Good Bass Tone Checklist

by Jason Heath

Issue #1 - Not Getting The Fundamental

Symptoms:

• airy, whooshy sound

• string not “grabbing”

Solution:

• add more rosin

• sink arm weight in more

Issue #2 - Crushing the String

Symptom:

• pressed, “barnyard” sound

Solution:

• less weight into string

Issue #3 - Bowing too Slowly

Symptom:

• crusty, strangled sound

Solution:

• move bow faster

Issue #4 - Bowing too Quickly

Symptom:

• whooshy, surfacey sound

Solution:

• move bow slower

Issue #5 - Crooked Bowing

Symptom:

• distortion in sound

Solution:

• play with a straight bow

Issue #6 - Bad Sound After String

Crossing

Symptom:

• sound changes radically

Solution:

• transfer weight of arm into the new string

Issue #7 - String Slapping Into
Fingerboard

Symptom:

• metallic thwacking

Solution:

• angle bow closer to adjacent string

Issue #8 - Accidentally Bowing

Two Strings

Symptom:

• accidentally bumping against another string with

bow

Solution:

• practice double stops to improve accuracy

 Issue #9 - Crusty Sound

Symptom:

• sounds like bees buzzing when you bow

Solution:

• too much rosin - work it o of the bow by combing

hair with clean comb or playing heavily and wiping
o residue with clean cloth

The "golden rule" of good sound

Use a 6:1 bow ratio as a default starting point. This video from Houston bass teacher Andy
Moritz is a great description of how to nd this point.

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