1-2-1-* Finger Patterns “A great deal of music is comprised of 3- and 4-note finger patterns. Certain rales pertain to each of these patterns with very lite alteration when played in different keys or on different strings Senote Finger Pattern, ‘When playing a three-note finger pattern on the same string (Fig. 64), apply goal preparation ideals to determine the fingering. To get to the goal as soon as possible, the shift will always happen after the first note. tse oO a 7 i When playing the two bowing pattems of Fig, 64, shutting ater the first note sounds more musical than after the second note. Shifting after the second note forces the player to shift 4-4 up the string and 1-1 down the string which works against goal preparedness and the naturalness of shifting, Fig. 64 If the bowing is two notes slurred and one separate, however, the finger pattem must then accommodate the bowing which is dictated by the music. (See Musical Paradigm at the beginning of this chapter). The shift should take place after the second note, thus climinating the sound of the shift in the slur. (Fig. 65) 5 y sia ~ Fig 654-note Finger Pattern The 4-note pattern is one of the most basic finger partes used on the bass. (Fig. 66) When played on just one string in lower positions, this pattern is governed by two basic rules: ; 1. Play cach pattern with your lowest finger on the Jowest note and highest finger on the highest not. 2, Allow only one shift which comes between the and 3" notes of the pattern : Pest seseetrtrT> Fig 66 3 ‘The orchestral repertoire is filled with endless examples of this fingering pattern. (Fig. 67) ‘Mendelssohn Fingal's Cave, 9 brs 8 ‘Mozart Symphony No.35, Ist mvt, 10 as teove a one vee Wagner Die Meistersinger Prelude 6 Pi i s ¥ fF In examining the first movements of four major bass concertos, the 4- note finger patiem comprises approximately 25% of the notes in the Vanhal Concerto; 20% in the Dragonetti; 13% in the Dittersdorf and 9% in the Kousseviteky Concerto. Partial use of this pattern constitutes an ‘additional 10-15% of the notes in each piece. (Fig. 68) ‘Vanhal Concerto, Ist mvt 5 3 vie os Sg et a # p Sete’ Senote Finger Pattern The S-note finger patterns are governed by three rules depending on the demands of the music. If played on one string: 1. Shift twice depending on the rhythm of the music. (Fig. 69) ———————— = 2, Shift once depending on where the m3 is located. (Fig. 70) Fig. nIfthe 5-note run is played across the string: 3. Again find the m3" distance between three notes and play those on one string without shifting. (Fig. 71) ni : Fe 7 Double Stops ‘The most commonly used double stop on the bass is the third. Minor 3° are almost always played 1-4 in lower positions across the string and 1-3, +1 or +2 in higher positions. The Major 3" is played 1-2 or 2-4 in lower positions across the string, and 1-2, 2-3 or +1 in higher positions. As ‘mentioned earlier, the 2-4 fingering for this interval is slower, weaker and less mobile than 1-2, Fig. 72 from the Dittersdorf Concerto 1" mvt. cadenza is @ good exampie of how to play consecutive thirds with the 1% finger consistently on the high string. Dittersdorf Concerto, 1st mvty Cadenca i d > Fig 72 gAdg aa g This fingering allows for a more fluid performance (connection of sound from note to note) for two reasons; “i The left and stricture remains sirong and does not alter its basic shape from double stop to double stop 2. It eliminates the need to lift the finger and break the © sound when moving the sane finger from one string "to the next P41» use the fingered bars 2-1 and 3-2 discussed previously. Tritones (augmented 4%) are played with 2% finger on the high string and 1 on the lower string throughout the entire fingerboard, or 4-2 in lower positions and 3-2 in the middle and thumb positions. (Fig. 73) ne Sage ge———p—ae ; os =" Perfect 5t™ follow the same rules as minor thirds, but in reverse. Play the higher finger on the higher string and the lower finger on the lower string. In thumb position, 1 + or 2 + is sometimes used depending on what comes before and after the double stop. (Fig. 74) ee f Fig. 74 3 ae @ > “Gh nTntervals of 6, 7 and 24 are usually not asked for until the literature moves into thumb position except when used against an open string Minor and major 6 and 7% arc usually played with 2 or 3 on the to string and thumb on the lower string, Fryba Suite, Prefude . ‘The smaller double stops oe: an the of minor and major SEDER GDF 2 usually use the Fie 75 reverse fingering of the al — = 6 and 7, with thumb = = ia aaa OES eats ead a ‘or 3 on the lower string. Deak 8.8. Wolf ‘ Gig. 75) ay F Unisons and Octaves Unisons are usually performed + 3 and octaves 3 + as demonstrated in Fig. 76. Arpeggios ‘Ampeggio fingerings can be determined using many of the proviously discussed concepts including goal preparation, tonal consistency, and speed vs. lyrical fingerings. Since arpeggios arc comprised primarily of m3", M3** and Pa, the fingering options for each need to be identified. m3* 1-4 or 1-3 across the string; 1-4 pivot on the same strings +1, +2 or 43 can be used in thumb position either across the string or on the same string; or shift. (Fig. 77) Fig 77 © 5 e > t ; i 7 8 é Sr M3". 1-2, 2-4, 2-3 and +1 across the string; +1, +2, +3 in thumb position on the same string; or shift (Fig. 78) Fig 78 é bm” 4. 1-1, 2-2 or 4-4 in lower positions; fingered bar 2-1 or 3-2 in middle and higher positions; 0-2 or 0-3 on the same string in thumb position; or shift. (Fig. 79) a a ‘ 4 rig 79 eel 4 e ~* Be ”Because of the great distances covered when playing arpeggios on the ‘bass, (almost 28 inches or 71 em for two octaves) it is fundamental to jdentify the interval that can be played without shifting. In lower positions, itis the interval that can best prepare what is coming next. In Fig. 80, the fingering above the line prepares the hand to move to the top note, whereas the bottom fingering does not. 6 ». 4 ama a alee ae reso SESS ppt Et “8 RE 6 In higher positions, the m3 is the key as it allows for the smallest and most compact hand position. The minor 3 also presents the strongest and most balanced hand structure of the three intervals, It is easier, therefore, to shift wo and to shift away from this left hand configuration, (Fig. 81) ae oon ne a In Fig. 82, this arpeggio passage from the Bottesini 2 Concerto, 24 movement represents a prime example of the need to determine the music before the fingerings. This passage is often performed as a harmonic arpeggio up the A string because it is readily available and is technically easier. If it is interpreted as a soaring, singing phrase, however, then a closed fingering up the G string is essential. (Fig. 82) Bottesini Concerto No.2, 2nd mvt Te Fig 82 = pe a 6 ‘The second arpeggio (E Major) creates its own problem in how to play the 3 and 4* notes, Ifit is played 44 across the D to G strings, then the hand is poorly prepared to make the shift over the break of the instrument to the Gi in thumb position. A viable alternative would be to ‘prepare moving into thumb position one note earlier by shifting up the D string to the E with I or 2 Non-shifted arpeggios present their own unique situation in terms of how comfortable the fingering feels under the hand and what the string crossing pattem is with the bow. The fingering choice should be influenced by the slurs and separate bows used. In the 3 bar of the solo part of the Dittersdorf E Major Concerto Ist movement, the D Major arpeggio can be played two ways. (Fig. 83) Dittersdorf Concerto in E major, Ist mvt Fig 33 The left hand shape of the fingering above the line is more compact and therefore slightly stronger but the thumb must close the F#. Whereas in the fingering below the line, the hand shape is more open but the thumb ean rest on the harmonic D which requires less physical effort to play than the closed Fi. With the normal bowing of two slurred and two separate, the top fingering clearly allows for the easier of the two bowings. This is due, to a great extent, because the string crossing is played with a separate bow and not in the stur, The bowing with the fingering below the line is a less coordinated action, :Vanhal Concerto, 1st mvt wee Fig 34 Pra tum ponent Bottesini Concerto No.2, Ist mvt Koussevitzky Concerto No.2, 2nd mvt 'A similar figure in the Vanhal Concerto demonstrates the nocossity of itilizing the 1-4 fingering oa the minor third without shifting, yot allowing the left hand to pivot slightly. Fig. 84) Crab Technique ‘The crab technique is a very flexible left hand motion, similar to that of the replacement fingering motion, that allows for the preparation of new position or set of notes while finishing the Inst note of an old position. It is most commonly used in thumb position, (Fig. 85) This technique is not used as frequently in the Lower positions, but the concept of it is invaluable in fully diminished arpeggios. (Fig. 86) Fig 87 Natural Harmonics Fingering Patterns for Natural Harmonies Due to the sensitive, some would say finicky, nature of a natural sounding harmonic, itis important to have a thorough grasp of the basic harmonic fingering pattern, The fingerings themselves are quite simple, but the demands on the bow, precision of the left hand, length of the left famm and size of the shoulders on the bass make the execution challenging. Fig. 87 shows the “home base” position for the third octave of each string’s natural harmonic series reaching to the 7 and to the octave, 6Fig. 88 shows the widely used, and more effective, fingering for the four- ‘note arpeygio on the three lower strings. + Fig 88 foe Bey ok bE * Fig. 89 offers two fingering options for the first octave of the two-octave Major arpeggio beginning in thumb position. The fingering below the line (+2 3 +) is the more common fingering but requires three different left hand angles to execute. The fingering above the line (+ 1 3 +) allows for one fluid motion over the entire octave. Although the latter is often viewed as more difficult at first try, it is ultimately easier and more efficient . z ts = Sometimes harmonics are written to be played on the lower end of the siting towards the nut. The natural series of harmonies is the same on any string when starting from the octave and proceeding towards the end of the fingerboard or towards the nut. (Fig. 90) oaion ming wards co of he ngerboars Ihe, be wa a Fig. 90 t= tne Soviet ae Fo emsion gong towards the aut Some composers have chosen to have their harmonics played on the lower end of the string, such as Paul Hindemith in his 1949 Sonata for Double Bass and Piano. (Fig. 91) Hindemith Sonata, Ist mvt mec Fig 91 Jazz musicians have used pizzicato harmonics on the lower end of the instrument for decades and they are now standard fare for composers and performers alike. The basic finger pattem (much less structured) for harmonies in the lower positions is 4-2-1 D-F¥-A, but notated differently, Fig. 92) (See the chapter on The Right Hand - Sound Production for keys to making the harmonies sound.) Fig. 92 | nArtificial Harmonies Since the advent of the modem renaissance of the double bass (2 half of the 20° century,) artificial harmonics have been explored on the bass {nd written in many modern works, some to great effect. Three intervals ate used in playing the harmonics: PS*, P4%, and M3". (See the chapter on The Left Hand for keys to playing the harmonies and photos.) The Pst and Pat are the intervals most commonly used and easiest to produce. (Fig. 93) ® pane Psuhe a NI In transcriptions, many artificial harmonic sections can be performed with either the PS or P4', depending on feasibility, with the P4? allowing greater access to the higher notes. (Fig. 94) Monti Crandas gy Fig 94 Paganini Moses Fantasy, Variation No.2 P In original compositions, however, composers are usually very specific about how the note is to be played and where it will sound. (Fig. 95) Proto A Carmen Fantasy, Prelude Fig 95 D Deak BB. Wolf P bp sie at, Exercises to develop all of the fingering concepts discussed in this chapter are located in the Chapter on Technical Exercises, Conclusion From basic half steps to advanced technical passagework, it is the goal of this chapter to establish a set of rules and concepts that apply to all bass players, regardless of hand size or strength. Each individual will find, however, certain exceptions or variations to these rules and concepts based on nationality, physique, interpretive skill and musical maturity. It is impossible to say that one particular way works best for all people. ‘What is most important is that these rules and concepts are explored and understood so that the performer has a strong foundation from which to discover the best way to conquer the vast panorama of the fingerboard and to create gréat music on the double bass. EE 78 a6. Shifting | ‘One of the most feared aspects of playing the bass is shifting. Shifting presents obvious problems in speed and accuracy, but the act of shifting is the most Iyrical manner in which to play a string instrument and is Vital to the expressive potential ofthe player. ‘Often, bass players choose to not shift in order to play more accurately and not take any risks, but the result is usually fumetional music making at best. Ultimately, the music will call for the sound of a shift or not, and it is the responsibility of the player to interpret this and respond accordingly. A shift has two basic purposes: 1. To move from one note to another 2. To create an expressive statement ‘Two Types of Shifts There are two types of shifts: 1. Regular (or sliding) shift 2, Landed shift Shifting is the most lyrical manner in which to play a string instrument‘Landed Shift, shifing fon the 18 finger yor Beethoven Symphony No. 5, 3rd mvt. eg Fig.2 80 ‘The regular shift always shifls on the finger being Shifted to, and the landed shift always shifts on the finger being shifted away from, usually 1* finger Gig.) in bass playing, the former is used the vast majority of the tne. The latter, however, creates a more refined, clegant and less aggressive sound that can be effective in many types of music. When executing the regular shift, the new finger being shifted to is placed on the string immediately as the shift begins. In the landed shift, the new finger does not hammer onto the string until the very moment it arrives at its new destination. Shifting with a string crossing Whether in a slur or with separate bows, a shift with a string crossing should never use the same finger on both notes, In order for each note to be played fully and for a Smooth connection between the two notes of the shift, each note needs a separate finger. (Fig. 2) It is impossible to fully play each note if the finger bas 10 slide across the string while shifting and land comfortably on the next string. In a regular (sliding) shift the shift is made on the string and finger being shifted to. If shifting from the D string fon 1* finger to the G string with 2% finger, the shifting motion should be made on the G string with the 2%! finger. (Fig. 3) In a landed shift, the opposite is true. The shift happens ‘on the D string and the bow and left finger only go to the G string once the left hand has arrived in the new position. A landed shift occurs very rarely when shifting ‘with a string crossing. Mechanics of Shifting Ascending Shifts ‘The mechanics of shifling vary depending on the starting point and the destination. In all shifts in lower positions the shift of the hand is prepared by a slight dropping, or leading, of the lef elbow. When shifting in thumb position, the fingers of the left hand lead the shift and the elbow stays stationary, ‘The more important issues of shifting occur when shifting into and out of thumb position. In general, on ascending shifts, the left arm and hand must prepare the shift before it happens. This necessitates a raising of the Jeft arm to the basic level and “position” of the new note (Photo 1) This creates many problems as the note before the shift is often “forgotten.” As the new position is prepared, pitch suffers and vibrato often ceases. Also, Especially when standing, the balance and angle of the bass ean easily be thrown into chaos. It is vital to keep the instrument in one basic posture and not allow it to i| | lean forward, backwards or sideways as the shift is being prepared and executed. (Photo 2) When shifting from a lower position note into thamb position, a combination of the above mechanics must happen. (Fig. 4) Bruch Kol Nidrei Aaa Fig 4 First, the elbow must lead the beginning of the shift but only to the point where « natural flow will allow the arm to move into the new thumb position angle, This needs to be accomplished within one continuous motion, not two separate métions. Even in fast shifts, the left hand should not make a “rocket” motion Often, in fast shifts the shift happens too quickly creating a thrust of ‘energy that is not called for in the music. The shift, of course, must reflect the mood and energy of the moment but not create a false accent or unwanted wave of sound or emotion, Descending Shifts Descending shifts have the opposite problem from ascending shifts; they must fight gravity. Especially for younger players, descending shifts are ‘much more problematic than ascending shifts. Even with more advanced players, descending shifts have trouble reaching their target and are often eft sharp. ‘The key issue is the preparation of the shift. In lower positions, the left ‘elbow must lead the motion towards the new note by “pulling” the finger and hand towards the nut. In thumb position, the left arm must be free of the shoulder of the bass in order to help pull the left hand back. When shifting out of thurab position, the left upper arm must help pull the hand back to the lower position. Just as importantly, the body must pull back away from the bass to allow the left arm to descend. Generally, when playing in thumb position, a player will lean forward and their body will be close to, or leaning on, the right shoulder of the bass. The body will act as a repelling magnet, however, if it does not get out of the way and allow the left arm to rotreat. When the body is pulled back, it allows the angle of the left elbow to stay open which is necessary for effective and injury free playing. (Sce the chapter on The Left Hand - Arm and Elbow Angles and Shifting) Common Problems + Rocket shifts + Not preparing the shift before it happens, especially with the left arm and hand The body is in the way on descending shifts Descending shifts tend to be sharp ‘Allowing the shift to be more than one motion Collapsed and straight fingers Speeding the bow during the shift Ignoring the note before the shift, especially the vibrato and pitch Shifting can produce heroic statements, crying sentiments, seductive innuendo, and warm phrases. The expressive possibilities are endless as are the challenges of perfecting one of our most important mysical assets Descending shifts have trouble reaching their target and are often left sharp ee7. Intonation Intonation is a many splendored thing: We rejoice when it is right; we agonize over it when itis wrong; we work very hard to obtain it one day only to have to rediscover it all over again the next; we color our pitch for expressive purposes; we hide it with vibrato; we usually play sharp when we close open strings (G, D, A); we usually play sharp when we close harmonics; we usually play shacp with 1* finger in 12 position; we usually play sharp when shifting down to a lower note; we usually push the pitch sharp when playing loudly; BUT: we sound flat when the bow speed is too slow; we sound flat when the bow placement is too far away from the bridge; we sound flat if the vibrato is too slow; we often play flat when shifting up the instrument; beginners always play flat with 4° finger in 1* position.. ‘The reasons are endless and the problems many. Chaos One of the leading causes of intonation problems on the bass, especially for less accomplished players, is not a bad ear, bad technique or poor ‘mechanics. It is the mental and physical chaos of having to juggle and coordinate so many diverse tasks simultaneously. For example, to ia execute the four notes in Fig. 1 with two notes slurred and two separate, he DE 83the player must negotiate a 1/2 step shift from 4% wo 1* finger, slur to holes evenly, articulate two separate notes consistently, start the fitst Separate up bow in the middle of the bow, vibrate on the D, balanes the Tne during the shif, not squeeze the left hand while playing each note, adjust the distance of |-4 between A-B and C-D, produce a beautiful ad coiSistent sound and create an expressive phrase that matches he Gemands of the printed notes and the ensemble in which they are playing. Throw in following a fickle conductor and who has time fp Baten to pitch? It is a challenge to juggle three balls at one time, but 10 ser? That is the challenge of artistry, and good intonation, on the double bass. “To wade through the chaos, many factors need to be in place: a xn appropriate sized instrument for the height and hand sizo of the individual + A.well-tuned instrument 1 Ail of the mechanics discussed in the chapter on The Left Hand = Many of the issues of how-to-practice in the chapter on Practicing «+ The use of a chromatic tuner and recording device In addition, itis very important to have an understanding of the different types of infonation and the different methods of determining pitch. Instrumental teattunental, or solo, pitch is the process of playing in tune with oneself To determine if'a note is in tune without a reference pitch can only be secotaplished by the combined process of feeling and hearing the tons) seeemunce of the instrument, (See Resonance Exereise later in this chapter) Fixed Pitch Fined pitch happens when playing with a piano ot a tuner. The bass Player must accommodate the fixed piteh and always adjust his or her Pntonation to the given pitch. We are the slave, they the master. Consensus Consensus intonation is somewhat democratic. It is what happens when Guo or mote non-fixed pitched instruments play together. Someone has te adjust their pitch in order to gain a consensus. If one person is perfectly in tune but everyone else is playing slightly higher, then the phe person has to adjust to accommodate the majority. When playing with the piano, the bassist must always be the one. fo ujust the pitsh as the piano isa fixed-pitched instrument. When play ne Stuccompenied, itis a very common practice to play the upward leading {one slightly sharp, hefping it to lead into the next higher pitch, and to play the downward leading tone slightly flat nelping it 10 lead into the pies jower pitch. (Fig. 2) When playing with the piano, this is possible in {aster passages, but presents real problems in slower passages where the Sustained leading tone would clash with the harmony of the plano, For expressive purposes, sometimes this clash helps to create the tension of the music before the resolution and is, in fact, very desirable. 4 —Method of practice Threc common methods of practicing fixed pitch include: ‘A. Practicing with a chromatic tuner set on different pitches of the music or scale being played (usually tonic or the 5 ‘work best ~ avoid both the M3 and m3). When arriving at a specific pitch, sustain the note to give the ear time to really hear if the pitch matches. B. Practice with a pianist who will play the bass solo line along with the bass player, or who can add the bass line to the piano part so that the relationship between solo and bass line-notes can be clearly heard. C.Input the bass line into the computer. and practice ‘matching pitches with the computer playback. When playing with a non-fixed-pitched instrument or instruments, intonation is an exercise in constant adjustment and consensus. If one person plays perfectly in tune and the other person does not, but both fold their note because they think they are right, then intonational chaos results. Someone must give in. Usually this is caused by a lack of awareness of what sound and pitch is actually coming out of the instrument. Personalities can add to the dilemma of matching pitch. Very strong personalities and/or strong egos may think they are always correct, therefore the other person must always do the adjusting, whether right or ‘wrong. Certain instrumental characteristics must be taken into consideration as Well, When playing basso continuo with a bassoonist, their instrument tends to play sharp when playing the lowest notes. This presents a difficult dilemma. Since the bass and the bassoon play the same note, does the bass player play sharp to match the bassoon and push the pitch of the whole ensemble up, or should the bass play in tune and allow the ‘lash in pitch to happen? The solution to this involves the quality of the players, their personalities and the involvement and/or influence of the conductor. When playing the M34 ‘Also, awareness of where the note being played falls in the harmony of 93 Ao ammenes of vi ta Hoge! ints amv of of a chord, the note must tonic of the harmony and the pitch must be very centered and pure. When e slight! w the playing the M3" of a chord, however, the note must be slightly below the he slightly belo tl pure pitch in order to fit in the welletempered quality of the chord. pure pitch (Fig. 3) Schubert Trout Quintet, ath mvt Keep Maso When playing a m3%, the third must be pushed slightly sharp to fit in the chord. Here, too, leading tones must be approached with a strong consensus of the group. (See the Intonation Chart at the end of this chapter.) Method of practice "The most difficult way to play in tune is when (wo people play the same exact part. Three people forms a consensus, but two clearly pronounces even slight differences in pitch. Therefore, practicing or playing duos with another individual of the same instrument is a good starting point. Then moving on to play duos with | 85 = = aother instrumentalists presents new challenges. An even greater challenge is to play with an instrument whose innate tessitura is far from that of the bass: violin and bass; flute and bass, ctc The keys to good intonation 1. Aural Skills 2, Awareness: 3, Expectations 4, Execution ‘Aural Skills is the ability to hear the pitch before it is played. Developing fine aural skills is @ prerequisite to good intonation. Predicting and a hearing the pitch in one’s ear before it sounds provides the proper foal to achieve instrumentally. Perhaps the single most important Key to intonation is simply awareness If players are made aware of their pitch, it will improve. But this awareness must come from the individual, If the player does not Tecognize that their pitch is off, it will never improve no matter the efforts of the teacher or the stand partner, Developing an awareness of facceptable pitch and the means to achieve it, is one of the keys to the future of the profession. |As the same expectations of perfect intonation are demanded of boss players as they are of violinists, the overall quality of intonation on the pase will improve. Therefore, it is paramount that teachers stress the importance of pitch from the youngest ages, but also realize that : prerequisites 10 good pitch (c., posture, technique, proper sized ” instrument, etc.) must first be met. The ability to execute what is heard and expected is a life-long endeavor, Even if the first three keys are in place, they are not enough to overeome technical deficiencies. Three methods to determine precise intonation SISTRES 2) Listen 3. Feel ‘Look ~ This is the worst, but perhaps most common, way of determining pitch, It is especially prevalent in younger players whose nasural Pitemtion is visual. It is a good starting point to geographically chart the fingerboard and for pitch orientation, but ukimately # ited resource, ii i ii Listen — Listening is the second best way to determine pitch. Listening. Li ening ts the ‘of course, is essential to all music. Tt is important to develop both the second best way aural ability to hear ahead of time what the pitch should sound like, and a to clearly discem the audible result. But if the note is played out-of-tune to determine pitch land the player then hears it and adjusts, itis too late as the audience has already heard the out-of-tune note as well. Listening to pitch should confirm what is already known based on the tactile sense. Feel - There are two ways to feel intonation: 1. The tactile sense of the eft finger placement on the string (the player must be able to place their finger on the string in exactly the right place and feel that it is correct | without having to test the pitch), 2. The muscle memory of the feel of the distance the hand and fingers must move from one note to the next. 86 —In addition, certain fingers feel the intonation of certain notes better than other fingers. This may vary from person to person and experimentation is needed to find out where this is true. Developing awareness of how this works will help in breaking away from playing certain notes with certain fingers just because that is the way it has always been done, without thinking about the end result, For example: F on the G string is much easier to play in tune with 4 finger than with 1°; C# on the A string in 1* position seems much more = secure with 4® finger than with 1%, (Fig. 4) This is partly due to our nas PE initial orientation to the instrument but also to a natural physical o ‘adaptation to the instrument by the left hand, The Secret Ingredient to Great Intonation — The Bow [At the very core of intonation is the process of producing and ; ‘maximizing the innate resonance of the instrument on every note. This Wier hae terenenent is fourth and perhaps most telling aspect of intonation puts the attention on resonating at its greatest, the bow. the note is perfectly in tune Wien he nsrument i rsoning at is reste, the noe ep n perfect tune. When playing perfectly in tune, the instrument will resonate at its eats When playing perfectly in It is vital that the response of the instrument under the bow be felt and tune, the instrument will reacted to. If the tone produced is weak because the configuration of the , bow placement, weight and speed is not correct, then the pitch will be resonate at its greatest flat, If the bow speed is too fast for the accompanying weight and __ placement, then the pitch will go sharp. ~” When a note is played perfectly in tune, there is a feeling in the bow that is subtly different than when the note is even slightly out of tune, When perfecly in tune, the bow moves more freely across the string seemingly freed up by the innate resonance of the in-tune note. This feeling is transmitted through the resistance of the hair against the string and the actual vibrations of the wood of the bow. It can only be recognized through the tactile sense of relaxed and flexible right fingers and hand. Resonance Exercise Play any of the most innately resonant notes on the bass (ie. Ay 3 B, D or F) on the G string. Play it down bow for only an 8° note gta -vatue. (Fig. 5) Release the bow immediately from the string and Mis - just listen to the ring of the tone. How long does the ring last ‘after the bow is lifted from the string? By adjusting the left finger just slightly up or down, does the resonance last longer? When the purest tone and the longest ring are found, then the note is perfectly in tune. Once the feeling is gained, play these same notes in thumb position and then on lower strings. Then proceed to different notes. Which notes have the least innate resonance? On the bass, the three worst culprits seem to be F and ‘Ab as well as C on the G string. Intonation Exercise For consistent intonation, itis essential to recall the exact feeling of the finger on the string. A good exercise to develop this is: Play D on the G string with 1* finger. (Fig. 6) Play the note perfectly in tune as in the Resonance Exercise above. Next, ‘become aware of what the note feels like in the left hand and tap the finger a number of times in exactly the same place, Next, _ ee FigsThe note before the extended motion tends to roll sharp He? The chromatic tuner does not necessarily function properly ina well-tempered world tonic, play pure tans, Ha leading me \ | / me take the left hand away from the string and then bring it back to the same exact spat on the string. Before playing it, compare ‘what it feels like to what it felt like for the perfectly in-tune note. Tap the finger. Then test the note. Is it sharp, flat or perfect? By repeating this exercise many times on all notes with every different finger, the tactile sense of pitch will improve. It will also help the player to become more in touch with the geography of his or her instrument, ‘The “Looking” Syndrome This problem, perhaps better known as the “Teddy Bear” Syndrome, is ‘common especially with younger players. The tendency is to watch the left hand all the time. This, of course, fosters a dependency on the visual aspect of playing which is ultimately the weakest way to leam to play an instrument, The “Teddy Bear” aspect of this comes ftom the player's face being only inches from the left fingers, expecially in the middle positions. Bad posture and a lack of sound projection are byproducts of this syndrome. (Photo 1) Exercises to Break Away from the “Looking” Syndrome + Play something familiar (scale, short solo, ete.) and look out the window or up at the comer of the ceiling, Visualize what is, taking place on the instrument without looking, Feel where the hhands are going and be aware of the response of the instrument in the bow. + Play something memorized and practice with eyes closed or in. a dark room Extended Positions Pitch can be at issue when using extended left hand positions and the ctab technique. The reaching or extending motion of these techniques (Gee chapter on The Left Hand) can cause the note before the motion to roll sharp. Therefore, added mental attention to the note before the motion is essential. Fig. 7) Equal vs. Pure Tuning The chromatic tuner is an equal-tempered tuning device that does not necessarily function properly in a well-tempered or pure-tuning world This is especially apparent on Major and minor 3**. A musical half step is divided into 100 subdivisions called coms. Each cent is 1/100 of a semitone (1/2 step). In the following chart the minor 3° (three half steps) is 300 cents, the Major 3" is 400 cents and the octave is 1200, etc. If an A is sounded with a M3 of 400 cents played above it, the interval will sound out of tune. The M3 must be played 14 cents (or 14%) lower to be perfectly in tune. When playing M3" double stops or passage work, it is vital for the top note to be played slightly lower. When played across the string this necessitates a slight expansion of the hand shape, in order to condense the size of the interval. When practicing in A major, if the tuner is set at Cé it will be sharp within the context of the Key. If, however, the C# is the leading tone in the key of D major, then a raised quality to the pitch of the seventh note will generally sound appropriate to the music. (Fig. 8) ‘The opposite is true of the minor 3%. According to the chart, the m3" must be played 16 cents sharp in order to sound in tune. Therefore, when playing a m3" across the string on the bass, the left hand must slightly Condense its size in order to expand the size of the interval. This presents a dilemma in determining the distance between the 1* and 4* fingers. A 88 ——M2"! on the same string and a m3“! across the string are both fingered The m3 cequises« sinaller spread of 1 1-4. The precise physical distance between 1-4 for the two intervals is, tot fingers compared to the whole step different, as the m3% requires a slightly more condensed hand shape (smaller distance between 1-4) than the M2™. (Fig, 9) ‘These variables have tremendous impact on the mechanics and physical motions of the left hand. They are, ultimately, the minutiae of the bigger issue of intonation on the double bass. Intonation Chart a Pea are Pm Da Cents ocd ime | : Set, | 500 498 2 : Ma Loe 326 cael m3 300 316 ce a ee ae ‘This chart is from Zmproving Intonation in Band and Orchestra Performance (p.72), by R. J. Garofalo, 1996 Fe. Landerdale, PL: Meredith Music Publications. 898. Bow Strokes Consistent good quality tone is the first goal of sound production Especially true of younger and less experienced players, the typical imental focus is on playing the notes of the left hand. As the player matures and improves, the focus shifts to the bow, where creating shape and style on each note is a much more advanced concept and vital to reat musicianship. ‘There are three general classifications for all bow strokes: ‘These equate to 1, Smooth and connected 1. Legato 2. Short and articulate 2, Staccato 3. Bouncing = 3. Spiecato In addition, there are other subcategories and an endless number of variations, When teaching a new subject or composing a new work, it is fundamental to start with the theme and then move to the variations. On the double bass, legato is the thematic starting point and the foundation of all on-the-string bow strokes and sound production. By contrast, on the violin, the Suzuki method! for teaching beginners starts with short " Suzuki, 8, (1999). Molin Schoot, Volume T (Rev: Ba.) o _— ilstrokes and delays the introduction of the legato strake. On the bass, the legato stroke is more easily accessible to the player than other strokes as it requires the larger muscles and does not demand ay much small tauiscle control, On the violin, because of the length of the bow and the many different angle changes needed in the joints to pull a straight bow, the legato stroke is a much more advanced endeavor than the sigeeato, or short stroke Legato ‘A legato bow stroke can utilize the entire bow or smaller portions of the bow, depending on the music. The goal is to create a fluid sound that is not interrupted by false accents, unwanted peaks and valleys, or noticeable bow changes. Its most common usage is in lyrical, singing passages. (Fig. 1-6) Beethoven Symphony No 5, 3ed mvt FP consort Prokofiev Lewienant Kis, Solo Le Boutesini Reverie Lento Fe 6Staceato A staccato stroke has much more definition to the beginning and sometimes to the ending of the note than does a legato stroke. Both sttokes are played on the string, The goal of the staccato stroke is to create clarity through articulation. It is primarily used in faster passages where a short stroke gives a certain bite to the start of the note and does not smoothly connect to the next note. (Fig. 7-10) Berlioz Shmphonie Fantastigue, Ath mvt, 1 tarsi pea v Fe? Bach Gamba Sonata No.3, 'st mvt Vivace fief new ffl ity Fes aerate SS a ‘Mozart Symphony No. 41, th mvt, 8 barstie A = Spiceato ~'The definition of spiccato is simply “to bounce.” The bow strikes the string coming from above the string and after getting the string to speak, releases back into the air, The goal is to produce a lightcr sound than the staceato stroke, one with a buoyant quality that creates an “up” feeling, as opposed to a “down” or pressed feeling. It is rarely used in melodic passages on the bass, but is primarily used as a steady rhythmic inderpinning to the structure of the music. The role, sound, and application of the spiccato stroke changes throughout the different styles of composers and periods of music. ‘There are two basic types of spiccato: 1, Controlled (by far the most common) 2. Flying (Sautillé) ‘The “controlled” spiccato can be broken down into many subcategories, but there are four basic strokes that have clearly identifiable differences: 1. Mozart 2, Beethoven 3. Brahms 4, Strauss Each of these categories represents a different stylistic approach to spiccato and has a visually different shape to its motion, ‘The Mozart spiecato is V-shaped Beethoven is U-shaped Brahms is saucer-shaped Strauss is the shape of an upside-down down bow 93 me Mozart Vv Beethoven U Brahms ~~ Strauss uIn the Mozart spiccato, the direction of the bow hitting the string makes the shape of a V. It is pethaps easiest to see this bow motion by watching the tip of the bow. The Mozart stroke is primarily a vertical motion with little horizontal movement (down bow or up bow.) Mazar Ssmphony No.3, Itamt ‘The Beethoven stroke uses more horizontal motion in the right hand and ‘arm, It lands on the string for a brief moment and is longer and heavier than the Mozart stroke. This is the beginning of the “long-off” stroke (or brush stroke), which is a commonly used term meaning the bow stays on the string for a longer time than a Mozart spiccato and then comes off the string. Beethoven Symphony No.3, Ist mvt Bl bp 18 t f ae [ertboven Symphony NO9, Lt a wo bein TE ‘The Brahms stroke is a broadening of the Beethoven stroke. It is crcated in a similar way but the bow remains on the string for a longer period of time and more weight is allowed into the string. The release of the ‘weight out of the string is vital at the end of the stroke as this allows for breater resonance and maintains the buoyant (not pressed) quality of the Sound. Figures 13 & 14 are superb examples of the breadth and depth of tone that is possible with this stroke Brahms Symphony No 1, 1st mvt venee mee, F reste “Tehaikovsky Symphony No.4, sth mvt, brea ‘The Strauss spiccato is a more aggressive outgrowth of the Beethoven stroke. Its right arm and hand usage is very similar to the Beethoven stroke, but has a harder attack or bite into the string and is more clearly defined on the release,Spiccato in the Baroque period, according to most experts, did not exist as il is known today. A brush stroke where the bow is carried across the string and then releases and leaves the string after sounding the note, however, is a common Early Music stroke. By contrast, the short, bouncy Mozart spiccato was not yet in use, Sautillé ‘The sautillé stroke, or flying spiccato, represents one of the more elite forms of bowing. It is a sophisticated stroke that is used rarely, but for specific effects. Of all of the bow sttokes on the bass, it is the most challenging to learn and control. Before success can be achieved, the player must have many of the elements of bow control well in piace, especially suppleness and dexterity in the right hand. ‘There are two types of sautillé strokes: i. Played ona single note: 2, Played on arpeguiated figures across the strings - : . Masical example of the single note sautllé includes: Schubert Zrowt Quintet, Sth mvt “Examples of the arpeggiated sautillé include: bl ine va Geo pe Ee ES Fit ‘Bottesini Grand Duo Concertante, svete ter t12 Fie 9 ‘The generic single note sautillé stroke must be played in the middle of the bow on the French bow just beyond the balance point, but slightly closer to the frog on the German bow. It will not work at the frog or the tip of either bow. ‘The single note stroke is a combination of two different motions: 1, The stroke is similar to an on-the-string staccato in the middle of the bow. On French bow, the stroke comes primarily from the right elbow with a flexible right wrist, and the right hand releases the bow hold slightly to allow the frog to move more frecly within the hand. This allows the bow to come off the string. On German bow, the stroke is generated in either of ‘two ways, depending on the music: From the popping motion of the right forearm or from a more refined right hand and wrist motion. Here, too, itis vital to release the bow hold so that the bow is allowed to react freely within the hand and is not cemented in one place. 95 fe ees2, The motion and feeling needed for sautllé is similar to playing two 16% notes followed by an 8" rest. by throwing the bow into the string from above the string, (Fig. 20) Once the down-up bounce-bounce motion is felt and heard, it 15 then sped up until an even 16 note rhythm is achieved. It is vital, as in all spiceatos, to throw the bow into the string on the down bow but not to ty to Lift the up bow off the string. Instead, allow the bow to bounce back into the hand of its own accord, This is exactly the same as bouncing # basketball, The ball is thrown down to the floor and bounces ack up based on the amount of downward thrust used, not by lifting it up with the hand. In its common usage, the sautillé stroke is problematic for a bass section to produce rhythmic unison, This can be solved by using separate bow strokes on the string and imitating the sound of the Suauss Don Jui, ibs” off-the-string sautillé stroke. (Fig. 21) ‘The arpeugiated sautillé stroke is almost exclusively a soloistic bow stroke and is most commonly seen in three-note ascending arpesgiated figures, followed immediately by the same threenote descending figure. (Fig. 22) & Mem Botesini Grand Duo Concer, staat 32 gers seep seer Bp Be Laer ig 2 All three notes in each direction will be played in the same bow. - Generally, the figure is written lowest to highest and starts with a dows: - bow on the lowest note, In one motion, the down bow needs to bounce fon all three notes evenly, The same is true in reverse on the up bow, Because the bouncing nature of the stroke does not allow much weight into the string, the volume of this particular stroke is limited and does not project well. ‘The down bow motion on the first note needs to be more forceful than single-note saulilé so that the bow will tigger the bottom string te speak quickly. This will allow the bow to bounce off the string quickly and ricochet to the next two strings. The direction of the energy into the String on the first note is fuirly vertical. (Photo 1) The bow hold rust be {quite Loose to allow the bow to bounce freely and to not be controlled by the arm, The right hand and arm cannot dictate the bounce on all three hotes, only on the first. The up bow motion must similarly get the bow to bounce immediately on the first note with a downward (vertical) and Slightly inward hand and arm motion. (Photo 2) On the French bow, flexibility in the right fingers will allow the string crossing motion to happen with as little right arm motion as possible. Without this flexibility, the stroke is clumsy. Down bow direction of energy is vertical Up bow direction of energy is vectical ee vith alight motion towel the foe 96Starting up bow on this stroke is common, also, because of the natural tup bow motion from lower string to higher string, and down bow from higher string to lower. iste ind Duo Concerta, ean in 8 ee be eee ‘The common problems with this bowing are: 1, Vollme is reduced because of starting the ~ lowest string with an up bow 2, A false accent can occur on the top note in ‘the middle of the beat with the down bow seté The Jeté stroke, also known as the ricochet stroke, is similar in form and function (© the arpeggiated Sautillé stroke. Two or more notes (usually the same note) will sound in one bow. . a : The bow will bounce on each note in a ricochet manner after the first note is sounded, This bow stroke must be initiated from the air, not from the string. Rossini Wiliam Tell Overture This is perhaps the least common bow stroke in the repertoire. It, too, _sloes not produce much volume. The primary difficulty encountered with this stroke in the bass section is for each’ player to achieve the same result, Because of this rhythmic problem, it is often best to imitate the Jeté sound with a Santillé stroke. Other Bow Strokes Détaché ‘The détaché bow stroke is defined as “separated, and it can be applied to any notes not linked by a slur...where smooth bow changes leave no audible gap between each note2” Its general use is in single-note bow strokes that need a smooth, connected, singing sound. GliéceTaramelta The exact same principles of consistent tone and smooth bow changes described in Legato previously in this chapter are relevant to détaché Marcato The meaning of the word marcato is “marked, stressed, or accented.” ‘The use of the term was rare before the 1800s. Its primary use is to “draw the attention to the melody or subject when it is in such a position that it might be overlooked.” 2 The New Grove Dictionary of Musle and Musicians, 2nd Elton ibid aIn bass playing of the twenty-first century, marcato is frequently used to ‘mark or accent the note and make it more pronounced. Interestingly, the term is not mentioned or defined in either Galamian’s Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching or in the Dictionary of Bowing and Pizzicato Terms by Berman, Jackson and Sarch. (Fig. 27) Bahia Symphony No.1, 1st mot, ota ater Bem Martelé The literal definition of martel 27 The stroke has more of a percussive attack than a staccato stroke and is sometimes written with hammer accents above the note (Fig. 28) This stroke could not be produced effectively with early bows, so it was not used in performance practice until the advent of the Tourte bow in the early nineteenth century (Frangois Tourte, 1748-1835). The musical result of a martelé stroke is an aggressive ite of accent to the beginning of the note. There are, many varieties of this stroke depending on the nature of the music and the demands of a conductor. (Fig. 29 & 30) Stravinsky Liston du Soldar, The Devil's Dance allerro = wostPite 260% peu Se ‘Smetana The Bariered Bride Overture he 0 Sipgeen toe epieemer tere ee a =f = fF =P F= Portato is thi Portato is defined as a “pulsing of notes joined in a single bowstrokes” It is this use of bow Teisa subtle “nudging” ofthe bow to felp pronounce certain important nuance (portato) that individual notes within a slurred figure. When the music calls for extra . attention or nuance to certain notes, but using a separate bow on these helps create the highest sotes would be overkil, portato should be used, (Fig. 31-33) Without - portato, it is almost impossible to emphasize or “bring out” these notes form of artistry within a slur. It is this use of bow nuance that helps create the highest form of artistry on a string instrument. In the Orhello excerpt, Fig. 33, the three pick up notes look as if they are written to be played staccato, but because of the singing nature of the music, they should be performed in « more portato style with some articulation. Dittersdorf Concert in B, 2nd mvt, shes ee2 Sia 5 bia__ hand, the bow is barely half the length of the string, a ratio of 1:2 Practice Exercise Play just two notes in a slur. (Fig. 34) Start with no emphasis on either note, then begin to add just slight nudges to every note, then more obvious emphasis, Next, practice emphasizing just one of the notes (every other note: A-b-A-b-A-b-A-b ete), then the opposite rote, then just 1Wo or three within an eight-note section. (Fig. 35) Fie35 = = ‘The Ever-Changing Bow Stroke Length For all bow strokes, the length of the stroke will be longer on the higher strings and shorter on the" lower strings. The same ratios are in effect shen playing all bow strokes on the same string as the left hand moves up and down the string. As the string length becomes shorter (notes £0 higher), the length of the bow stroke needs to increase and jhe opposite is true when descending to lower pitches on the same string. (Fig. 36 & 37) Bottesini Concerta No.2, 2nd mvt a zig E - £ a0 a ae = To understand this fully, consider the ratio of length of bow to Brahms Symphony No.2, 2nd mvt, iterate length of string on the violin. The violin bow is twice as long as the violin string length, a ratio of 2:1. On the bass, on the other ‘To sce this played out: play a short on-the-string stroke on a low G on the E string, (mm quarter note=100) (Fig, 38) Be aware of how much bow is needed to produce a solid, resonant, but short note. Next, play SS —— | the closed G one octave higher on the D string. Be aware of how much = bow is needed to produce the same quality and length of note as the lower octave. Then, play the next two octave G's closed on the G string. (Fig. 39) With cach successive note, the bow length will have to increase in order to produce the same quality. This happens, in a microcosmic sense, in every passage played. The more complex the writing, the greater the demand on the interplay of placement, weight, and speed. How to Teach and Practice Each Major Stroke Problems to Look For, Goals to Achieve Legato One of the keys to producing a fine legato stroke is to use only as much. bow as is needed, but at the same time, not limit bow usage. The whole bow does not have to be used on every stroke, but as much bow as needed should be used to produce the maximum result as required by the music. Because the legato sound sustains for a longer period than short strokes, it is vital to be aware of the resultant tone. The primary goal is to produce a consistent good-quality tone throughout the entire bow stroke. In onder to achieve this, the placement of the bow should remain . 99constant (unless dictated by the music to suddenly change) and the weight and speed must adjust as the bow moves. For example, if the Volume needs to remain forte throughout the entire bow; then more ‘weight and speed need to be added to the down bow as it moves away from the frog. The reverse is true on the up bow. One of the most common shortcomings of bowing is the failure to return to the frog on up bows. It is not necessarily important to get to the tip on down bows, but itis vital on almost all legato strokes to return all of the Way back to the frog area at the end of up bows, Without flexibility in the right hand, itis almaost impossible to complete the up bow stroke 100 percent, From both a physiological and musical standpoint, most up bow Errokes are only played 90 to 95 percent. A lack of flexibility acts Tike & repelling magnet as the up bow comes to completion. By developing sense of reaching with the bow as far as possible to the left and allowing, the bow to keep moving and never stop (see the chapter on The Right Hand - Bow Changes), « complete and maximum musical statement can be produced. ‘A related issue is allowing for the musical completion of the down bow: It is not necessary that every down bow reach the tip, but the down bow rust not be truncated by a stiff elbow or a fear of “playing at the tip.” A problem more common on German bow than French isto allow the bow {o be pulled up away from perpendicular at the end of down bows (Photos 3 & 4) Photo 4 Phovo 5 ‘To avoid this, players of both bows need to open their elbow joint towards the end of the down bow to maintain the direct pull of the bow Straight across the string. (Photos 5 & 6) If this is not physically possible, then a reevaluation of the size of instrument, bow, and posture is warranted, 100‘Common Problems in the Legato Bow Stroke Too little bow ‘Too much bow Poor bow placement Up bows are not completed as the bow doesn’t return all the way back to the frog Down bows are not musically complete as the right elbow isn’t flexible and doesn’t open up enough to allow the bow to complete the stroke ‘Surges in sound, usually at the end of bow strokes and especially at the end of up bows Unwanted peaks and valleys in sound during the bow stroke Staccato ‘Two approaches to learning the staccato stroke: Start with « legato stroke using most of the bow. Increase the tempo of the stroke while using less and less bow length, When the length is reduced to two to three inches (five to ciight centimeters), add moze weight to put the bow "int" the string. Then add articulation (more bite or attack 10 each stroke, both up and down bow). It is vitally important that the French bow is not pressed into the string with the First finger or by “torquing” the right elbow; instead, « pulling motion should always be maintained. Similarly, the German bow should not be pressed into the string with the right thumb or by “torquing” the right elbow. (See chapter on The Right Hand - Tone Production) he Se Play the following rhythm in Fig. 40 on just one note at quarter = 80. As the tempo becomes controlled, increase the speed until the stroke is not interrupted or stopped. Feel the start and stop of each stroke in the right hand and arm, On the French bow the down and up bows should be initiated in the right elbow. The initiation of the stroke should be felt in the first finger of the right hand on the down bow and in the fourth finger on the up bow. The up bow stroke is universally weak. By engaging the backside of the right hand in a pulling motion via the fourth finger, the French bow up-bow stroke can approach the same quality of articulation as the down bow. On the German bow, the down and up motions are initiated primarily in the right forearm and/or hand. ‘To become accomplished at the staccato stroke, awareness of the quality of the attack on each note must be developed. The up bow is, not only innately weaker than the down bow, but is also not as easily controlled. To improve the articulation of up bows, practice three-note pattems with an accent on every third note. Listen to each third note and match the down and up bow attacks. (Fig. 41) Four-note patterns Fig are almost always practiced starting with a down bow. By practicing starting up bow, confidence and control of the up bow will follow. (Fig. 42) W Fig To develop a heavier bite to the staccato stroke, practice by playing one note down bow extremely short and biting on the string at a slow tempo. Stop the bow but keep the weight into the string and don't release the weight. Repeat in the same manner on the up bow, feeling the attack in the right hand and arm, Don't expect a good quality sound at first—it will come with time and control. Then increase the speed, keeping the motion as small as possible and using very little right hand and arm motion 101Common Problems ‘+ The attack of the up and down bow is not even or consistent + Too much reliance on playing at the frog + The “silence” between bow strokes is filled with unwanted sound + Too much head and upper body involvement in initiating the stroke, especially the up bow (See chapter on Practicing - Proper Mechanics) Spiceato The spiccato stroke is initiated in two ways: 1. From the string 2. Above the string ‘The decision is based either on musical demands or personal preference. : The musical demands in a more powerful passage may necessitate the spiccato to be started on the string; a lighter passage would probably start off the string, ‘The latter decision (personal preference) can be influenced by the quality of the bow and response of the strings and instrument. If a player has a bow, instrument, or string that does not respond well, it | ay be necessary to start the spiceato stroke on the string to help initiate the string response ‘The angle of the bow’s approach to the string is determined by the musical style as discussed previously (such as V-shaped or U-shaped), ‘A lighter style requires a sharper angle (more vertical) as does playing ‘on lower strings. A heavier style, and/or playing on the upper strings, requires @ shallower angle (more horizontal). After the spiccato stroke . hits the string and produces a sound, the bow releases and leaves the string, attacking the next note from the air, not from the string On the French bow, spiceato (not sautillé) is always performed in the ower half of the bow. The German bow works similarly, though the lightest stroke can be played out as far as the middle of the bow. The heavier the quality of sound, the closer to the frog the stroke occurs. (Strauss) For a lighter sound, the stroke occurs more towards the ‘balance point. (Mozart) The balance point of either bow can easily be determined by holding the bow on the stick with just the thumb and second finger and moving either toward or away from the frog until the bow remains perfectly balanced and straighi. Photos 7-10) Because of the difference in the weight of the frog and distribution of weight throughout the stick, the balance point will generally be closer to the frog on the German bow = than the French, 12How to Develop the Spiccato Stroke On the French bow, most of the thrust of the stroke to throw the bow into the string comes through the first finger. On the German bow, the tempo of the musie will determine where the intial thrust of the stroke comes from. Slow speed = thrust comes primarily from the whole arm; ‘Medium tempo = thrust comes primarily from the right forearm; Fast tempo = thrust comes primarily from the right hand. Hold the bow above the D string and throw it down onto the string (similar to bouncing a ball), then let it bounce back off the string with tno horizontal down or up bow motion (mm = 130). After an even control is achieved (but with almost no tone yet) gradually increase the speed of the bounce and reduce the height of the bounce (mm = 150). Be sure to keep throwing the bow into the string and avoid lifting the bow off of the string. As speed increases, use a lower bounce, play closer to the frog, and begin to use a small down and up bow horizontal ‘motion with the right arm. The arm works as a unit with no separate action at the elbow or wrist at this time. Keep reducing the height of the ‘bounce while moving closer to the frog. Once the balande point is reached, experiment with heavier weight and moving closer to the frog. Also, notice how the contact point on the bow hair naturally moves ‘away from the frog when playing on the higher strings and closer to the frog on the lower strings tis vital to develop supple dexterity in the right hand and fingers. As the bow hits the string, the hair will glance off the string and not be able to grab it and engage it if the right hand and fingers are stiff and inflexible. (The same is true if the hair is too tight and the stick of the bow is too inflexible.) As the bow hits the string, the fingers and hand ‘must absorb some of the shock and physically give (be flexible) so that the hair is able to “wrap” around the string and “pluck” it. On both French and German bows, this shock absorbing happens in the fingers of the right hand. In order to develop and become aware of the use of the fingers, practice the Finger Flex Exercise, (See the chapter on The Right Hand - Finger Flex Exercise) In spiccato bowing, it is vital to understand that the height of the bounce is necessarily different on each string. In general, to achieve the same basic tonal result on all four strings, the height of the bounce of the bow ‘will be less on the lower strings and more on the higher strings. Practice Exercise for Spiccato Practice a one-octave Bb scale in half position. First, play each note with eight strokes per note throughout the whole scale. Then play with six, four, three, two, and then one stroke per note, Keep the end result consistent throughout and observe the slight lengthening of the bow as, the scale ascends and the shortening of the stroke when descending (Fig. 43)Next, practice thirds with the same number of strokes as before, then perfect fifths across the string, and then octaves. (Fig. 440,b,0) [As with the staccato stroke, playing three strokes per note is ultimately the most beneficial way to’ practice because of the emphasis on down and up being played equally. It is clearly best to begin with the larger number of strokes per note so that there is time to gain control of the bounce before changing the demands on the bow by moving to the next, note. Common Goals + Purposely throw the bow down into the string, don’t carry i it down : + Avoid lifting the bow off the string; let it bounce up, as is with a ball + Avoid stiffness in the right hand. It should be supple and fact as a shock absorber in response 1 the impact of the ‘bow landing on the string + Be aware of the length of the bow sttoke needed al different points on the string and on different strings + Be aware of the height of the bounce needed based on the circumstances on the instrument + Listen for consistency of sound and control from string to string and between up and down bows Practical Applications of Each Major Stroke Legato + Any lyrical solo : + All music needing smooth connections - between notes, ne = Any passage played on the string needing | clarity through separation of the notes or through an attack at the beginning of the + Any passage needing a more buoyant sound than playing with the bow on the string Staccato " Spiceato 104Variations and Combinations of Major Strokes Hooked Bowing Hooked Bowing For the hooked bowing, (Fig. 45) the bow stays on the string and =, ean be summarized as long-stop-short-release, The first note Figs = (dotted 8) is played for the full value of the 8® note. Then the ==! bbow stops completely and rests during the value of the dot while \ Long | al staying on the string. The 16® is the usual cause of the problems with this bowing as it tends to not speak as clearly as needed, especially on the down bow. Therefore, the 16" needs extra attention in the form of a kick or bite to the note. After it sounds, the weight into the string needs to be released so that the note resonates and is not choked. (Video) This aspect of the stroke is also commonly overlooked, causing the next note to sound early and creating a rushing feeling in the music, Paying the 16% note due attention and allowing time for the release of the weight Strauss Fin Hfeldenleben, Batle Scene ‘ereates a much more musically mature result. As the tempo of the ving 7 bowing increases, this release becomes minimal. This is one of Fig 46 3 the most common orchestral bow strokes used in all eras of music. (Fig. 46) Stop Release S6= Beethoven Seventh Bowing This bow stroke, commonly associated with Beethoven's Seventh Beethoven 7th bowing Symphony, first movement, can be summarized as long-stop- ‘ i y shortrelease-kickli. (Fig. 47) The bow stays on the string for Fig. 47 S)E=—-=——eemems— yo the first two notes and the action is exactly the same as the ——s hooked bowing, The release at the end of the 16” is still necessary though minimal The thied note (8%) up bow needs to 1 I be played with a definitive kick that then releases and leaves the fs ‘momentum o ind its release wil c Long Stor | alle string. The um of the up bow and its release will carry the ao ee ‘bow back to the proper spot on the bow to start the next down bow. One of the most common problems in the execution of this, bowing is that the time becomes condensed between the 16° and y v the up bow 8" almost to the point of double dotting the figur. Figas (Fig. 48) The cause is again the release after the 16'* note. To gain ‘control of this, it is necessary to pay mental attention specifically to the 16% when practicing this bowing. A good method to accomplish this is to accent just the 16%. (Fig. 49) In the end, however, the bowing must sound with emphasis on the first note and a pick-up feeling to the third note, ‘Two-Slurred - Two-Separate One of the most widely used bowings in all styles of music is the ‘Two-Slurred-Two-Separate bowing and its close relative. Gig. 50) aa ke oo Figo ‘Two major issues confront this bowing: 1. The first up bow note is often slow, late, or weak in sounding. This often causes the player to try harder to get the up bow to speak which, in turn, causes excess tension in the right hand and arm and, through association, in the left hand causing coordination problems. 2. The second note of the slur is often cut short thythmically. This is, perhaps, the single most common cause of rushing. It is human hature to fill a void, When the second note of the slur is cut short, the third note of the passage wants to come early and fill in the space. The second note of the slur is cut short simply because it is 108 iBigs? Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.3, 1st mvt ng bE Fiess Fig 56 Vanbal Concerto, 2nd mut Dittersdoef Concorto in E, 1st mvt é: — Mozart Symphony No. 39, 4th mvt, 15bntete¢ foe ignored. The mind is attracted to the first note of the slur and then to getting the first separate stroke to sound, overlooking the second note of the slur. Mental awareness is the Key to solving this widespread problem. By playing, slowly and practicing with an emphasis on the second note of the slur (and playing i full value), the problem can be solved. (Fig. 51) It is important to note that, ultimately, unless otherwise notated, the second note of the slur should not stand out but be a consistent partner in the music, Also, musical style may dictate this second noic to be layed shorter, particularly in the Classical style. For developing basic echnical control and mental awareness, however, the second note should be played full value. (Fig. 52-54) Eve 2 Serr nein ae : By SS a Down, Up-Up The down, up-up bowing (Fig. 55) has many applications, especially in Classical music and lighter Romantic styles where a buoyant feeling is desired. On the down bow the 8 note is played long and then released off of the string. The two up bow 16% are bounced spiccato strokes coming from the air (above the string). The down bow can start on the string or above the string, depending on the speed and aggressiveness of the passage. (Fig. 56-59) Schubert Arpeggione Sonata, Ist mvt yu P Schubert Trom Quintet, Sth vt, 12 ta tire E 5 Yin vy vyMisek, Sonata No.2, 1st mvt Haydn Symphony No, 88 Ist mvt, 1 bar beloe ipso SEEnaca o ‘The three problems that hinder this bowing are: J, Control of starting the down bow ftom the air © 2 Releasing the end of the down bow back into the air 3, Control of the timing and consistency of the two up bows ‘The down bow is ultimately the same as a long-off spiceato stroke, acting like a touch-and-go landing of an airplane (landing smoothly on the string without any bouncing and taking off again without losing any speed). The up bows can be practiced with two, three, and then four notes bounceit in one bow. (Fig. 60) . +e vyy ue FES Sol The key to this stroke is to keep the bounce to a minimum so that the bow stays close to the string, and to have a relaxed right hand to allow for the “shock-absorbing” suppleness in the right fingers. ~* Col Legno Col legno is the term used to indicate hitting the siting with the wood of the bow. This produces a percussive sound that has a small tone but recognizable pitch. Using the wood of the bow, however, can damage the bow surface. As an alternative, itis possible to use the tip of the bow to achieve a similar sound. (Photos 11 & 12) Photo 11 Photo 12 ‘The bow is strong enough to endure any normal co! Jegno at the tip, and if any damage were to occur, it would be to the ivory tip, which is replaceable. Bloch Schelomo, 3 artes An example from the eo ‘orchestral repertoire of the use of cof legno. (Fig. 61) Figs 107Ponticello hota 13 The ow is oo far ftom the bridge to produce a true ponticello The term Su! Ponticelio is Italian for “on the bridye.” The instruction tells the string player to play with the bow on the string very near the bridge in order vo produce a glassy or icy sound, With this bowing, no core or fundamental of the pitch is produced, but instead only the upper partials of the overtones are sounded. Sil Ponticello has been used by composers from the Baroque period to modem times. On the bass, because of the length of the string, many variations of this sound are available depending on how close to the bridge the bow is used. The usual problem in bass performance is that the bow is not played close enough to the bridge, producing only a Quasi ponticello. (Photos 13 & 14) This sound ean be effective when called for, but a tue ponticello requires the bow to be very close to the bridge (one to two inches, three to five centimeters) using a fast bow ‘speed with very little weight put into the string. Examples from the orchestral and solo repertoire using ponticello. (Fig. 62 & 63) Stravinsky Peirushka (am sul ponticeto seie.g Figs P or Bartok Rounanian Folk Dances, Pe Loc Sul ponte 4 P Major Bow Articulations ‘A myriad of bow articulations exist, each with its own slightly different sound and usage. The best way to identify the major articulation Categories is to sing different passages and to listen to the consonant and Vowel sounds made. For example, when singing the trio from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, is it: pah, pah-pah-pah, etc., or tab, tahe tab-tah, or bahm, bahm-bahm-bahm, or beem, beem-beem-beem? Sing the opening of the Rachmaninoff Vocalise, is it Lab-ab-ah or Lab-dab- dah? Should the opening of the bass solo from Stravinsky's Pulcinella be Tah-Tah (short), Tahn-Tahn (medium) or Tahmm-Tahm (long)? Or pethaps it should be Teen-Teen? The following is a chart of the major articulation sounds. Of course, many other consonant and vowel sounds are possible depending on the demands of the music. In the traditional orchestral and solo repertoire, the articulations starting with the b and the v sounds are most common on the double bass. Most Widely Used Articulation Sounds i Bah Behm Bee Beem Boo Boom But Bum Bup Substitute the n sound Dah Dahm Dee Deem Doo Doom Du* Dum Dup for any m sound at the Kah Kahm Kee Keem Koo Koom Ku Kum Kup . : Lah Lahm Lee Leem Loo Loom Lu Lum Lup end of the articulation Mah Mahm Mee Meem Moo Moom Mu = Mum Mup ee Pah Pahm Pee Peem Poo Poom Pu Pum Pup and it will shorten and Tah Tahm “Tee Teem Too Toom Tu Tam —Tup lighten the note ah Vahm’ Vee Vem Voo Voom Vu = Yum Vup + Buas in Bucket, Duas in Duck, ec 108Expressivity in Bow Strokes Which are more expressive, slurred or separate bow strokes? In a word: separate. To qualify that, Separate bows are much more effective in maximizing extrovert expressions than slurred bows. As a general rule, the more expressive the music, the more bow changes that are demanded. The less expressive, more passive, relaxed, and flowing the music, the fewer bow changes that are necessary. When it is preferable to bring attention to a specific note or notes, they should generally be played with separate bows. When it is better to bring less attention to a note or notes, include them in a slur. (Fig. 64) ¥ ps Nope fescer Separate strokes allow for more extrovert expressivity and attention on each note. For example: Play A to G# 2-1 on the D string. Continue to faliernate back and forth between these two notes, first all slurred together, then with all separate strokes. (Fig. 65) . —— wipes: Seep pet tee Da Don't listen to how the left hand is playing the notes, but instead listen to how much more the right hand is able to do when not restricted to playing a lot of notes in one bow. This certainly does not preclude expressivity in slurred passages. For more elegance, gracefulness, and subtlety, shurring can be the bowing of choice. ~ Bow Vibrato This is a rather unique approach to bow expression, At important points in profound solo music, something extra is sometimes needed to make the expression complete. By using bow vibrato, the expression can be expanded, especially on iow notes. Instead of playing the note, usually a Tong note, with a normal straight bow and vibrato, a vibrato-type portato can be created by adding weight in large waves into the bow. The bow never stops moving nor does it actually crescendo, but creates a YAHAA, YAHAa, YAHas, YAhaa, Yahaa, yahaa, yaahaa effect that staris slowly then increases speed until it reaches a normal vibrato in the left hand. This works much more effectively on down bows than up bows. (Video) The last note in Figures 66 & 67 would be good candidates for bow vibrato, Bloch Médiarion Hébraique 4 By Fig66 —— Fauré Elegy tt v . Fig67 Slurred or Separated? ‘There are many factors to consider in determining bowings. First and foremost is what the composer indicated. In many editions, it is not possible to know ifthe bowings are original or come from the editor. If the bowings are from the composer, did he or she know the bass well 109 =. —Fig’s8 enough to understand what bowings work under what circumstances? Was the composer aware of the capabilities and differences in bowings ‘on the bass? Bass player/composers writing before 1950 were playing fon strings that responded considerably differently than the modern sirings, therefore their bowing and sustaining needs were at times vastly different than those faced today. In a transcription, what is the original instrument and what innate bowing differences exist between the original instrument and the bass? ‘Are the markings phrase markings and not really bowings? These are j often impossible questions to answer. Therefore, it is paramount that It is paramount that performers not limit themselves to what is on the page but, aval performers avail Themselves to the multitude of possible expressions inherent in the _____,, musie, but not necessarily visible on the page. themselves to the multitude Exercise of possible expressions First, establish an idea of how the passage should sound based on i; i i instincts, knowledge of composer, style, and period of music. Next, sing inherent in the music, but ‘pe passage withouroutside influences (avoid reading the slurs in the cessarily visible music, don't sing it as if playing it on the bass). Then, practice the HOT IBRCESS ly passage as written, then without any slurs, then with half slurs and half on the page Separate bows using slurs in obvious spots, and then all slurred. Which bowing brings off the innate nature and intent of the music? Figure 68 is an example of how to apply this exercise to the second movement of the Bottesini b minor concerto. The fourth bowing is possible result of the explorative process of the first three. Bottesini Concerto No. 2, 2nd mvt ee be eee kt teeny eee i y —. ot o> Cee ‘din P Bringing Out the Small Notes In any passage, the note or notes most likely to be ignored are the smallest value notes. This is perhaps more of a musical interpretation concept than bowing concept problem. The smallest value notes tend to be overlooked because they happen so quickly. From the perception of the audience, with all things being equal, they hear the longest value notes most easily. As a performer, it is easiest to project the longest Value notes; therefore, extra attention is needed on the small notes to bring them up to the same level of perception as the long notes. Portato ig one way of equaling this perception. But portato is not always applicable, especially in loud or fast passages. no emIn this passage from Strauss’ Dor Juan, the 8* note is often overlooked, and therefore does not act as a leading note. It needs extra mental tention in both practice and performance to play it properly. Strauss Dion Jar, 9 bar ater ie eo Figo fatty = — of = ome By leaning on the 8* note with the bow and putting extra weight (not speed) into it, the 8% note will project and lead more appropriately. Schubert Arpeggione Sonata, Ist mvt ‘This same scenario is true. in turns. The long note is casily Fig 708 perceived, but the small notes of the tum are often overlooked as oS the upcoming shift takes the performer's attention, By applying = ‘more weight into the string during the turn and paying more mental SouailElegs attention to the small notes, they will often demand more time, to be _ expressed and be more readily perceived. This, too, will create a ieee pepe EL much more mature phrase. (Fig. 70a & 70b) Fig 70h Questions to Address eS aE Jn long slurred passages, Is enough bow being used t0 say what the music is trying 10 express? ‘Two similar examples from the Koussevitzky Concerto help answer this question. If the triplet passage of the first movement were to be bowed six notes in a bow (bowing below the line), little expression, nuance, or ~ me could be taken. In the bowing above the line, the use of more bows ‘in the high points of the music allow for much greater opportunity for expression. (FE. 71) couscevitaky Concerto, Ist nv ‘The same is true of the second movement 16 note passage. The lower bowing is limiting and the upper bowing allows for much greater freedom of expression. Koussevitzky Concerto, 2nd mvt. 0 ee pny Ln a _ =a There are times when less bow changes are called for as the music becomes more tranquil or less extrovertly expressive. With too many bow changes, as in this example from Beethoven's Fifth, the line and mood are interrupted. Beethoven Symphony No.5, 3rd mvt “ by Fig73 m1‘Bottesini Concerto No 2, 2nd mvt [At other times, not enough bow changes can choke the sound and : create technical problems. (Fig. 74) Here the music is bec A> \__* more tranquil, but slurring five notes in one bow shifts can create problems. The bowing above the line fits the shape of the music and allows for greater freedom in the timing of the notes. Also, without the constricted bowing, the bow can move faster, creating a more open and free sound. et Fie ‘A common problem in bass playing is sustaining longer notes in one ‘bow. Often, the bow is changed unnecessarily on long notes, creating @ disconnected sound and a false rhythm. In Strauss's Ein Helcenteben, the composer wrote whole notes and the breaking up of each one makes the music sound like two half notes. A natural lit is needed after the whole note, as demonstrated by the French horns, so the retake of the bow is neither a musical nor technical problem. There is a common misconception that taking more bows on a note produces more sound ‘The breaking up of the sustained sound with faster bows, however, produces a more diffused sound, and projection and power are lost 5 Fig? In the Bloch Prayer, the high F is written as a dotted half note. It takes advanced bow control to play it in one bow, but that is the way the note ‘was meant to sound. (Fig. 76) Bloch Prayer 8 boy rn Fig 76 Practical application, however, is always necessary. If the Bloch is being played with piano, the note should be able to be played in one bow. If performing this with string orchestra, it will, more than likely, need two bows because playing with an ensemble often demands slower tempos and less flexibility in moving tempos forward. Would separate bows immediately before the height of a phrase allow the music to blossom and reach maximum expressivity? ‘The rules for answering this important musical question are the same as Expressivity in Bow Strokes and Slurred or Separated? earlier in this chapter. The following examples on the next page (Fig. 77-79) include ‘both the printed bowing and a bowing that separates the slurs just before the height of the phrase, The separate bows allow for greater expression where the phrase most calls for it. It forces the player to play the last few notes, of just the penultimate note, longer, and it creates more anticipation of the arrival of the high point of the phrase—a musical ideal 12Koussevitzky Chanson Triste, area piu moss a a 2 i igre Gay eies pas f=sS 2222 ==-————— ae Ow cccak - I Gligre Intermezzo i ny | e oy oe = | Fie79 Does the beginning of every bar need to be played down bow? “The rule of the down bow” being used on strong beats dates back as far “ as 1592 and has been in existence ever since With the advent of The rule of the ‘modem steel strings, modern bows that allow for greater strength on up down bow” bows, and the advancement in pedagogy that teaches the development of strong up bows, this rule becomes a stylistic formality but not a stylistic formality necessarily 2 practical necessity. Fven as early as the latter part of the , - eighteenth century, players were being asked to play the up bow with as but not necessarily a ‘uch strength as the down bow.? Many times, forcing a down bow on a practical necessity downbeat can create problems for the entire phrase. In the Arpergione Sonata of Schubert, the ascending 16 work much more naturally in a down bow slur, on both French and German bows. Even the up beat til 4s physically more natural on a down bow. Schubert Arpesgione Sonata, Ist mvt. Fig80 If the tradition of a down bow on the downbeat and up bow on the upbeat is adhered to, it makes this passage more difficult and less musical. ibid + ibid . 13In the Dittersdorf example with three pick-up notes (Fig. 81), it seems most logical to start them with an up bow. This causes the height of the phrase, the FF natural in the thied bar to be played downsdown. This ‘causes @ larger than needed space between the two notes. [Fthe passage begins down bow, the height of the phrase is bowed up-dowa, allowing for a smaller lift and space between the two notes, with the F natural still in the down bow. Dittersdorf Concerto in E, 2nd mvt, 3tasate? fost 2s Z Bottesini Concerto No 2, 2nd mvt “ i rm B Bortesini Elegy . o—— ries Bottesini Concerto No.2, 2nd mvt ve = Musically and stylistically, a down-down is not called for at the height, of the phrase as it is too heavy handed for the slow movement of a Classical concerto. Another benefit of starting this passage down bow is that it almost forces the player to use the upper half of the bow which is ‘where the best sound for this style and type of passage can be achicved Does the crescendo have to be played in an up bow? ‘The general assumption is that crescendos are played with an up bow. While this is quite common and necessary, erescendos in down bows provide an opportunity for greater freedom in bowing by not being # slave t0 up bow crescendos. Also, the down bow crescendo provides an ‘opportunity for unique expression. Ultimately, the down bow crescendo can be more expressive and better controlled than the up, provided the sound is pulled from the instrument and not pushed or pressed, (Sec the chapter on The Right Hand) Both slow and fast movements have many opportunities to apply 5 ‘this expressive technique. In the second movement of the Bottesini Second Concerto (Fig. 82), the low F near the end is == usually played down bow. The orchestra plays a rise in emotion through the bar and the solo part should follow accordingly. On the opening note of the Bottesini Elegy, and the D in the next bar, @ similar musical idea applies. The down bow works particularly effectively creating the rise in emotion and then a brief relaxation at the end of the note. ‘Should decrescendos be played in down bows? Generally, it works best to play decrescendos in down bows as it is much easier and more natural sounding to remove the weight from the string as the hand and arm move away from the point of contact, (Fig. 84) 1 eee ™ y— aiete ries 3 ie 1In fast passages, when should 16" be slurred and when separate? In the opening of the Vanhal Concerto (Fig, 85), consider the two bowings presented. The slurred bowing (above the line) gives the music a legato sound and does not allow for any buoyancy or articulation to the passage. The second bowing (below the line), even with only a few separate strokes, creates much more of an energetic and stately feel. The latter, in a general sense, is more the classical norm. Vanhal Concert in E, Ist mvt In low fast passages, however, slurred bowings tend to lead to greater clarity and speed than separate strokes, The clarity only happens when the bow is played slowly closer to the bridge and imto the string. Gig. 86 & $7) Mozart Symphony No. 35, Ist mt ‘Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra, stu: teive3 aie a = of Though this is a physical reatity, it unfortunately is not what the i i bass i8 asked to'do most of the tine, especially in-orchesua 2 2€ Single most difficult task suns Infact pesaps the single most ficult sk in plaving he on the bass is playing with double bass is playing with clarity and cleanliness on low fast j passages with separate bows. (Fig. 88a & 88b) clarity on low fast passages with separate bows ‘Strauss Don Juan ‘Mendelssohn Symphony No.3, 2nd mvt 5 Fig ss f usMozart Symphony No.33, 4th mvt. ° 2 Fie: Strauss Don Juan Allegro malo co bts Should the passage be played spiccato or staccato? (Off the string or on the string?) ‘The Jast movement of Mozart's Symphony No. 35 is a prime example of the difficulty in answering this question. (Fig. 89) The sound of the 8% note passages is most generally agreed upon to be that of the Sautillé stroke. However, the speed of the movement is such that it is nearly impossible to play an off-the-string flying spiccato and achieve the necessary coordination with the left hand. A short and slightly biting one the-string stroke may be the best practical solution. This stroke ermulates the desired sound but is easier to coordinate withthe left hand beeause it does not come off the string, This stroke emulates the desired sound but is easier to coordinate with the left hand because it does not come off the string. In the case of the opening line of Strauss’ Don Juan (Fig. 90), a spiceato stroke would not lend itself to the volume and marcato style demanded, “At letter A, however, (Fig. 91) an on-the-string stroke does not allow for the needed clarity and attack that a heavy “Strauss” spiecato would produce 7 ? Strauss Don Juan @ Figs f we ‘Ultimately, it is vital to be well versed in all bow strokes, including their control and implementation, The key to finding the best bowing is wo be well researched in the music and composer, and to have a large repertoire of bow strokes and slight variations of bow strokes to choose from. Its important to look at the music for what itis and what it nceds and not rely on personal or physical bowing limitations to dictate the music. usThere wer Specimen LAUR UT LLL magic of| unbelievab} ae Natural Harmonics ‘The playing of natural harmonics is easiest on the shorter end of the string, near the end of the fingerboard. Playing these same harmonics on the opposite end of the string (near the nut) tends to be more challenging to execute. This is due to finding the proper bow placement and to the difference between the feel and touch of playing harmonics versus closed notes in the lower positions. Keys to successful production of natural harmoni + Touch the string with the left finger, don’t press it Faster bow speed than a closed note Vory consistent bow placement + When possible, use the upper half of the bow. ‘Natural harmonics do not like to be hit, pressed or choked. Therefore, an attacking bow stroke will not work. Playing at the frog does not work. Playing too close to the bridge or too close to the fingerboard will not work. A slow bow speed will create a lethargic sound and does not worktrilliance, energy and esonance is the ideal ;armonic sound ‘tifioial Harmonies on the G string Photo | = Pst Thumb - 3 In general, a “zinging” sound, one that has rea! brilliance, energy and resonance is the ideal harmonic sound. To produce this sound, use the bow in the upper half where it moves more freely than at the frog with much horizontal energy but little vertical pressure or weight, The harmonic will ring best when the left finger releases contact with the string just slightly after the note is played. This is perhaps easiest to ‘observe when playing a pizzicato harmonic. Play aD harmonic on the G string with pizzicato. (Fig. 1) If the left hand finger is left on the note after the pizzicato, the sound will be a thud. If the left finger releases just after the pizzicato the note will sound and ring. Obviously, in fast passages there is not much time to release the left finger from the string But even here, there is a certain touch that must be achieved in order to allow the note to sound at its maximum. (For natural harmonic fingering patterns, see the chapter on Fingerings.) Artificial Harmonics Artificial harmonics, cpmmon on the other stringed instruments from an early age, did not come into common practice on the bass until the modern renaissance of the bass in the mid 1900s. As composers and assists sought new ways to expand both the range and the tonal paletie of the bass, artificial harmonies helped fill that need, (See the chapter on Fingerings) ‘There are three intervals used on the bass for artificial harmonics: M3", P4® and PS®, They are produced by closing the lower note with the ‘thumb, then touching the string as a harmonic at the M3", Pa, or PS interval with the 2" or 3" finger. (Fig. 2, Photos 1-4) Photo 2-P4**~ Photo3- Pat Thumb -2 Photo 4- M3*4 Thumb -2 tl ae ‘The intervals of a P4% and PS! between thumb and finger are most commonly used in the repertoire, For the P5®, the resultant piteh is one octave and a PS* above the thumb, The P4" interval sounds two octaves Above the thumb, and the M3H! sounds two octaves and a M3" above the thumb. (Fig. 3) ‘The fingering + 3 tends to work best for the P5® and P4® and +2 works ‘well for the Pa and M3". (Fig. 4) usWhen given the choice of playing a passage with either the PS or Pat interval, hand size does not seem to be a determining factor. Instead, the more critical issue is where the hand position falls on the instrument, (Fig. 5, Photos 5-7) Ambficial Harmonies onthe D sting Photo 5 - PS Thumb-3 Photo 6 P4*- Thumb -3 Artificial harmonics are most readily accessible in the lower thumb position, Towards the end of the fingerboard the artificial harmonics have _ + more difficulty in sounding, and below the traditional thumb position the ~* intervals can become too big for the size of the left hand. (Fig. 6) ‘Monti Czardas Meo, suas eto SS! oe As played with Pats As played with Pst ‘The thumb may touch the string as a harmonic only on naturally occurring harmonic nodes. (Fig. 7, Photo 8) On all other notes, the thumb must close the string by pressing it to the fingerboard. (Photo 9) If a passage moves between harmonic nodes and closed notes, it is most ¢fficient to clase all of the thumb notes and not play any harmonic nodes. 19Keys to Suecessful Production of Artificial Harmonics, + Close the bottom note with the thumb sccurcly + Tilt the bow more on its edge (the stick more towards the mut) so that less hair is being used on the string (Photo 10) + Find the one bow placement location that produces the clearest and purest sound. There are not nearly as many options here as for a regular tone, In fact, there is only one bow placement that works best. It is closer to the bridge than a natural sounding harmonic. It is vital to find this spot and work on consistently keeping the bow on that spot throughout the entire bow stroke. + To produce the sound, use a faster bow stroke with less weight than a regular closed note. The bow, however, should not float over the string but should still engage the string, just with little weight. + Fhe 3% finger seems to work best for the harmonic note because it reaches the P4i* and PS! intervals in the most natural, relaxed and predictable way + When moving higher on the fingerboard, the left hand shape must contract. The opposite is true when descending. Photo 10 Exercises for Developing Artificial Harmonics + Develop the use of the thumb on closed notes ig. 8) + Practice playing the thumb closed then the 3 finger closed (Fig. 9) + Practice the same as Fig, 9 but add the artificial harmonic (Fig. 10) + Shifting exercise (Fig. 11) + Practice both with and without vibrato Both natural and artificial harmonics, when properly executed, can be a tremendous asset to exploring tone colors and developing a wide expressive palette on the bass, just as Thomas Mann so eloquently wrote in his book Dr. Faustus. lr"Tire areitwo Basie’ types ofivitratotused on tle-base: onertiat Gist and one that docsn’t. Vibrato is one of the innate aspects of playing, so much so that those who can naturally vibrate do so easily and can improve and refine its effectiveness. Those who cannot vibrate naturally almost always have great difficulty leaming how and rarely become proficient The natural motion of the vibrato is similar to that of shaking a can of soda pop or seratching a mosquito bite. Take a pretend can of “Coke-a- Cola” in the left hand and shake it hard as if to get it to explode when opened. Also, scratch a pretend mosquito bite on the right forearm with 2 finger of the left hand. (Photo 1) Both of these motions come from the elbow, with the forearm, wrist and hand all working together as one solid unit Vibrato is not accomplished by rolling the finger, hand ot wrist, and is not related to the violin or viola vibrato in that way. This type of rolling motion works against the intrinsic nature of the double bass vibrato Generally, the 2 finger is the best finger to start with to leam vibrato. ‘The 4 finger is too weak and the 1* is unbalanced in the hand, How to develop vibrato While keeping the soda pop shaking motion going with the left hand, put the left hand in place in approximately third position with 2 finger over C# on the G string, but only lightly graze the top of the string. The ‘motion will be larger than a regular vibrato. Slowly begin to touch the G string and continue the same motion, As the string becomes depressed into the fingerboard, keep the motion exactly the same, just smaller. ‘As the 2 finger becomes anchored into the string, the other fingers of the left hand should not be holding the string down but hovering above the string in a relaxed state. (Photo 2) This same exercise can be repeated for the other fingers as well, but the 2" finger is the strongest and most balanced finger, therefore easier to first lear vibrato, Also, C# and D are wo of the most easily accessible notes on the bass, therefore easier to first learn vibrato,Phow3 For the mosquito bite scratching motion, start with the 2% finger on the fingerboard between the G and D strings in the area of third position Pretend there is a spot on the fingerboard that needs to be rubbed off Rub or scratch that spot vertically up and down between the wo strings, (Photo 3) Then, move the 2™ finger onto the G string with the same, but reduced, vibrato motion, Once the left hand motion has begun to develop, then play the note with pizzicato, all the while trying to keep the vibrato going without stopping. ‘The vibrato will probably tense up and the left hand will squeeze the neck when the pizzicato is first used, as the left hand will want to make the same motion and effort as the right, Start with softer pizzieatas to help build the independence of the two hands. Next, bow the note with a slow bow (four beats per bow). Starting with just a down bow, lifting and then playing another down bow may be the ‘easiest way to begin as it climinates the coordination problem of the bow change. The down bow pull is a natural, easily obtained motion, whereas. the up bow can create problems and distractions. Once this begins to gain control, add the up bow, while continuing to listen to the speed of the vibrato, or the oscillation of vibrato. An oscillation is a complete cycle of one up and down motion, Pitch of the Vibrato ‘The pitch of the vibrato goes below the written note, then up to the note but not above the note, The ear hears the upper edge of the vibrato and vibrating above the exact pitch of the note will sound sharp. ‘Speed of the Oscillation Prescribing a specific speed with which to vibrate will cause problems in the early stages of learning vibrato. Allow the players to find their own Photo 5 natural speed, then work to gain control of that speed. Once a speed has Wea : been controlled to an extent, then begin to work just slightly slower (as ‘most initial vibratos are too fast). By moving the speed of the vibrato just ‘one or two metronome notches slower every 2-3 weeks, the player is allowed time to gain control and become comfortable before moving on. Onve the vibrato has begun to be put into everyday use, then proceed to ‘work on a greater width of oscillation. In most eases, the initial vibrato is too thin sounding and too narrow a motion. At this stage, the vibrato has yet to become part of the sound of the bass and is rather more ‘omamental than structural, In order for the vibrato to affect the sound, it must be expressed through the bow. Therefore, the direct flow of energy from the left arm to the right must not be interrupted by tension. It is important to keep the left shoulder “down” and in a relaxed position, and not to have the muscles working to hold the left arm up high. Even having the left arm perfectly straight out from the shoulder is unnecessary as it makes the arm work too hard, (Photo 4) The left arm should have a downward angle from the shoulder. (Photo 5) Ultimately, the muscles should not work much to hold the left arm up in the air, but allow the arm, in essence, to hang from the fingers on the string. To develop this, totaly release the left thumb from the back of the neck and practice vibrato without the use of the thumb. (Photo 6) ‘The same is true of the right arm. If the muscles are being used to hold the bow up, off the string, the natural flow of energy will be interrupted. To obtain the increased connection of the vibrato to the sound, the oscillations of the vibrato must be heard. Take just one note in a good m2 i