MENC: The National Association for Music Education

Paths to a Better String Bass Section

Author(s): Samuel G. Cross
Source: Music Educators Journal, Vol. 75, No. 5 (Jan., 1989), pp. 44-47
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of MENC: The National Association for
Music Education
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3398093
Accessed: 23-01-2020 17:46 UTC

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 The students that make up the
L)$~~ ~ ~string bass section in a typical pub-
lic school orchestra are sometimes
treated as though they are physi
ly handicapped-disabled by the
unwieldy instrument they have cho-
sen. Teachers who attempt to
pW^~~~ "mainstream" these students must
overcome well-meaning but ill-con-
sidered comments: "It is so big, the
shifts are so long, the strings so
hard to press down, and the pitch is
so low-how could anyone play
0^^^J~ ~ such an instrument?" "Sure, a
_^B^- ~ ~bass players do manage to so
okay, but they are geniuses." "Ju
imagine how good they would h
been if they had only played cello
"Of course, I don't have anythin
against the instrument-some of
my best friends are bass players."
The string bass is, in reality, no
more difficult to play than any other
instrument. Many composers have
a habit of writing works that de-
mand considerable technical skill
of all instrumentalists, including
bassists. To compare the difficulty
of one instrument to the difficulty

Samuel G. Cross is an associate professor

of music at James Madison University,
Harrisonburg, Virginia.

eString
Bass
Section
Samuel G. Cross

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of another instrument is meaning- too high. A lower bridge still allows in public schools can be a satisfac-
less; the amount of time it takes to production of a loud and projecting tory substitute for bass rosins, giv-
prepare a composition successfully sound without the use of brute ing satisfactory friction to the bow
depends on the difficulty of the force; it also actually encourages hair while avoiding the danger of
composition itself. Student bass the development of good bow tech- sticking from overaccumulation. It
players seem to have more than nique, as well as freeing the left is doubtful that many professionals
their share of problems. Poor into- hand from severe problems brought would find yellow rosins satisfac-
nation, frantic vibrato, and rasping on by the need to depress the tory for orchestral playing, but in
tone are all too common. These strings from an inordinate heightthe absence of high-quality, careful-
problems are due to incorrectly above the fingerboard. All school ly applied double bass rosin, they
adjusted instruments, nonworking basses should be equipped with ad-can be the best choice for public
end pins, excessive rosin use and justable bridges that allow for sea-school students.
bow speed, some inherent limita- sonal changes in bridge height; this Excessive bow speed is another
tions of traditional bass technique, compensates for the natural easily corrected problem. Violin
and the low regard and low expec- changes in the instrument with vari- students tend to use too little bow,
tations for the potential of the in- ations in humidity and temperature. and string teachers often overgen-
strument brought on partly by all of A properly adjusted bridge should eralize the appropriate solution for
these problems. raise the G string about six millime- violin technique and ask for more
ters above the fingerboard and fol- bow from their students who play
Better instruments low the curvature of the finger- the double bass. Excessive bow
Any instrument can be made to board, increasing the string clear- speed reduces the sticking of t
be difficult. A badly regulated, out- ance only slightly as it approaches bow to the string, which make
of-tune piano is a difficult instru- the E string. A string clearance that need more rosin. Excessive speed
ment because no matter how skill- is too low can lead to some prob- also reduces the strength of the
ful or hardworking the pianist, the lems with strings rattling against fundamental (the lowest and most
instrument will still deliver a poor the fingerboard, but at least it does important component of the note)
sound. All instruments need to be not have the potential to injure the in relation to the upper partials
properly adjusted. School contra- students as does a high clearance. generated by the string and pro-
basses, in particular, need to be The first step, therefore, in bring-duces a thinner, less defined tone.
equipped with working, adjustable ing the double bass into the main-Except for bow speed, double
end pins, because improper instru- stream of public school string pro- bass bow technique is virtually the
ment height causes enormous tech- grams is to remove the handicap same of as for other stringed instru-
nical problems. crippling instruments. Fortunately, ments: The track of the bow needs
Most double basses used in pub- the cure for this problem only re- to be straight and secure, without
lic schools have bridges that are too quires a few dollars and a trip toswimming
a up and down the string,
high for skillful and comfortable qualified violin maker. and the sounding points (the points
performance: The Complete String along the string at which the mo-
Guide1 calls for string height at the Rosin and bow technique tion of the bow produces the best
end of the fingerboard to be nine Excessive rosin use is the most tone) need to be correct.
millimeters at the G string and elev- common and most easily corrected
en millimeters at the E string (for technical problem that faces begin- New techniques
steel strings). This standard, though ning bass players. Students tendRecently, to the quality of double
too high in my opinion, is within an apply rosin without first testingbass theplaying has improved greatly.
acceptable range, but some violin bow, and they usually apply the There are almost one hundred re-
makers use clearances that set the greatest amount at the most disas- cordings of bass solos currently
E string as high as twenty millime- trous point for excessive rosin-the available, new methods for private
ters above the fingerboard. middle of the bow hair. instruction have appeared, and the
This standard is excessively high Bass rosins, unlike violin rosins, standards of performance have ris-
for even professional bass players, are quite sticky, and once the rosin en in the best orchestras, universi-
and it can devastate young stu- is applied it tends to remain on the ties, and conservatories. Unfortu-
dents. Fatigue, tension, poor intona- bow for many hours of playing. nately, the development of high-
tion, bad vibrato, and even tendoni- Most bass rosins are of exceptional- quality playing is still exceptional,
tis can occur when a bridge is cut ly poor quality and produce a sur- and under most circumstances the
face noise effect that is similar to technical and artistic attainments
of double bass players lag behind
sandpaper drawn across the string,
1. Robert H. Klotman, ed., The Complete String
Guide: Standards, Programs, Purchase, and those of violinists, violists, and cel-
especially when used in excess. The
Maintenance (Reston, VA: MENC, 1988), 29-30. yellow cello rosins commonly usedlists. The music world needs to

MEJ/January '89 45

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develop a standard level of quality niques demand.3 Finally, and per- in his orchestra because they have
at the beginning level, and the logi-haps most important for the class more to play than quarter-note
cal place for this development is in string teacher, the new technique rhythms in a one-octave range.
public school string programs. calls for concepts and physical It is likely, however, that the dou-
Instrumental technique usually movements that are almost the di- ble bass will remain a handicap
develops gradually. Keyboard tech- rect equivalents of those taught until
on string class method books pro-
nique has undergone considerable the other stringed instruments: videThe for the needs of string bass
change: At the beginning of the posture is like that used with the students. J. Frederick Muller, a
seventeenth century, the thumb cello, the finger patterns are like prominent author, said at a 1976
was seldom used. Full use of the those on the violin, and the begin- James Madison University string
thumb, with its expanded potential ning first position covers almost clinic that he could not give bass
for playing keyboard instruments, exactly the same range as the first students the challenge of materials
did not come into common use position on the cello. (For further beyond the offerings of his string
until the beginning of the nine- details on this technique, see the class method book,4 because if he
teenth century. Even today,sidebar key- accompanying this article.) did so he would delay the progress
board technique continues to devel- of the rest of the students in his
op as new musical requirements Expectations and literature classes. The problems of bass play-
arise, and similar developments are Improving technique and using ers seemed to him to be entirely too
taking place for double bass tech- even professional-level instruments specialized to warrant attention be-
nique. still will not solve the problemsyond of the most elementary technical
One virtuoso who is making an double bass players in the public problems. By failing to properly
impact on the playing of the double schools without a change in the teach bass students, however, he
bass is Francois Rabbath. He has way teachers of group string class- harms the entire orchestra program
developed a technique that holds es deal with the double bass. In a by requiring other members of the
promise for the development of beginning class, the teacher treats orchestra to listen to out-of-tune
new virtuoso bass literature as well all of the instruments equally as "groans"
the from the basses or to have
as for the training of beginning bassstudents learn to hold the bow and to play with no basses at all by the
players. Rabbath's bowing tech-play on open strings. Gradually, stu- time the orchestra reaches an inter-
nique offers new richness and varie-dents learn fingerings. It is at this
mediate level.
ty of sound, and his left-hand inno-point, as fingering knowledge pro-Music teachers already have full
gresses, that the disadvantage toschedules, and having to rewrite
vations are as revolutionary for the
the bass student begins. Violins, string
contrabass as the full incorporation vi- bass parts is usually an un-
of the thumb was for keyboard in- olas, and cellos are given more reasonable burden. Obviously, pub-
struments. The originality of Rab- technically demanding and musical-lishers are concerned about the
bath's New Technique for the Dou- ly interesting parts to play, and by costs of revisions and bringing o
ble Bass2 arose from a desire for the time the class reaches the inter- new methods, but they would pr
technical fluency and a lyrical mediate level, the bass students areably respond if enough teachers
sound and from his own back- bored and clearly aware that they expressed the need for new materi-
are second-class
ground: He had no bass teacher citizens of the or- als.
when he first learned to play, and
chestra. Until new materials do appear,
the only coach available to him There was are no currently available teachers can get some help from
his brother, a violinist. In this re- that are satisfactory for
methods materials that are not specifically
spect, his background was similar intermediate-level double bass stu- designed for mixed string classes.
to the average public school bass dents. One solution is to use cello George Vance and Harold Robinson
student, whose teacher is likely to method books and rework the fin- are in the process of writing a dou-
be a violinist or cellist. gerings for basses. I know of oneble bass method for the Washington
A player who adopts the posture high school teacher, renowned for Suzuki Bass Project.5 Based on
suggested in this new technique producing large numbers of high- Rabbath's new technique, this book
gains an almost immediate im- quality double bass students, whowill be helpful for double bass play-
provement in sound, developing a claims that using cello parts for ers at beginning levels. York Edi-
richer, more open quality. In addi- bass students is an important part tion, distributed by Galaxy Music,
tion, the player's left arm gains both of his success in teaching the dou- has many excellent materials that
speed and accuracy of intonation ble bass. His bass students remain
with less difficult shifting and 4. J. Frederick Muller and Harold Rusch, Muller
stretching than traditional tech- 3. Barry Green, Fundamentals of DoubleRusch
Bass String Method (Park Ridge, IL: Neil A. Kjos,
Playing (Cincinnati: Piper and Company, 1962).
1971).
This book discusses traditional bass postures and
5. For more information, contact the Washington
2. Frangois Rabbath, A New Technique for Double fingerings and offers general information Suzuki
aboutBass Project, 1935 Lamont Street NW,
Bass (Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1976). double bass playing and maintenance. Washington, DC 20010.

46 MEJ/January '89

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 New Techniques
Posture
In the new technique, the bass player extends the end pin so
that the instrument is shoulder high at the crook of the neck, an
then, holding the instrument at arm's length, brings the bass so
are written according to traditional that its right dorsal spine comes to rest against his or her body
systems for beginning double bass under the breastbone. The left foot is behind the end pin, and the
students. neck of the bass is over the shoulder, away from the player's neck.
The musician is then supporting the bass by the left thumb when
Better bass students playing in low positions and resting the instrument on the left
The path to better double bass shoulder in high positions.
playing is clear. It begins with a trip The effective weight of the player's arm increases with the
to a violin maker to bring the instru- adoption of this posture. The musician holds elbow and arm
ments into proper adjustment. It relatively high with both French and German bows, and all players
continues with the adoption of a except those with short arms bend the elbow slightly. This arm
viable technique: I believe that the position greatly resembles a traditional violin bow arm, and the
new technique described in the player should grip the bow as lightly as possible to produce the
sidebar is the most efficient me- best sound. By using arm weight in combination with a light bow
thod, and it makes double bass grip, the player can use the fingers to transfer energy in producing
technique more closely resemble a tone rather than using them as the primary producers of that
the techniques of other stringed in- energy.
struments. It is therefore highly
suitable for heterogeneous string Advantages
classes, but traditional methods This posture provides an almost immediate improvement in
(such as that of Slatford) will also sound. Test it with this simple procedure: Stand at the bass in the
work.6 traditional angled position adopted by many beginning students,
The most important requirement with the upper bout of the bass resting against the stomach.
is a teacher who is convinced that Holding the bass with the left hand by the crook of the neck, move
the contrabass is just another the bass to a frontal position while bowing back and forth on an
stringed instrument, who has a open string. Any string will serve, but the E string is the most
good working knowledge of revealing. As the instrument is moved toward the front, the sound
stringed instruments in general, will open up and develop a richer quality.
who is willing to take some time to The improvement in sound is due to increased arm weight.
get acquainted with the few distinc- Using the instrument in a frontal position, the player directs arm
tive problems of the double bass, weight properly into the instrument; by using the angled position
and who will follow a well-founded players direct the weight behind their bodies, where it is lost.
technical system. A specialized This new position can produce some initial problems for young
double bass teacher is not neces- players because it requires a more critical balance and places
sarily needed to produce high-quali-more weight on the thumb, but these problems disappear after the
ty bass players. thumb is strengthened and balance is developed. Beginners in this
Music teachers in American pub- new orientation should sit on a stool; more advanced players who
lic schools have produced legend- are called on to play in thumb positions should stand.
ary accomplishments against the This novel orientation of the instrument not only directs right-
odds of hostile curriculum plannersarm weight into the instrument; it also makes more left-arm
and reduced budgets, and much ofweight available for help in pressing down the strings. When a
the growth of American musical life player uses traditional contrabass postures, the left arm and
and culture has resulted from the shoulder must come forward (to accommodate fingering) into a
public school music programs. position that directs arm weight away from the fingerboard and
Most young double bass players unbalances the entire left arm. A proper vibrato is difficult to
begin in public school programs; achieve with the arm in this position.
therefore, if the general level of
bass playing is to improve, the im- Pivoting
provement must begin in the public Even traditional bass players, who normally open and close the
schools. The string teachers of left hand fingers as a single unit, sometimes press the fingers on
America, provided with adequate the strings one at a time while the thumb remains in place as a
working tools and an understand- pivot for the hand's movements. The new bass technique uses a
ing of the instrument and its poten- system of positions in which this pivoting motion is the system of
tial, are fully capable of making a first choice rather than a last resort. Pivoting from the thumb is
significant impact on the level of similar to finger patterns on the violin: The player uses his or her
double bass playing. A second finger to play F or F-sharp depending on where the finger
is placed. Because of the use of single fingers, no hand and finger
extension
6. Rodney Slatford, York Solos (London: York or stretching is required, and with proper bridge and nut
Edition, 1972). height the use of one finger at a time is easy.

MEJ/January '89 47

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