How to Achieve a Beautiful Bowed Sound on the Double Bass

[@theDoubleBassics]

Another brilliant video Jason! I was fortunate to study briefly at the very end of his career with Herman Jobelmann. He taught his students to play each note in super slow mo using press, pull, start. Press meaning apply pressure with the bow to the string without moving, Pull meaning move the bow slightly so the string moves to the side but does not yet activate, and then Start meaning play the note with enough pressure to maintain a full sound through the note value. This is applied to both down and up bows. Use it to play a scale slowly with a pause between each note resetting press, pull start each time. Developing the muscle memory of this motion is quick and once internalized the time between notes can be reduced until the scale is played fluidly. I hear you expressing much of this in your approach and thought you'd appreciate the perspective. Thank you for all you do for the bass community!!!

[@doublebasshq]

Awesome--thanks for the kind words and for sharing!

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Yes sir!

[@fishlemonade2114]

could you please give some advice on how to get a good start of a note, you know, how to have a good attack on each bowstroke and getting rid of the noise prior to the note vibrating.

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

I can't anticipate Jason's response, and wouldn't presume to, but as a bass teacher myself I would say that part of a practice session should be isolating this particular problem and attempting to solve it through intelligent experimentation. The most important thing while experimenting in this way is to concentrate - once the mechanics of the experimental bow strokes have been sorted out - on the actual sound you are producing at a range of different dynamic levels.

[@fishlemonade2114]

@@Khayyam-vg9fw this was so helpful. Thhank you so much, have a nice day

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

@@fishlemonade2114 I'm glad I could help. You have a nice day, too!

[@doublebasshq]

Good idea--I'll work on a video about that!

[@philviral]

Thanks for all these great fundamental videos Jason. I can't find a teacher in my city, so you are the closest thing I have. I've been working through your introductory course on DDB. As a new bass player I found I was putting too much rosin on my bow for the first month or so, which would constantly leave a sticky buildup on the strings that I would have to clean off. What should someone do if they find themselves in this position? Will it eventually come off with more playing?

[@doublebasshq]

I make sure to wipe the strings down after playing (and even during a practice session) with a clean towel. This seems to do the trick for most situations, but you could also use some cleaner like Nick Lloyd covers in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYCuaYiHh72Ybrc

[@mark-stefaniw]

Hey Jason, no Kaplans? Are those belCanto strings? The bottom silks looks reddish...

[@doublebasshq]

Good eye! They're the Thomastik prototypes. The winding looks just like Bel Canto, but they are quite different and pretty cool. I've been holding off doing a review until they're on the market (not sure when that will be), but I've been digging them on my bass.

[@doublepick]

The human brain is terrible computer: it forgets things very easily. The great virtuoso, Gary Karr, would spend two hours, every day, warming up (essentially re-teaching himself the instrument). It’s OK to go back to basics all of the time. Everyone does it.

[@ПростойЧеловек-к8г]

Human Brain and computer are 2 different things

[@doublepick]

@ - Yes. But I think you miss the subtleties of the argument. What Mr. Karr is talking about is the ASSUMPTION the human brain is like a computer. It is reassuring even a great virtuoso reveals he is also humble.