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.
Here is what I’ve learned so far about how to tune the double bass.
Watch The Video Lesson
About Tuning the Bass
This is lesson DB-6, “How to Tune a Double Bass” and is a continuation of my journal of things I have learned as a beginning adult double bass student. Be sure to check out my Double Bass Lessons page for a complete list of all of my lessons!
Tuning
The strings on the bass are tuned in fourths: E1, A1, D1, G2 Note: The other orchestral string instruments, the violin, viola and cello are tuned in fifths. Also some bassists use an “extension” on the E string to drop the tuning down to a C1 and some bassist use a 5 string bass with the lowest string tuned to a B0. I will be experimenting with the Hipshot BT11 FreeRange Upright Double Bass Xtender/Detuner, also available at Gollihur Music, which appears to be an ingenious device to allow you to quickly lower the tuning of a string, such as taking the E string down to a C without the need to permanently modify your bass with a C extension. I’ll probably do a review of the FreeRange Xtender down the road.
I also use an electronic tuner during tuning since having unilateral deafness makes it very hard for me in a group setting to hear myself and the tuning note due to all of the other instruments playing.
How to Tune
I have been taught to use harmonics when I tune. This is because the pitches of the open string notes are so low on the double bass that it is often difficult to hear the preciseness of the tuning accurately. With harmonics, the note sounds an octave higher making it easier to hear. I have found this to be a problem even with the electronic tuner….my Korg tuner seems to be more responsive and accurate when I tune the harmonics way.
To tune using natural harmonics, begin with the A string. Play an A major scale up to the note D in the 3rd position. At this location touch the string lightly with your first finger and pull the bow across the string. The pitch will sound one octave above the open A. While the string is still ringing, reach up with your left hand and adjust the tuning machine so the note comes into tune, either matching it against the electronic tuner indicator or by using your ear to match it to a A440 reference pitch.
Next continue to lightly touch the A string and play the harmonic in the D note position and at the same time reach over and lightly touch the D string with your 4th finger where you would normally finger an A and draw the bow across the D string and then the A string. Reach up with your left hand while both strings are still ringing and adjust the D string’s tuning machine until the pitches match.
Continue this process with the G string and then finally the E string.
Once all strings have been tuned, repeat the process once more to verify the tuning of all strings. Sometimes a string will drift out of tune even though you tuned it accurately as you tune the other strings due to the change in tension applied to the neck, bridge and tailpiece.
This was the first time I have played in an orchestra for a musical (aka a pit orchestra), and it was probably the most challenging playing I have done so far. We played in the dark (with stand lights). There were many key, tempo and meter changes. There were many “cuts” from the original score, which made reading the music a bit messy. There were over 60 pages of music to learn. The music and the cast must be in sync every moment, so watching the director constantly was a must. So, all in all, it was a great learning experience for me and a lot of fun getting to watch the show and get to know some of the cast and orchestra and crew. And it was a great story and show. Especially the impromptu marriage proposal by one of the crew to Queen Guinevere during one of the curtain calls! (nope, she didn’t run away with Lancelot after all…..)
Here’s the orchestra. You can guess where I am in the photo below.
With a lot of other distractions going on, not to mention the little time suckers of Twitter and Facebook, I haven’t blogged in a while. I have mostly been preoccupied with Camelot. In early March I was invited to play in an orchestra playing for the musical Camelot, written by Lerner and Lowe. We began rehearsals in March, which accelerated towards the end of April and we had the show opening this weekend. It has been a LOT of work, but a lot of fun as well. It was the first musical theater orchestra that I have played in and it was an awesome learning experience. The bass part is 64 pages long and the music has many frequent key signature and meter changes and many “cuts” from the original score to fit this particular production’s script and timing. This was a volunteer production, but it looked and sound very pro to me. So, if you live in the area, or are visiting the Seattle area next weekend (May 1-3), come attend one of the performances of Camelot.
On top of Camelot, I also play double bass in a community orchestra, the Evergreen Community Orchestra, and we have been preparing for our spring concerts working on music from Mozart, Schubert, Ravel, Debussy, and more! Those concerts are scheduled for Friday, June 5th at 7:00 pm and Tuesday, June 9th at 7:00 pm. The name used to be “Music Hall Community Orchestra” but was recently changed and the web URLs are still waiting updates to the new name.
After this, and I don’t want to let the kittens out of the bag too soon, I do have a new recording project that I have begun, and like all recording projects they seem to take on a life of their own. I may begin with a certain concept in my mind of what the finished project will be like, but once I start actually working on putting it together new ideas bubble to my mind and I end up in a different place than where I planned. It’s a bit of a fun adventure. So, stay tuned for more.
In my new journey of discovering and learning the upright bass, or string bass, or double bass, or bass fiddle, or whatever you want to call it, I came across a gentleman by the name of John Clayton. John is a grammy nominated bassist, composer and conductor who as a teenager studied bass with the legendary Ray Brown. On John’s website I discovered a booklet that he has made available called the “self management book”, which I think is awesome as I know that I need an ongoing dose of self-managment to keep me on track. If you are interested you can download a copy of the booklet from John’s “Learn” page on his site.
The last page in the book, titled “Thoughts” contains a collection of many of those motivational quotes that I think we have all heard during our lives. Because they are so good and deserve to be seen often I am republishing them below.
Thoughts
If one advances confidently in the direction of their dreams and endeavors to lead a life which they have imagined, they will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. –THOREAU
The key to happiness is having dreams. The key to success is making dreams come true.
DO IT NOW. You become successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal.
RISK. You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
Success is a journey, NOT a destination.
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your mind off your goals.
ATTITUDE. If it is to be, it is up to me.
EXCELLENCE. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the little extra.
EXCELLENCE can be obtained if you…
Risk more than others think is safe.
Dream more than others think is practical.
Expect more than others think is possible.
SUCCESS. The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will. –VINCE LOMBARDI
PERSISTENCE. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. –CALVIN COOLIDGE
, also available at 
