Today is a review next few sections of Simandl. Half position through the octave. (ie. 1st through 12th) Pages 11, 14 and 18 (see pics below)
Key Points:
We’ve already gone over playing notes on the open strings.
Next, let’s finger some notes. Due to the size of the bass, the most you can cover in one position are three semitones using the 1st, 2nd and 4th fingers. Unless you have really large hands. I don’t!
Starting on the G string, the notes are open G, (and this is what Simandl calls ‘Half position’….but I think of as 1st position) G#, A, A#. Going down we use flats: Bb, A, Ab, G.
If you look at the Simandl book, he forces you to learn every accidental that can be applied to a given note. I.e.
The benefit of Simandl is that his method is so granular that you learn every note plus accidentals in every position.
Just a quick news release to update you that I have not forgotten about continuing the double bass lesson series. My last lesson post was on February 26th. I was preoccupied and/or traveling for business (I have a full time day job other than music to keep me busy!) for most of the month of March. Then in the first week of April I managed to break my thumb! And I’ve been struggling with the VA healthcare system ever since trying to get properly treated. (See “Dear VA – Sorry, but you still suck” post for details!)
Anyway, stay tuned because once the thumb is better I will be continuing the DB series of double bass lessons and videos. The next lesson will be on beginning to play open string notes, learning to control the bow and then moving on to fingering notes from, as Simandl calls it, the “usual” or “half position”, or as I call it from the open strings through the third position (equivalent to the 3rd fret on the electric bass).
This is lesson DB-12 Left Hand Form and Fingering on the Double Bass, and is a continuation of my journal of things I have learned as an adult double bass student. See the video for a few pointers about the unique aspects of left hand positions on the neck of the double bass compared to electric bass. Be sure to check out my Double Bass Lessons page for a complete list of all of my lessons!
Key Points:
Use your finger tips, not the flat part.
Be careful to not bend your wrist too sharply. Excessive playing with a bent wrist can result in physical problems like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Finger spacing. Due to the distance between notes on the bass (except when you get to thumb position) the left hand can only cover three semi-tones without shifting. Keep your fingers spaced as shown in the picture.
Thumb location. Don’t hold the neck like a baseball bat. The thumb should about opposite the second finger.
Angling the bass backwards helps gravity apply your arm weight to the fingerboard.
This is lesson DB-11 Position Numbering on the Double Bass, and is a continuation of my journal of things I have learned as a beginning adult double bass student. See the video for a few pointers about the unique aspects of left hand positions on the neck of the double bass compared to electric bass. Be sure to check out my Double Bass Lessons page for a complete list of all of my lessons!
Being a convert, coming from electric bass and guitar world, to the double bass, I had a tough time understanding the Simandl position numbering system. It seems illogical and hard to remember to me. I decided upon a compromise. Since I expect that I may come across Simandl numbering in some orchestral arrangements, I studied his system enough to know the major landmarks, half position, ……etc.. But when I am playing, I still think in half step terms and visualize the fret arrangement on an electric bass. See the video for more info!
This is lesson DB-10 Playing Your First Notes on the Bass, and is a continuation of my journal of things I have learned as a beginning adult double bass student. See the video for a few pointers about beginning to play your first notes. Be sure to check out my Double Bass Lessons page for a complete list of all of my lessons!
For making progress in orchestral playing I am using the big “orange” Simandl bass method book and a book of bowing techniques called, “Mastering the Bow”. (I’ll talk more about jazz, blues and pop playing later.)
You can find both books on Amazon, or probably at your local music store.
F. Simandl, “New Method for the Double Bass”, published by Carl Fischer
Here is what Wikipedia has to say about Franz Simandl:
Franz Simandl (August 1, 1840 – December 15, 1912) was a double-bassist and pedagogue most remembered for his book New Method for the Double Bass, known as the Simandl book, which is to this day used as a standard study of double bass technique and hand positions.[1]
His approach uses the first, second, and fourth fingers of the left hand (the third and fourth operating together as one digit) for stopping the strings in the lower register of the instrument and divides the fingerboard into various positions.
The bowing book is called, Mastering the Bow, Studies for Bass, by Gaelen McCormick, published by Carl Fischer.
Much of what I present will be drawn from these books and I think having this grounding in technic and theory will pay off when you play pop/jazz/blues.
For this lesson, I am looking at page 6 in the Simandl book.
For now play using full bow strokes.
These are the symbols for down bow and up bow.
Bow position on strings:
Keep bow parallel to bridge and edge of fingerboard. Tip the bow slightly towards you as you play.
This is lesson DB-9, How to Hold the Bow, and is a continuation of my journal of things I have learned as a beginning adult double bass student. See the video for a few pointers about holding the bass bow. This is for the French bow. Be sure to check out my Double Bass Lessons page for a complete list of all of my lessons!
