Double bass thumb position exercises pdf

As with plucking hand technique, you want to strive for a relaxed hand, a clear and consistent tone, and the use of efficient motions. Florida state university libraries electronic theses, treatises and dissertations the graduate school 2012 an analysis of double bass vibrato. In the same manner, the left hand jumps downwards along the struck tone thumb. Upright bass thumb position technique is one of my most commonly requested topics, so this is the first part of an indepth series of lessons. Playing high notes on the double bass isnt harder than playing low notes, once you know the correct techniques.

Most exercises include a variety of fingering and bowing. Thumb position technique, like any other technique, requires some exercises to solidify it. Tetrachord application to modal fingering in the thumb position. Keep reciting the notes to yourself until you feel confident about the notes in the cycle. A stepbystep course to master thumb position technique. The beginning string class gardner, herbert straus. The other is that i cant think on the bass when my thumb is involved, i.

Dec 17, 2014 upright bass thumb position technique is one of my most commonly requested topics, so this is the first part of an indepth series of lessons looking at the method i use. The upright bass can seem like a hard instrument to play up high, but if you use the simple fingering patterns described in this method you will soon be able to play solos and bass lines in thumb. Bass arpeggios are a great resource for both practicing finger exercises as well as learning the fundamental components of chords every practice routine should include some kind of incorporation of finger exercise both for developing dexterity and finger independence as well as understanding chords from a fundamental perspective and how they relate to one another musically. The purpose of this dissertation is to outline a systematic process for the creation of double bass fingerings that will aid. Mar 24, 2012 in this post, ill address this technique in two ways, 1 describing the mechanics of the technique i recommend, and 2 providing you with a written exercise sheet as a pdf 9 exercises to build bass drum double strokes, that you can download and print out and use to give some structure to how you practice developing the technique. Exercises of this type are essential for playing funk slap and are mostly done in. Most public school string teachers are not bassists. Notice that your thumb naturally moves to the side.

As chris describes in the introduction of this book, most double bass methods have a hard line between lower positions using 124 and thumb position. Double bass beginners should play in all lefthand positions. The metal bars that go across the neck are called frets. To play passages in this register, the player shifts his hand out from behind the neck and flattens it out, using the side of the thumb to press down the string. Without your bass, try holding your hand in the position it would be while playing, but relax all of your fingers. My ultimate guide to slap bass technique will take you every step of the way from newbie all the way through to advanced pro take a look through the lessons below and get started with the basics of slap how to slap on bass in 3 easy steps.

One of the most important skills for a beginning bass player to develop is righthand bass technique, and in addition to lefthand techniques, it is vital for good bass playing. This combination consists of moving the left hand to a certain tone, to the next string. This is a slap bass technique pioneered by victor wooten and involves a very different kind of slap bass thumb motion. Nut should be between hair line and eyebrow comfortably form a proper lh shape in first position. A stepbystep course to master left hand technique on the double bass. In this thumb position technique lesson, marcos machado explains the position of the thumb. This exercise should be performed pizzicato with focus on posture and left hand technique. My daily warm up and intonation routine for jazz and classical double bass. Thumb used in place of 4th finger in thumb position. The application of contemporary double bass left hand.

Mtb grade 7 double bass recital select two pieces from the following list 25 marks each. Double bass thumb position technique is one of my most commonly requested topics so ive put together a series of lessons to explain my method. Physical location of where thumb is generally applied on double bass fingerboard. It is no longer available on the web though you might be able to use this archived copy at the wayback machine, and since this is a muchrequested item, i will host them as a courtesy to my fellow players. Thumbgb2a then move to d string and shift up a halfstep. His blog and podcast are highly regarded in the music world and have been featured as top offerings in the world of arts and culture for the past decade. Rm870 a celtic suite for bass quartet, ismn 9790570457656, cat no. I seem to remember eddies thing was a cool fingering for thumb position arps over. This weeks bass lesson covers something ive been asked about quite a lot over the past few months. Finger plucking, also called fingerstyle, refers to the use of your index and middle fingers some bass players use more to pluck each note, and no matter what kind of music you are playing, this technique will serve you well while other righthand bass techniques, like slap bass or using a pick, are not practical for all styles. From sixth position there are thumb positions, because the thumb is in use. The fingering system used for this technique is thumb, 123. However both of the the hands look when hanging at your sides, they should look at the set position.

In this video, marcos machado discusses and demonstrates the use of the third finger in all positions of the double bass. Progressive repertoire for the double bass george vance. All sorts of simple songs work well for teaching this concept. Part 1 introduction part 2 holding the instruments part 2. Thumb position technique lessons discover double bass. D major in thumb position one octave two crotchets per note separate bows. Learn the key aspects of double bass thumb position technique with these free video lessons. For the double bass, thumb position is used when playing above high g citation needed on the third ledger line in bass clef notation for the double bass. Moves go from above downwards to the next lower string. Basic exercise and variation from scandinavian double bass technique left. How to navigate low thumb position on the double bass.

The collection of material of this book is, in our opinion, the basics to playing bass guitar for some event. I basically keep my thumb parallel to my middle finger dead center on the back of the neck. Consists of two octave triads in 12 keys, as well as thumb position exercises. Both musicians and doublebass students who wish to improve their technique, especially in the thumb positions, will find the present studies to be valuable and helpful. Can anybody recommend a book of thumb position exercises that would be beneficial for jazz soloing. This book takes the cellist through the positions with basic shifting exercises. A survey, an examination of thirteen cello books, with each given a discussion of its distinctive characteristics 6671. You can view, print, and share pdfs of my two new scale books for the beginner to advanced player, as well as a pdf with fingerings in the lower positions, and the idouble bass handbook. In the thumb position page, exercises are labeled to make it easy to identify and assign during lessons. For advanced players the perfect continuation of the fourvolume doublebass method enjoy the double bass. Jul 15, 2014 you may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. I found the your other double bass exercises more realistic for me.

Thumbc2eb then move to a string and shift up a halfstep. Now that you know how to warmup your feet properly, you can start learning some double bass patterns. A partially completed page entitled the bass education project provided access to and hosted images of double bass fingerboard positions. Much of this is preference for comfort and for looks.

Corcoran high school drumline drumline panther pride. The three easy steps in this video show beginners exactly how to slap on bass. This beginner left hand double bass exercise is a great place to start. Double bass thumb position lesson the method youtube. For advanced players the perfect continuation of the fourvolume double bass method enjoy the double bass. Scale the organization of this article should make this study. This is something that double bass just kinda forced my hand in haha see what i did there and has allowed me the greatest control especially in 37 stretches or some of the sort such as the guitar intro of reapers by muse that i try on bass. In this first video i teach you how to transition into thumb position. What would it do to your double bass playing if you mastered thumb position technique. Now move your thumb in line with your middle finger. A strap can be attached to the strap buttons to play the bass standing up. Left hand double bass exercise 3 with zoltansbasslounge take the skills that youve learned so far on the double bass and explore how to develop your own left hand finger exercises, patterns, and combinations.

Free slap bass exercises marks and symbols used in funk. Excellent, im starting the double bass, and this exercises are perfect to start improving my technique and coordination. Position your hand on the neck of the bass so that your index finger 1 is on low g the 3rd fret on the e string. This book contains some of my favorite double bass exercises. One of recital musics best sellers, these exercises cover many aspects of double bass technique, from lefthand shape and shifting, to thumb position, double stops and scales. Simplified higher technique for double bass a good book for thumb position. Scales, of course, are necessary but a few dexterity drills can be helpful as well. Meaning, when going up the scale enter into thumb position one way, and then on the way down, exit it another way.

The studies are in rows and patterns, systematically covering samefinger shifting, substitution shifting, and creeping. Fourths across the string are awkward to play legato on the double bass. Rm765 songs of old mexico bass quartet, ismn 9790570458707, cat no. Thumb position when playing bass guitar is something bassists have debated for a long time.

Upright bass method and study books string emporium. Foundations for building strong players fmea conference tampa, florida january 16, 2015 james mick, ph. If you want to play higher up the neck without worrying about you tuning then this lesson is for you. This exercise should be performed pizzicato with focus on posture and left. Jun 24, 2014 bass arpeggios are a great resource for both practicing finger exercises as well as learning the fundamental components of chords every practice routine should include some kind of incorporation of finger exercise both for developing dexterity and finger independence as well as understanding chords from a fundamental perspective and how they relate to one another musically.

Music that we have composed and is published is in the column below. For when you have to learn to play the bass right now. Left hand double bass exercise 2 with zoltansbasslounge continue working on your left hand independence with this left hand double bass exercise designed to help you master semitones and whole tones. Reading music is not a requirement as all the exercises are demonstrated in the video lessons, but if you prefer to read them as well there are written exercises in standard notation.

Thumb position is specific to the upright bass and cello and not generally found in electric bass playing. A systematic approach to double bass fingerings for the classroom string teacher. Heres a series of exercises that i use to reinforce the similarities between 1st position and thumb position. If youre not sure about double thumbing look on the net for some tutorials, sorry i couldnt try to teach some fundamentals in this tab. Spread your fingers so that each one covers one fret. The first section of the book teaches first to fourth positions, while the second half teaches first to eighth positions.

The purpose of this dissertation is to outline a systematic process for the creation of double bass fingerings that will aid the classroom teacher of intermediate to advanced. Bass tabs of songs by bass lessons 448 bass tabs including cool riffs for beginners, easy funk basslines and basic 12 bar blues in a the walking bass. Some suggest a high sitting position with the bass resting on your chest, some over your abdomen, some below the waist. Pay attention, burn through this as fast as you can, and you. The point is, you dont want to overlook any space on the bass so practice your fingerings and thumb position transitions in as many combinations as possible. How to navigate low thumb position on the double bass jason. I dont necessarily expect a book that is specifically for jazz. All scales have fingerings except for the 3 octave chromatic scale as there are so many different options. There are two schools of thought on thumb position.

Home forums double bass general forums db jazz technique. My double bass intonation excercise and warm up routine. Double bass thumb position technique by lauren pierce. Its not the right way, but its one good way and what many bassists aim to do as with plucking hand technique, you want to strive for a relaxed hand, a clear and consistent tone, and the use of efficient motions. Jason heath is the host of contrabass conversations, a podcast devoted to exploring music and ideas associated with the double bass. Next up for me is a basic introduction to thumb position. We encourage you to check the free drum lessons double bass drum beats and beginner double bass drum fills next. When changing to and from thumb position, the string down the time, as normal changes of position. Then try these exercises to really get the notes into your head. It is a comprehensive method that teaches all of the key aspects of double bass thumb position technique. Gerde reinke, enjoy the double bass, volume 1 beginners book and comes with accompanimental cd and covers 12 position to 2 12. In this bass technique lesson i will explain what i think makes up good fretting hand technique. You can view, print, and share pdfs of my two new scale books for the beginner to advanced player, as well as a pdf with fingerings in. Reflections on some printed sources inovember n 2004, this journal published jeff rey solows cello scale and arpeggio books.

Fingering general notes thumb position starts on the middle harmonic. The diagram above represents a c major scale played in first position simandls. Reading music is not a requirement as all the exercises are demonstrated in the video lessons, but if you prefer to read them as well there are. To contextualise the cycle of fourths, first try to play it slowly and one note at a time in a familiar area of the neck. The double bass, or simply the bass and numerous other names, is the largest and lowestpitched bowed, or plucked string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra the bass is a standard member of the orchestras string section, as well as the concert band, and is featured in concertos, solo, and chamber music in western classical music. Heres a pdf with 60 things you can practice to improve your bass playing by john goldsby. To me, chris has brilliantly defined and clarified something that bass players have been struggling with for years. The first section of the book teaches first to fourth positions, while the. Each exercise can be adapted for various standards and could be used as the basis for technical development alongside the usual scalesarpeggios and studies. Bass lessons double thumb exercise bass tab hey, heres a little exercise that i do using the double thumb technique. How to practice bass guitar finger permutations dummies. The dots between certain frets are called position markers and help you know where your hand is on the neck while playing. Information on ordering the music may be found to the right of each title.

Upright bass thumb position technique is one of my most commonly requested topics, so this is the first part of an indepth series of lessons looking at the method i use. In the first, the thumb sits behind the second finger, which makes you press down hard on your first finger because there isnt any support. Rates, widths, and pitches as influenced by pitch height, fingers used, and tempo james paul mick follow this and additional works at the fsu digital library. Its not the right way, but its one good way and what many bassists aim to do. These exercises give your left hand the desired coordination and strength so that you can play all those hip bass lines. Aug, 2012 although the technique can be used anywhere on the instrument, this technique is most often used at the midpoint of the string or higher. Specifically, does it matter where you actually place your thumb and does where you put your thumb really affect your playing and if so in what capacity. I seem to remember eddies thing was a cool fingering for thumb position arps over diminished chords. Once youve mastered the rest stroke you can bring the double thumb up stroke into play. Jan 08, 2015 i recap at the start of this lesson, but many of the most common problems in thumb position are caused by not knowing how to correctly position the bass and transition up into thumb position. This packet is here to help supplement your bass teaching and curriculum.