Double Bass

Classification String instrument (bowed or plucked) Playing range Related instruments Violin family (violin, viola, cello) Viol Bass guitar Musicians List of bassists

The double bass (also known as the contrabass, string bass, upright bass, or bass) is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a Musical instrument that produces Sound by means of Vibrating strings In the Hornbostel-Sachs In Music, a bow is moved across some part of a Musical instrument, causing Vibration which the instrument emits as Sound. Pizzicato (ˌpɪtsɪˈkɑːtoʊ is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a String instrument. In Music, the range of a Musical instrument is the distance from the lowest to the highest pitch it can play A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The Violin family of Musical instruments was developed in Italy in the Sixteenth century. The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The viola is a bowed String instrument. It is the middle voice of the Violin family, The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the In Music, a bow is moved across some part of a Musical instrument, causing Vibration which the instrument emits as Sound. A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a Musical instrument that produces Sound by means of Vibrating strings In the Hornbostel-Sachs An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well It is a standard member of the string section of the symphony orchestra ^[1] and smaller string ensembles ^[2] in Western classical music. An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well A musical ensemble is a group of two or more Musicians who perform instrumental or vocal Music. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music In addition, it is used in other genres such as jazz, 1950s-style blues and rock and roll, rockabilly/psychobilly, bluegrass, and tango. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s Psychobilly is a genre of Rock music that mixes elements of Punk rock, Rockabilly, and other genres Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of Country music. Tango is a style of music that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay.

Double basses are constructed from several types of wood, including maple for the back, spruce for the top, and ebony for the fingerboard. It is uncertain whether the instrument is a descendant of the viola da gamba or from the violin, but it is traditionally considered to be a member of the violin family. While the double bass has features which are similar to those found on other violin family instruments, it also has features which may be derived from the viols. The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s

Like many other string instruments, the double bass is played either with a bow (arco) or by plucking the strings (pizzicato). A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a Musical instrument that produces Sound by means of Vibrating strings In the Hornbostel-Sachs Pizzicato (ˌpɪtsɪˈkɑːtoʊ is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a String instrument. In orchestral repertoire and tango music, both bowing and plucking styles are used. In jazz music, the bass is mostly plucked, except for some solos which are performed with the bow. In most other genres, such as blues and rockabilly, the bass is plucked.

Contents 1 History 2 Terminology 3 Design 3.1 Construction 3.2 Strings 3.3 Bows 3.3.1 German bow 3.3.2 French bow 3.3.3 Bow construction and materials 3.3.4 Rosin 4 Pitch 5 Tuning 6 Playing and performance problems 7 Classical repertoire 7.1 Solo works for double bass 7.1.1 1700s 7.1.2 1800s 7.1.3 1900s-present 7.2 Chamber music with double bass 7.3 Orchestral passages and solos 7.4 Double bass ensembles 8 Use in jazz 9 Use in bluegrass 9.1 Slap-style bass 10 Use in popular music 11 Modern playing styles 12 Double bassists 12.1 Notable classical players of historical importance 12.2 Lists of notable players 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

History

The double bass is generally regarded as the modern descendant of the viola da gamba family of instruments, a family which originated in Europe in the 15th century, and as such it has been described as a "bass viol. The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s "^[3] Before the 20th century many double basses had only three strings, in contrast to the five to six strings typical of instruments in the viola da gamba family or the four strings of instruments in the violin family. Some existing instruments, such as those by Gasparo da Salò, were converted from sixteenth-century six-string contrabass violoni. Gasparo da Salò ( May 20 1540 - April 14 1609) is the name given to Gasparo di Bertolotti one of the earliest violin makers of which The violone (literally "large viol" in Italian "-one" being the Augmentative suffix is a Musical instrument of the Viol family ^[4]

The double bass's proportions are dissimilar to those of the violin and cello; for example, it is deeper (the distance from top to back is proportionally much greater than the violin). The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ In addition, while the violin has bulging shoulders, most double basses have shoulders carved with a more acute slope, like members of the viola da gamba family. Many very old double basses have had their shoulders cut or sloped to aid playing with modern techniques. Before these modifications, the design of their shoulders was closer to instruments of the violin family.

The double bass is the only modern bowed string instrument that is usually tuned in fourths (like viols), rather than fifths (see Tuning, below). The issue of the instrument's exact lineage is still a matter of some debate, and the supposition that the double bass is a direct descendant of the viola da gamba family is an issue that has not been entirely resolved.

In his A New History of the Double Bass, Paul Brun asserts, with many references, that the double bass has origins as the true bass of the violin family. The Violin family of Musical instruments was developed in Italy in the Sixteenth century. He states that, while the exterior of the double bass may resemble the viola da gamba, the internal construction of the double bass is nearly identical to that of other instruments in the violin family, and is very different from the internal structure of viols. ^[5]

Terminology

A person who plays this instrument is called a bassist, double bassist, double bass player, contrabassist, contrabass player, or simply bass player. The instrument's standard English name, double bass is derived from the tuning of one octave lower than the cello. It is not related to physical size. The name may derive from its alleged viol family heritage, in that it is tuned lower than the standard bass viola da gamba. The name also refers to the fact that the sounding pitch of the double bass is an octave below the bass clef.

Other terms for the instrument among classical performers are contrabass (which comes from the instrument's Italian name, contrabbasso), string bass, or simply bass. Jazz musicians often call it the upright bass to distinguish it from the electric bass guitar. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the Especially when used in folk and bluegrass music, the instrument can also be referred to as an upright bass, standup bass, bass fiddle, or bass violin (or more rarely as doghouse bass or bull fiddle). Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of Country music. Other colourful nicknames are found in other languages; in Hungarian, for instance, the double bass is sometimes called nagy bőgő, which roughly translates as "big crier", referring to its large voice.

Design

In general there are two major approaches to the design outline shape of the double bass, these being the violin form, and the viol da gamba form. A third less common design called the busetto shape (and very rarely the guitar or pear shape) can also be found. The back of the instrument can vary from being a round, carved back similar to that of the violin, or a flat and angled back similar to the viol family.

The double bass features many parts that are similar to members of the violin family including a bridge, f-holes, a tailpiece, a scroll and a sound post. A sound hole is an opening in the upper Sounding board of a stringed Musical instrument. The tailpiece, found on many Musical instruments of the String instrument family anchors the tail end of the strings the end opposite the scroll or A scroll is the decoratively carved end of the neck of certain stringed instruments, mainly members of the Violin family. In a String instrument, the sound post is a small Dowel inside the instrument under the treble end of the bridge spanning the space between the top and back plates Unlike the rest of the violin family, the double bass still reflects influence and can be considered partly derived from the viol family of instruments, in particular the violone, the bass member of the viol family. The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s The violone (literally "large viol" in Italian "-one" being the Augmentative suffix is a Musical instrument of the Viol family

The double bass also differs from members of the violin family in that the shoulders are (sometimes) sloped, the back is often angled (both to allow easier access to the instrument, particularly in the upper range), and machine tuners are always fitted. A machine head, also called a tuner, gear head, or tuning machine, is part of a string instrument ranging from guitars to double basses a geared apparatus Lack of standardization in design means that one double bass can sound and look very different from another. To see some of the variations and construction approaches discussed above visit the websites quoted below.

Construction

The double bass is closest in construction to violins, but has some notable similarities to the violone (literally "large viol"), the largest and lowest member of the viola da gamba family. The violone (literally "large viol" in Italian "-one" being the Augmentative suffix is a Musical instrument of the Viol family Unlike the violone, however, the fingerboard of the double bass is unfretted, and the double bass has fewer strings (the violone, like most viols, generally had six strings, although some specimens had five or four). A fret is a raised portion on the neck of a Stringed instrument, that extends generally across the full width of the neck

An important distinction between the double bass and other members of the violin family is the construction of the pegbox. A pegbox is the part of certain stringed Musical instruments ( Violin, Viola, Cello, Double bass) that houses the Tuning While the violin, viola, and cello all use friction pegs for gross tuning adjustments, the double bass has machine heads. The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The viola is a bowed String instrument. It is the middle voice of the Violin family, The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ A tuning peg is used to hold a string in the Pegbox of a stringed instrument. A machine head, also called a tuner, gear head, or tuning machine, is part of a string instrument ranging from guitars to double basses a geared apparatus This development makes fine tuners unnecessary. At the base of the double bass is a metal spike called the endpin, which rests on the floor. This endpin is generally more robust than that of a cello, because of the greater mass of the instrument. The endpin or spike is the component of a Cello or Double bass that makes contact with the floor

The soundpost and bass bar are components of the internal construction. The materials most often used are maple (back, neck, ribs), spruce (top), and ebony (fingerboard, tailpiece). The exception to this are less-expensive basses which have laminated (plywood) tops, backs, and ribs. A laminate is a material constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together Plywood is a type of Engineered board made from thin sheets of Wood, called plies or veneers These basses are resistant to changes in heat and humidity, which can cause cracks in spruce tops. Composite material basses, which are used in music schools, are very resistant to humidity and heat, as well to the physical abuse they are apt to encounter in such an environment.

All parts are glued together except the soundpost, bridge and tailpiece, which are held in place by string tension. The tuning machines are attached to the sides of the pegbox with wood screws. The key on the tuning machine turns a worm, driving a worm gear that winds the string. A worm drive is a gear arrangement in which a worm (which is a gear in the form of a screw) meshes with a worm gear (which is A worm drive is a gear arrangement in which a worm (which is a gear in the form of a screw) meshes with a worm gear (which is

Strings

Prior to the mid-20th century, double bass strings were usually made of gut, but since that time, steel strings have largely replaced gut strings, because steel strings hold their pitch better and yield more volume when played with the bow. Catgut is the name applied to cord of great toughness and tenacity prepared from the Intestines of the Sheep or Goat, or occasionally from those of the ^[6] Gut strings are also more vulnerable to changes of humidity and temperature, and they break much more easily than steel strings. Gut strings are nowadays mostly used by bassists who perform in baroque ensembles, rockabilly bands, traditional blues bands, and bluegrass bands. Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750. Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of Country music. Gut strings, because they produce a "thumpy," darker tone when they are played pizzicato, better approximate the sound heard on 1940s and 1950s recordings. Rockabilly and bluegrass bassists also prefer gut because it is much easier to perform the "slapping" upright bass style (in which the strings are percussively slapped and clicked against the fingerboard) with gut strings than with steel strings. (For more information on slapping, see the sections below on Modern playing styles, Double bass in bluegrass music, Double bass in jazz, and Double bass in popular music).

The change from gut to steel has also affected the instrument's playing technique over the last hundred years, because playing with steel strings allows the strings to be set up closer to the fingerboard, and, additionally, steel strings can be played in higher positions on the lower strings and still produce clear tone. The classic 19th century Franz Simandl method does not utilize the low E string in higher positions because with older gut strings set up high over the fingerboard, the tone was not clear in these higher positions. Franz Simandl ( August 1 1840 - December 15 1912) was a Double-bassist and Pedagogue who is remembered most for his However, with modern steel strings, bassists can play with clear tone in higher positions on the low E and A strings, particularly when modern lighter-gauge, lower-tension steel strings (e. g. , Corelli/Savarez strings) are used.

Bows

The double bass bow comes in two distinct forms. In Music, a bow is moved across some part of a Musical instrument, causing Vibration which the instrument emits as Sound. The "French" or "overhand" bow is similar in shape and implementation to the bow used on the other members of the orchestral string instrument family, while the "German" or "Butler" bow is typically broader and shorter, and is held in a very natural hand shake position.

These two bows provide for different ways of moving the arm and distributing force on the strings. The French bow, because of the angle the hand holds the bow, is touted to be more maneuverable. The German bow is claimed to allow the player to apply more arm weight on the strings. The differences between the two, however, are minute for a proficient player trained in using his/her respective bow. Both bows are used by modern players, and the choice between the two is a matter of personal preference.

German bow

The German bow (sometimes called Dragonetti bow) is the older of the two designs. Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti ( April 7, 1763 - April 16, 1846) was an Italian Double bass Virtuoso. The bowing style was handed down from when the bows of all stringed instruments had to be held in that fashion (middle two fingers between the stick and the hair) to maintain tension of the hair before screw threads were used. Proponents of the use of German bow claim that the German bow is easier to use for such bow strokes as staccato, spiccato, and detaché.

The German bow has a taller frog, and is held with the palm angled upwards, as used for the upright members of the viol family. In Music, a bow is moved across some part of a Musical instrument, causing Vibration which the instrument emits as Sound. The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s When held in correct manner, the thumb rests on the side of the stick. The index finger balances the bow at the point where the frog meets the stick. The index finger is also used to apply an upward torque to the frog when tilting the bow. The little finger supports the frog from underneath, while the ring finger and middle finger are used to apply the force to move the bow across the strings.

French bow

The French bow was not widely popular until its adoption by 19th-century virtuoso Giovanni Bottesini. Giovanni Bottesini ( December 22, 1821 - July 7, 1889) was an Italian Romantic Composer, conductor This style is more similar to the traditional bows of the smaller string family instruments. It is held as if the hand is resting comfortably by the side of the performer with the palm facing toward the bass. The thumb rests on the shaft of the bow, next to the frog while the other fingers drape on the other side of the bow. Various styles dictate the curve of the fingers and thumb, as do the style of piece- a more pronounced curve and lighter hold on the bow is used for virtuosic or more delicate pieces, while a flatter curve and sturdier grip on the bow provides more power for rich orchestral passages.

Bow construction and materials

Pernambuco is regarded by many players as the best stick material, but due to its scarcity and expense, other materials are used in less expensive bows nowadays. Brazilwood or Pau-Brasil, sometimes known as Pernambuco ( Caesalpinia echinata Syn Less expensive student bows may be constructed of solid fiberglass, or of less valuable varieties of brazilwood. Fiberglass (also called fibreglass and glass fibre see Spelling differences) is material made from extremely fine Fibers of Glass.

Snakewood and carbon fiber are also used in bows of a variety of different qualities. Carbon fiber reinforced plastic ( CFRP or CRP) is a very strong light and expensive Composite material or fiber reinforced plastic. The frog of the double bass bow is usually made out of ebony, although Snakewood and buffalo horn are used by some luthiers. Ebony ( Diospyros ebenum) also known as India Ebony or Ceylon Ebony depending on its origin is a Tree in the genus Diospyros The biological Subfamily bovines includes a diverse group of 10 species of medium to large sized Ungulates including domestic Cattle, Bison, Water The wire wrapping is gold or silver in many quality bows, and the hair is usually horsehair. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Horsehair refers to hair taken from the Mane or tail of Horses It has various uses including Brushes and the bows of musical instruments Some of the lowest-quality student bows feature synthetic fiberglass "hair". Double bass bows vary in length, but average around 24" (60 cm).

The double bass bow is strung with either white or black horsehair, or a combination of the two (known as "salt and pepper"), as opposed to the customary white horsehair used on the bows of other string instruments. The slightly rougher black hair is believed by some to "grab" the heavier strings better; similarly, some bassists and luthiers believe that it is easier to produce a smoother sound with the white variety. Red hair is also used by some bassists.

Rosin

String players apply rosin to the hair of their bow so that the hair will "grip" the string and make it vibrate. Rosin, formerly called colophony or Greek pitch ( Pix græca) is a solid form of Resin obtained from Pines and some other Plants Double bass rosin is generally softer and stickier than violin rosin to allow the hair to grab the thicker strings better, but players use a wide variety of rosins that vary from quite hard (like violin rosin) to quite soft, depending on the weather, the humidity, and the preference of the player. The amount used generally depends on the type of music being performed as well as the personal preferences of the player. Bassists may apply more rosin in works for large orchestra (e. g. , Brahms symphonies) than for delicate chamber works. Some brands of rosin, such as Pop's double bass rosin, are softer and more prone to melting in hot weather. Other brands, such as Carlsson or Nyman Harts double bass rosin, are harder and less prone to melting. nfgiruh08QUHWR 08

Pitch

The lowest note of a double bass is an E1 (on standard four-string basses) at approximately 41 Hz or a B0 (when five strings are used) at approximately 31 Hz. This is slightly above the lowest sound the average human ear can perceive as a distinctive pitch, at 20 Hz. The highest notes are almost down at the bridge. Five string instruments either use the additional string tuned to a low B below the E string, or to a C above the G string.

In many double bass concertos harmonic tones are used. The use of natural harmonics (a technique often used by Giovanni Bottesini) and sometimes even artificial harmonics, where the thumb stops the note and the octave or other harmonic is activated by lightly touching the string at the relative node point, extend the double bass' range considerably. In Acoustics and Telecommunication, the harmonic of a Wave is a component Frequency of the signal that is an Integer Giovanni Bottesini ( December 22, 1821 - July 7, 1889) was an Italian Romantic Composer, conductor

The double bass parts from most orchestral music rarely exceed three octaves. However, a virtuoso solo player could cover five or six octaves in solo bass repertoire, using natural and artificial harmonics.

Since the range of the double bass lies largely below the standard bass clef, it is notated an octave higher (hence sounding an octave lower than written). A clef (from the French for "key" is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. This transposition applies even when reading the tenor and treble clef, which are used to avoid excessive ledger lines when notating the instrument's upper range. A clef (from the French for "key" is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. A clef (from the French for "key" is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes.

Tuning

The double bass is generally tuned in fourths, in contrast to the other members of the orchestral string family, which are tuned in fifths. The Violin family of Musical instruments was developed in Italy in the Sixteenth century. This avoids too long a finger stretch (known as an "extension"). Modern double basses are usually tuned (low to high) E-A-D-G such that the open highest string, G, is a perfect eleventh (a perfect octave and a perfect fourth) below middle C.

A variety of tunings and numbers of strings were used on a variety of confusingly-named instruments through the sixteenth to the early twentieth centuries, by which time the four-stringed tuning mentioned above became almost universal.

Much of the classical repertoire has notes that fall below the range of a standard double bass. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Notes below low E appear regularly in double bass parts in the Baroque and Classical eras, when the double bass was typically doubling the cello part an octave below. Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750. The dates of the Classical period in Western music are generally accepted as 1750 to 1810 In the Romantic era and the 20th-century, composers such as Mahler, Beethoven, and Prokofiev also requested notes below the low E. Romantic Music is a Musicological term referring to a particular period theory compositional practice and canon in European music history from about 1815 to 1910 Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who

There are two common methods for making these notes available to the player. Major European orchestras generally use basses with a fifth string, tuned to B three octaves and a semitone below middle C. In Music, an octave ( is the the use of which is "common in most musical systems A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest Musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music and it is considered the C or Do is the first Note of the fixed-Do Solfege. In Western Music, the expression " Middle C " refers to the note ^[7]

In the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, most professional orchestral players use four-string double basses with a "C extension" which extends the lowest string down as far as low C, an octave below the lowest note on the cello (more rarely, this string may be tuned to a low B). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The extension is an extra section of fingerboard mounted up over the head of the bass, which requires the player to reach back over the pegs to play, or to use a mechanical lever system.

A small number of bass players tune their strings in fifths, like a cello but an octave lower (C-G-D-A low to high). Fifths tuning is a non-standard tuning for the Double bass, used primarily in classical and jazz music This tuning was used by the jazz player Red Mitchell and is increasingly used by classical players, notably the Canadian bassist Joel Quarrington. Keith Moore Mitchell ( September 20 1927, New York City - November 8 1992, Salem Oregon) better known as Red Mitchell Joel Quarrington (born January 15, 1955) is a Canadian Double bass player soloist teacher and is regarded as one of the world's best Tuning in fifths can also make the instrument louder, because the strings have more common overtones, causing the strings to vibrate sympathetically. Acoustic resonance is the tendency of an acoustic system to absorb more energy when the Frequency of its oscillations matches the system's natural frequency of vibration ^[8]

In classical solo playing the double bass is usually tuned a whole tone higher (F♯-B-E-A). This higher tuning is called "solo tuning," whereas the regular tuning is known as "orchestral tuning. " String tension differs so much between solo and orchestral tuning that a different set of strings is often employed that has a lighter gauge. Strings are always labelled for either solo or orchestral tuning, and published solo music is arranged for either solo or orchestral tuning. Some popular solos and concerti, such as the Koussevitsky Concerto are available in both solo and orchestral tuning arrangements. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes -->Dr

A variant and much less-commonly used form of solo tuning used in some Eastern European countries is (A-D-G-C), which uses three of the strings from orchestral tuning (A-D-G) and then adds a high "C" string. Some bassists with five string basses use a high "C" string as the fifth string, instead of a low "B" string. Adding the high "C" string facilitates the performance of solo repertoire with a high tessitura (range).

Playing and performance problems

Double bassists have the option to either stand or sit while playing the instrument. When standing, the double bass' height is set (by adjusting the endpin) so that the player may easily place the right hand close to the bridge, either with the bow (arco) or plucking (pizzicato). While personal opinions vary, often the endpin is set by aligning the first finger in either first or half position with the player's eye level. While sitting, a stool (which is measured by the player's seam length) is used. Traditionally, standing has been preferred by soloists although many now choose to play sitting down.

When playing in the upper register of the instrument (above the G below middle C), the player shifts his hand out from behind the neck and flattens it out, using the side of his thumb as a finger. This technique is called thumb position and is also a technique used on the cello. While playing in thumb position, the use of the fourth finger is replaced by the third finger, as the fourth finger becomes too short to produce a reliable tone.

Despite the size of the instrument, it does not project a loud volume, because its range is so low. When the bass is being used as an ensemble instrument in orchestra, usually between four and eight bassists will play the part in unison; in the largest orchestras, the bass section may have as many as twelve bassists. When writing solo passages for the bass in orchestral or chamber music, composers typically ensure that the orchestration is light, so it will not cover the bass. Orchestration is the study or practice of writing Music for Orchestra (or more loosely for any Musical ensemble) or of adapting for orchestra music composed In jazz, blues, and similar genres, the bass is normally amplified with a bass amplifier and loudspeakers. Bass instrument amplification for the Bass guitar, Double bass and similar instruments is distinct from other types of amplification systems due to the In genres such as bluegrass and jazz, less onstage amplification is used than in genres such as blues, psychobilly, or jam band-music. Jam bands (or jambands) are musical groups whose albums and live performances relate to a fan culture which originated with the 1960s group Grateful Dead and continued In these louder genres, the loud stage volume due to other onstage amplifiers and instruments such as the drum kit may lead to the problem of feedback, which causes a loud howling sound.

Performing on the bass can be physically taxing because the strings of the bass are larger and thicker than those of a smaller stringed instrument. As well, since the bass is much larger than other stringed instruments, the space between notes on the fingerboard is larger. This means that bass players have to shift positions more frequently. The increased use of playing techniques such as thumb position and modifications to the bass such as the use of lighter-gauge strings have reduced this problem to some degree. Bass parts have relatively fewer fast passages, double stops, or large jumps in range.

As with all unfretted string instruments, performers must learn to place their fingers precisely to obtain the correct pitch. A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a Musical instrument that produces Sound by means of Vibrating strings In the Hornbostel-Sachs Because the bass is larger than other string instruments, the positions for the fingers are much farther apart. As a result, more shifting of position is required, which increases the likelihood of intonation errors. As well, for bassists with smaller hands, the large spaces between pitches on the bass fingerboard may present a challenge, especially in the lower range, where the spaces between notes are largest.

Until the 1990s, child-sized double basses were not widely available, and the large size of the bass meant that children were not able to start the bass until their hand size and height would allow them to play a 3/4-size instrument (the most commonly available size). In the 1990s and 2000s, smaller half, quarter, eighth and even sixteenth-sized instruments became more widely available, which meant that children could start at a younger age. The double bass's large size, combined with the fragility of the wooden top and sides and the wood make safely transporting the instrument difficult. Since hard cases are both expensive and heavy, many bassists use soft cases. Some players use wheeled carts or endpin-attached wheels to transport the instrument.

Classical repertoire

Solo works for double bass

1700s

The double bass as a solo instrument enjoyed a period of popularity during the 18th century and many of the most popular composers from that era wrote pieces for the double bass. The double bass, then often referred to as the Violone used different tunings from region to region. The violone (literally "large viol" in Italian "-one" being the Augmentative suffix is a Musical instrument of the Viol family The "Viennese tuning" (A-D-F♯-A) was popular, and in some cases a fifth string or even sixth string was added. The popularity of the instrument is documented in Leopold Mozart's second edition of his Violinschulë, where he writes "One can bring forth difficult passages easier with the five-string violone, and I heard unusually beautiful performances of concertos, trios, solos, etc. Johann Georg Leopold Mozart ( November 14, 1719 &ndash May 28, 1787) was a composer conductor teacher and violinist "

The earliest known concerto to exist for the double bass was written by Joseph Haydn ca. 1763, which was presumably lost in the fire at the Eisenstadt library. The earliest concertos that exist today are by Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, who composed two concertos for the double bass and a Sinfonia Concertante for viola and double bass. August Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf ( November 2, 1739 &ndash October 24, 1799) was an Austrian Composer and Violinist Sinfonia concertante is a Musical form that originated in the Classical music era, and is a mixture of the Symphony and the Concerto genres Other composers that have written concertos from this period include Johann Baptist Vanhal, Franz Anton Hoffmeister (3 concertos), Leopold Kozeluch, Anton Zimmermann, Antonio Capuzzi, Wenzel Pichl (2 concertos), and Johannes Matthias Sperger (18 concertos). Johann Baptist Vanhal ( Jan Křtitel Vaňhal) also spelled Wanhal, Waṅhall or Wanhall ( May 12, 1739 – August 20 Franz Anton Hoffmeister ( May 12, 1754 &ndash February 9, 1812) was a German composer and music publisher Leopold Kozeluch (born Jan Antonín Koželuh, alternatively also Leopold Koželuh, Leopold Kotzeluch) ( June 26 1747 &ndash May Giuseppe Antonio Capuzzi ( August 1, 1755 - March 28, 1818) was an Italian Violinist and Composer. Wenzel Pichl ( 25 September 1741, Bechyně, Bohemia &ndash 23 January 1805, Vienna, Austria; known Johannes Matthias Sperger ( March 23, 1750, Feldsberg - May 13, 1812, Schwerin) was an Austrian contrabassist

While many of these names were leading figures to the music public of their time, they are generally unknown by contemporary audiences. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's concert aria, "Per Questa Bella Mano", K. 612 for bass, double bass obbligato, and orchestra contains impressive writing for solo double bass of that period. In classical music obbligato usually describes a musical line that is in some way indispensable in performance It remains popular among both singers and double bassists today.

The double bass eventually evolved to fit the needs of orchestras that required lower notes and a louder sound. The leading double bassists from the mid to late 18th century, such as Josef Kämpfer, Friedrich Pischelberger, and Johannes Mathias Sperger employed the "Viennese" tuning. Bassist Johann Hindle (1792-1862), who composed a concerto for the double bass, pioneered tuning the bass in fourths, which marked a turning point for the double bass and its role in solo works.

Bassist Domenico Dragonetti was a prominent musical figure and an acquaintance of Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven. Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti ( April 7, 1763 - April 16, 1846) was an Italian Double bass Virtuoso. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. His playing was known all the way from his native Italy to the Tsar of Russia and he found a prominent place performing in concerts with the Philharmonic Society of London. The Royal Philharmonic Society is a British music society formed in 1813 It is believed that Beethoven's relationship with Dragonetti pushed Beethoven to write difficult, separate parts for the double bass in his symphonies which do not double the cello and the impressive passages in the third movement of the 5th symphony and last movement of the 9th symphony. Dragonetti wrote ten concertos for the double bass and many solo works for bass and piano. Dragonetti frequently played on a three string double bass tuned G-D-A from top to bottom, popular at the time as low E strings made of gut were difficult and expensive to make and were often problematic to play on. During Rossini's stay in London in the summer of 1824, he composed his Duetto for cello and double bass for Dragonetti the cellist David Salomons.

1800s

In the 19th century, the opera conductor, composer, and bassist Giovanni Bottesini was thought of as the "Paganini of the double bass" in his time. Giovanni Bottesini ( December 22, 1821 - July 7, 1889) was an Italian Romantic Composer, conductor Niccolò Paganini ( October 27, 1782 &ndash His compositions written in the popular Italian opera style of the 19th century for the double bass exploit the double bass in a way that was not seen beforehand requiring the virtuosic runs and great leaps to the highest registers of the instrument in the realm of harmonics. These compositions were considered to be unplayable by many bassists in the early part of the 20th century, but now are frequently performed.

During the same time, a prominent school of bass players in the Czech region arose, which included such figures as Franz Simandl, Theodore Albin Findeisen, Josef Hrabe, Ludwig Manoly, and Adolf Mišek amongst others. The " Czech lands " (České země is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. Franz Simandl ( August 1 1840 - December 15 1912) was a Double-bassist and Pedagogue who is remembered most for his The compositions from these bassist-composers show a high level of virtuosity in a different way than that of Bottesini's compositions.

1900s-present

The leading figure of the double bass in the early 20th century was Serge Koussevitzky, best known as conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, who popularized the double bass in modern times as a solo instrument. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes -->Dr The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based at Symphony Hall in Boston Massachusetts, USA Because of improvements to the double bass with steel strings and better set-ups, the bass is now played at a more advanced level than ever before and more and more composers have written works for the double bass.

The double bass now enjoys many compositions from the 20th century by leading composers with concertos that include Nikolaos Skalkottas's Concerto (1942), Eduard Tubin's Concerto (1948), Lars-Erik Larsson's Concertino (1957), Gunther Schuller's Concerto (1962), Hans Werner Henze's Concerto (1966), Nino Rota's Divertimento for Double Bass and Orchestra (1973), Jean Françaix's Concerto (1975), Einojuhani Rautavaara's Angel Of Dusk (1980), Gian Carlo Menotti's Concerto (1983), Christopher Rouse's Concerto (1985), Henry Brant's Ghost Nets (1988), John Harbison's Concerto for Bass Viol (2006), and André Previn's Double Concerto for violin, double bass, and orchestra (2007). Nikos Skalkottas (Nίκος Σκαλκώτας ( 21 March, 1904 &ndash 19 September, 1949) was one of Eduard Tubin ( June 18, 1905 – November 17, 1982) was an Estonian composer and conductor Lars-Erik Vilner Larsson ( 15 May, 1908 - 27 December, 1986) was an important Swedish composer of the 20th century Gunther Schuller (born November 22 1925) is an American Composer and horn player Hans Werner Henze (born July 1 1926 Gütersloh, Germany is a German composer well known for his left-wing political convictions Nino Rota ( December 3, 1911 &ndash April 10, 1979) was an Italian Composer best known for his work on Film scores Jean René Désiré Françaix ( May 23, 1912, Le Mans &ndash September 25 1997, Paris) was a French neoclassical Einojuhani Rautavaara ( (born October 9, 1928) is a Finnish Composer of Contemporary classical music, and is probably the best-known Christopher Rouse may refer to Christopher Rouse (composer, music composer Christopher Rouse (editor, Academy Award-winning film editor Henry Brant ( September 15, 1913 &ndash April 26, 2008) was a California -based composer of Art music based on Spatialization John Harris Harbison (born December 20, 1938 in Orange New Jersey) is a Composer, best known for his Operas WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> André Previn ( Andreas Ludwig Priwin) KBE (b

Other composers to have written solo works for the double bass in the 20th and 21st centuries include Reinhold Glière, Paul Hindemith, Luciano Berio, Christian Wolff, Fernando Grillo, Sofia Gubaidulina, Jacob Druckman, Iannis Xenakis, Elliott Carter, Salvatore Sciarrino, Vincent Persichetti, Mario Davidovsky, Samuel Adler, Bright Sheng, Oliver Knussen, Giacinto Scelsi, Charles Wuorinen, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Lowell Liebermann, Georges Aperghis, Ana Maria Avram, Philippe Boivin, Aldo Brizzi, Gualtiero Dazzi, James Giroudon, Ramon Gonzalez Arroyo, Karim Haddad, Pierre-Alain Jaffrenou, Pierre Jodlowski, Michael Levinas, Martin Matalon, Horatio Radulescu, Kaija Saariaho, Sylvano Bussotti, James Dillon, Pascal Dusapin, Brian Ferneyhough, Philip Glass, Bruno Maderna, Philippe Boivin, John Cage, Tom Johnson, and Franco Donatoni. Reinhold Moritzevich Glière (Рейнгольд Морицевич Глиэр Rejngol'd Moricevič Glier) ( &ndash June 23 1956 was a Ukrainian, Soviet Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 &ndash 28 December 1963 was a German Composer, Violist, violinist teacher music theorist and conductor. Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI ( October 24, 1925 &ndash May 27, 2003) was an Italian Composer. Christian Wolff may refer to Christian Wolff (philosopher (1679-1754 German philosopher and mathematician Christian Wolff (composer WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina, (София Асгатовна Губайдулина София Jacob Druckman ( June 26 1928 – May 24 1996) was an American Composer born in Philadelphia. Iannis Xenakis (Ιάννης Ξενάκης (May 29 1922 - February 4 2001 was a Greek modernist composer musical theoretician and architect Elliott Cook Carter Jr (born in New York City on December 11, 1908) is an American Composer from New York City. Salvatore Sciarrino (born Palermo, Sicily, on April 4, 1947) is an Italian composer of Contemporary classical music. Vincent Ludwig Persichetti ( June 6, 1915 &ndash August 14, 1987) was an American Composer, teacher and Pianist. Mario Davidovsky (born March 4, 1934) is an Argentine - American Composer. Samuel Adler may refer to Samuel Adler (rabbi (1809-1891 Reform rabbi Samuel Adler (composer (b Bright Sheng (surname Sheng, born Shèng Zōngliàng, 盛[[wiktionary 宗|宗]] 亮, in Shanghai Oliver Knussen CBE (born June 12, 1952 in Glasgow Scotland) is a British Composer and conductor. Giacinto Scelsi (ʤaˈʧinto ˈʃelsi Count of Ayala Valva ( La Spezia, January 8, 1905 – Rome, August 9, Charles Wuorinen (b June 9, 1938 in New York City is an American Composer. Renaud Garcia-Fons (* near Paris December 24 1962) is a French Double-bass player and composer notable for his customised 5-stringed bass Lowell Liebermann (born February 22 1961 in New York City) is an American Composer. Georges Aperghis (born 23 December 1945 in Athens Greece) is Greek Composer working primarily in the field of experimental music Karim HADDAD (كريم حداد Composer of contemporary music Born on January 22 1962 in Dar-el Mraisseh Beirut Lebanon. Kaija Saariaho (ˈkɑijɑ 'sɑːriˌɑho (born October 14, 1952) is a Finnish Composer. Sylvano Bussotti (born 1 October 1931) is an Italian Composer of contemporary music whose work is unusually notated and often brings James Dillon may refer to James Dillon (officer (c1600- after 1669 Irish Confederate officer James Dillon (Irish senator Pascal Dusapin ( 29 May, 1955) is a French composer born in Nancy. Brian John Peter Ferneyhough (born 16 January, 1943 in Coventry) is an English Composer. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Philip Glass (born January 31 Bruno Maderna ( 21 April 1920 &ndash 13 November 1973) was an Italian - German conductor and Composer WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> John Milton Cage Jr American Composer and critic Tom Johnson (born November 18, 1939 in Greeley Colorado) is one of the few composers to self-identify as Franco Donatoni ( 9 June 1927 – 17 August 2000) was an Italian Composer.

Chamber music with double bass

Perhaps the most famous chamber work that features the double bass is the Serenade for strings in G major, "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" K. The Serenade No 13 for strings in G major, K 525 more commonly known as Eine kleine Nachtmusik ("a small serenade" -- rendered more literally 525 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart scored for two violins, viola, cello, and double bass. The work is more often performed today with more than one to a part. Mozart also included the double bass in addition to 12 wind instruments for his "Gran Partita" Serenade, K. The Serenade No 10 for winds in B flat major, K. 361 is a Serenade by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart scored for thirteen instruments (twelve winds 361 (370a). One of Beethoven's most famous pieces during his lifetime was his Septet in E flat major, Op. 20 for violin, viola, clarinet, horn, bassoon, cello, and double bass. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the common group to play at dance functions was two violins and a double bass. Beethoven also composed Six Minuets, WoO9 and Six Ländlers, WoO15 for this instrumentation. A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a Social dance of French origin for two persons usually in 3/4 time. The ländler is a folk Dance in 3/4 time which was popular in Austria, south Germany and German Switzerland at the end of the 18th

Gioacchino Rossini composed six string sonatas for two violins, cello, and double bass at age twelve over the course of three days in 1804 which remain his most famous instrumental works. Luigi Boccherini, whose father was a double bass player, composed three string quintets for two violins, viola, cello, and double bass. Luigi Rodolfo Boccherini ( February 19, 1743 &ndash May 28, 1805) was a classical era Composer and cellist Antonín Dvořák also used the string quartet with double bass for his String Quintet in G major, Op. Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( (often pronounced in English as; DVOR-zhahk; September 8 1841 – May 1 1904 was a Czech composer of Romantic music, who employed 77 as did Darius Milhaud for his second quintet for strings, Op. Darius Milhaud (darjys mijo (September 4 1892 &ndash June 22 1974 was a French Composer and teacher 316.

Another famous piece featuring the double bass is Franz Schubert's Trout Quintet scored for piano, violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The Trout Quintet is the popular name for the Piano Quintet in A major by Franz Schubert. The piece is thought to have been influenced by Johann Nepomuk Hummel's Quintet for piano and strings, Op. Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel (14 November 1778 &ndash 17 October 1837 was a Composer and virtuoso Pianist of Austrian 87 which uses the same instruments. The instrumentation was used again in the 20th century by Ralph Vaughan Williams for his Piano Quintet. Ralph (reɪf Vaughan Williams OM (12 October 1872 &ndash 26 August 1958 was an English Composer of symphonies, Chamber music Felix Mendelssohn wrote his Sextet for piano and strings, Op. Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and generally known as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3 1809 &ndash November 4 1847 was a German Composer 110 using piano, violin, two violas, cello, and double bass.

During the 20th century, the double bass was used in a variety of works including Erwin Schulhoff's Concertino for flute/piccolo, viola, and double bass; Paul Hindemith's Octet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, two violas, cello, and double bass; and Serge Prokofiev's Quintet, Op. Erwin Schulhoff ( June 8, 1894 – August 18, 1942) was a Composer and Pianist. Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 &ndash 28 December 1963 was a German Composer, Violist, violinist teacher music theorist and conductor. Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who 39 for oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, and double bass. The double bass continues to be used in chamber music by more contemporary composers. Examples of such pieces include Fred Lerdahl's Waltzes for violin, viola, cello, and double bass; Mario Davidovsky's Festino for guitar, viola, cello, and double bass; and Iannis Xenakis's Morsima-Amorsima for piano, violin, cello, and double bass. Fred Lerdahl (born March 10 1943) is the Fritz Reiner Professor of Musical Composition at Columbia University Mario Davidovsky (born March 4, 1934) is an Argentine - American Composer. Iannis Xenakis (Ιάννης Ξενάκης (May 29 1922 - February 4 2001 was a Greek modernist composer musical theoretician and architect

Orchestral passages and solos

The double bass in the baroque and classical periods would typically double the cello part in orchestral passages. A notable exception would be Haydn, who composed solo passages for the double bass in his Symphonies No. 6 “Le Matin”, No. 7 “Le midi”, No. 8 “Le Soir”, No. 31 “Horn Signal, and No. 45 “Farewell”, but who otherwise would group the bass and cello parts together. Beethoven paved the way for separate double bass parts which would become more common in the romantic era. The scherzo and trio from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is a famous orchestral excerpt as is the recitative at the beginning of the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a piece of Music or a movement in a certain style that forms part of a larger piece such as a Symphony. Trio is generally used in any of the following ways Three Musicians playing the same or different Musical instrument. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. Ludwig van Beethoven 's Symphony No 5 in C minor Op 67 was written in 1804–08 The Symphony No 9 in D minor Op 125 "Choral" is the last complete Symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven.

While orchestral bass solos are somewhat rare, there are some notable examples. Johannes Brahms, whose father was a double bass player, wrote many difficult and prominent parts for the double bass in his symphonies. Johannes Brahms ( pronounced ˈbʁaːms (May 7 1833 &ndash April 3 1897 was a German Composer Richard Strauss assigned the double bass daring parts, and his symphonic poems and operas stretch the instrument to its limits. Richard Georg Strauss (11 June 1864 &ndash 8 September 1949 was a German Composer of the late Romantic era and early modern era particularly noted "The Elephant" from Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals is a satirical portrait of the double bass. Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (/ʃaʁl kamij sɛ̃sɑ̃s/ (9 October 1835 &ndash 16 December 1921 was a French Composer, Organist, conductor, and Le Carnaval des Animaux ( The Carnival of the Animals) is a Musical suite of fourteen movements by the French The third movement of Gustav Mahler's first symphony features a solo for the double bass which quotes the children's song "Frere Jacques", transposed into a minor key. The Symphony No 1 in D major is a Symphony by Gustav Mahler first composed between 1888 and 1894. Sergei Prokofiev's "Lieutenant Kijé Suite" features a difficult and very high double bass solo in the "Romance" movement. Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who Benjamin Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra contains a prominent passage for the double bass section. Edward Benjamin Britten Baron Britten, OM CH (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 was an English Composer, conductor, This article is about the composition by Benjamin Britten for information about the television series see Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra.

Double bass ensembles

Ensembles made up entirely of double basses, though relatively rare, also exist, and several composers have written or arranged for such ensembles. Gunther Schuller and Jacob Druckman both composed quartets for four basses. Gunther Schuller (born November 22 1925) is an American Composer and horn player Jacob Druckman ( June 26 1928 – May 24 1996) was an American Composer born in Philadelphia. Larger ensemble works include Galina Ustvolskaya's Composition No. Galina Ivanovna Ustvolskaya, also Ustwolskaja or Oustvolskaia ( Гали́на Ива́новна Уство́льская, June 17 1919 Petrograd 2, “Dies Irae” (1973), for eight double basses, piano, and wooden cube, Jose Serebrier's George and Muriel (1986), for solo bass, double bass ensemble, and chorus, and Gerhard Samuel's What of my music! (1979), for soprano, percussion, and 30 double basses. José Serebrier (born Montevideo, 3 December 1938) is a Uruguayan conductor and composer

Active double bass ensembles include L'Orchestre de Contrabasses (6 members),[1] Bass Instinct (6 members),[2] Bassiona Amorosa (6 members),[3], the Chicago Bass Ensemble (4+ members),[4] The Bass Gang (4 members),[5] and the ensembles of Ball State University (12 members) and the Hartt School of Music. Ball State University is a state-run research University located in Muncie, Indiana, U The Hartt School is a school of performing arts located in West Hartford Connecticut, primarily providing postsecondary programs in music dance and theatre The Amarillo Bass Base of Amarillo, Texas once featured 52 double bassists,[6][7], and The London Double Bass Sound, who have released a CD on Cala Records, have 10 players. [8]

In addition, the double bass sections of some orchestras perform as an ensemble, such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Wacker Consort. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( CSO) is an American orchestra based in Chicago Illinois. [9] There is an increasing number of published compositions and arrangements for double bass ensembles, and the International Society of Bassists regularly features double bass ensembles (both smaller ensembles as well as very large "mass bass" ensembles) at its conferences, and sponsors the biennial David Walter Composition Competition, which includes a division for double bass ensemble works. The International Society of Bassists, or ISB, is an organization for anybody who enjoys the double bass

Use in jazz

See also List of jazz bassists (which includes both double bass and electric bass guitar players)

Beginning around 1890, the early New Orleans jazz ensemble (which played a mixture of marches, ragtime, and dixieland music) was initially a marching band with sousaphone (or occasionally bass saxophone) supplying the bass line. Ragtime (alternately spelled Rag-time) is an American musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918 Dixieland or Dixie is a name for the southeastern portion of the USA; see Southern United States, Dixie. The sousaphone is a wearable Tuba descended from the Hélicon, and designed in an ergonomically efficient way such that it fits around the body of the wearer and The bass saxophone is the second largest existing member of the Saxophone family (not counting the subcontrabass Tubax) As the music moved into bars and brothels, the double bass gradually replaced these wind instruments. Many early bassists doubled on both the "brass bass" and "string bass," as the instruments were then often referred to. Bassists played "walking" basslines, scale-based lines which outlined the harmony.

Because an unamplified double bass is generally the quietest instrument in a jazz band, many players of the 1920s and 1930s used the slap style, slapping and pulling the strings so that they make a rhythmic "slap" sound against the fingerboard. The slap style cuts through the sound of a band better than simply plucking the strings, and allowed the bass to be more easily heard on early sound recordings, as the recording equipment of that time did not favor low frequencies. ^[9] For more about the slap style, see "Modern playing styles," below.

Double bass players have contributed to the evolution of jazz. Examples include swing era players such as Jimmy Blanton, who played with Duke Ellington, and Oscar Pettiford, who pioneered the instrument's use in bebop. Jimmy Blanton ( October 5 1918 &ndash July 30 1942) was an influential American Jazz Double bassist Blanton originated Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29 1899 &ndash May 24 1974 was an American Composer, Pianist, and Bandleader. Oscar Pettiford ( 30 September, 1922 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, &ndash 8 September, 1960 in Copenhagen, Denmark Bebop or bop is a form of Jazz characterized by fast Tempos and Improvisation based on Harmonic structure rather than Melody The "cool" style of jazz was influenced by players such as Scott LaFaro and Percy Heath, whose solos were melodic. Rocco Scott LaFaro ( April 3, 1936 – July 6, 1961) was an influential jazz bassist. Percy Heath, ( April 30, 1923 &ndash April 28, 2005) was a Jazz musician, most famous for his 40+ years as the Double bass Paul Chambers (who worked with Miles Davis on the famous Kind of Blue album) achieved renown for being one of the first jazz bassists to play bebop solos in arco (bowed) style. Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers Jr ( April 22 1935 – January 4 1969) was one of the most influential Jazz bassists of the Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26 1926 &ndash September 28 1991 was an American Jazz Trumpeter, Bandleader, and Composer. Kind of Blue is an album by American Jazz musician Miles Davis, released August 17 1959 on Columbia Records, in both ARCO (an Acronym for Atlantic Richfield Company) is an Oil company which is since 2000 a subsidiary

Free jazz was influenced by the composer/bassist Charles Mingus (who also contributed to hard bop) and Charlie Haden, best known for his work with Ornette Coleman. For the Ornette Coleman album after which this genre was named see Free Jazz A Collective Improvisation. Charles Mingus ( 22 April 1922 &ndash 5 January 1979) was an American Jazz Bassist, Composer, Hard bop is a style of Jazz that is an extension of Bebop (or "bop" music Charles Edward Haden (born August 6, 1937) is a Jazz Double bassist probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Ornette Coleman (born March 9, 1930) is an American saxophonist Violinist Trumpeter and Composer.

Beginning in the 1970s, some jazz bandleaders such as saxophonist Sonny Rollins and fusion bassist Jaco Pastorius began to substitute the electric bass guitar for the double bass. Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7 1930 in New York City) is an American Jazz tenor Saxophonist John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (December 1 1951–September 21 1987 was a American Jazz Musician and Composer widely The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the Apart from the jazz styles of jazz fusion and Latin-influenced jazz, the double bass is still widely used in jazz. The sound and tone of the plucked double bass is distinct from that of the fretted bass guitar. The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the The bass guitar produces a different sound than the double bass, because its strings are usually stopped with the aid of metal frets. A fret is a raised portion on the neck of a Stringed instrument, that extends generally across the full width of the neck As well, bass guitars usually have a solid wood body, which means that the sound is produced by electronic amplification of the vibration of the strings.

Use in bluegrass

The string bass is the most commonly-used bass instrument in bluegrass music and is almost always plucked, though some modern bluegrass bassists have also used a bow. Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of Country music. The bluegrass bassist is part of the rhythm section, and is responsible for keeping a steady beat, whether fast, slow, in 4/4 time, 2/4 or 3/4 time. The Englehardt and Kay brands of laminate basses have long been popular choices for bluegrass bassists. Most bluegrass bassists use the 3/4 size bass, but the full and 5/8 size basses are also used.

Early pre-bluegrass music was often accompanied by the cello, which was bowed as often as plucked. The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ Some contemporary bluegrass bands favor the electric bass in an effort to avoid transporting a very large yet delicate instrument on road trips and tours, but it has a different musical quality than the plucked upright bass. The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the The upright bass' slower attack and its percussive, woody tone gives a more "earthy" or "natural" sound than an electric bass, particularly when gut strings are used.

Common rhythms in bluegrass bass playing involve (with some exceptions) plucking on beats 1 and 3 in 4/4 time; beats 1 and 2 in 2/4 time, and on the downbeat in 3/4 time (waltz time). Bluegrass bass lines are usually simple, typically staying on the root and fifth of each chord throughout most of a song. There are two main exceptions to this "rule". Bluegrass bassists often do a diatonic "walkup" or "walkdown" in which they play every beat of a bar for one or two bars, typically when there is a chord change. In addition, if a bass player is given a solo, they may play a walking bass line with a note on every beat or play a pentatonic scale-influenced bassline. In Popular music, a walking bass is a style of bass accompaniment or line common in jazz which creates a feeling of regular quarter note movement akin to the regular

An early bluegrass bassist to rise to prominence was Howard Watts (also known as Cedric Rainwater), who played with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys beginning in 1944. William Smith Monroe ( September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was an American musician who developed the style of music known as ^[10] One of the most famous classical bassists, Edgar Meyer, has frequently branched out into newgrass, Old Time, Jazz, and other genres. Edgar Meyer (born November 24, 1960) is a prominent contemporary bassist. Progressive bluegrass, also known as newgrass (a term attributed to New Grass Revival member Ebo Walker is one of two major subgenres of Bluegrass music Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States

Slap-style bass

Slap-style bass is sometimes used in bluegrass bass playing. When bluegrass bass players snap the string by pulling it until it hits the fingerboard or hit the strings against the fingerboard, it adds the high-pitched percussive "clack" or "slap" sound to the low-pitched bass notes, sounding much like the clacks of a tap dancer. Slapping is a subject of minor controversy in the bluegrass scene. Even slapping experts such as Mike Bub say, ". The Del McCoury Band is a Grammy Award -winning bluegrass band . . don't slap on every gig" or in songs where it is "not appropriate. " As well, bluegrass bassists who play slap-style on live shows often slap less on records. Bub and his mentor Jerry McCoury rarely do slap bass on recordings. The Del McCoury Band is a Grammy Award -winning bluegrass band While bassists such as Jack Cook slap bass ". . . on the occasional faster Clinch Mountain boys song", bassists such as ". . . Gene Libbea, Missy Raines, Jenny Keel, or Barry Bales [rarely] slap bass. Missy Raines is a bassist. She has achieved acclaim in the world of bluegrass including seven International Bluegrass Music Association Bass Player of the Year awards Barry Bales is the bass player and harmony vocalist for Alison Krauss and Union Station. "^[11]

Bluegrass bassist Mark Schatz, who teaches slap bass in his Intermediate Bluegrass Bass DVD acknowledges that slap bass ". . . has not been stylistically very predominant in the music I have recorded. " He notes that "Even in traditional bluegrass slap bass only appears sporadically and most of what I've done has been on the more contemporary side of that (Tony Rice, Tim O'Brien). " Schatz states that he would be ". . . more likely to use it [slap] in a live situation that on a recording - for a solo or to punctuate a particular place in a song or tune where I wouldn't be obliterating someone's solo. ". ^[12] Another bluegrass method, Learn to Play Bluegrass Bass, by Earl Gately, also teaches bluegrass slap bass technique.

Use in popular music

In 1952, the upright bass was a standard instrument in rock and roll music, Marshall Lytle of Bill Haley & His Comets being but one example. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Marshall Lytle (b September 1, 1933, Old Fort North Carolina) who also goes by the name Tommy Page, is an This article is specifically about the rock and roll band See Bill Haley for biographical information regarding Haley himself In the 1940s, a new style of dance music called rhythm and blues developed, incorporating elements of the earlier styles of blues and swing. The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Louis Jordan, the first innovator of this style, featured a double bass in his group, the Tympany Five. Louis Jordan ( July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was a pioneering American Jazz, Blues and Rhythm & blues Tympany Five was a successful Rhythm and blues and Jazz dance band founded by Louis Jordan in 1938 ^[13] The double bass remained an integral part of pop lineups throughout the 1950s, as the new genre of rock and roll was built largely upon the model of rhythm and blues, with strong elements also derived from jazz, country, and bluegrass. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of Country music. However, double bass players using their instruments in these contexts faced inherent problems. They were forced to compete with louder horn instruments (and later amplified electric guitars), making bass parts difficult to hear. An electric guitar is a type of Guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into an electrical current which is made louder The double bass is difficult to amplify in loud concert venue settings, because it can be prone to feedback "howls". Audio Feedback (also known as the Larsen effect after the Danish scientist Søren Larsen who first discovered its principles is a special kind of Feedback The double bass is large and awkward to transport, which also created transportation problems for touring bands.

In 1951, Leo Fender independently released his Precision Bass, the first commercially successful electric bass guitar. Clarence Leonidas Fender ( August 10, 1909 - March 21, 1991) also known as Leo Fender, was an American inventor who The Fender Precision Bass (sometimes shortened to the " P Bass " is an electric bass guitar, and was the first widely-available model of the instrument The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the ^[14] The electric bass was easily amplified with its built-in pickups, easily portable (less than a foot longer than an electric guitar), and easier to play in tune, thanks to the metal frets. In the 1960s and 1970s bands were playing at louder volumes and performing in larger venues. The electric bass was able to provide the huge, highly-amplified stadium-filling bass tone that the pop and rock music of this era demanded, and the double bass receded from the limelight of the popular music scene.

The upright bass began making a modest comeback in popular music in the mid-1980s, in part due to a renewed interest in earlier forms of rock and country music. In the 1990s, improvements in pickups and amplifier designs for electro-acoustic horizontal and upright basses made it easier for bassists to get a good, clear amplified tone from an acoustic instrument. Some popular bands decided to anchor their sound with an upright bass instead of an electric bass. A trend for "unplugged" performances further helped to enhance the public's interest in the upright bass and acoustic bass guitars.

The double bass is also favored over the electric bass guitar in many rockabilly and psychobilly bands. The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s Psychobilly is a genre of Rock music that mixes elements of Punk rock, Rockabilly, and other genres In such bands the bassist often plays with great showmanship, using slapping technique, sometimes spinning the bass around or even physically climbing onto the instrument while performing; this style was pioneered c. 1953 by Marshall Lytle, the bassist for Bill Haley & His Comets,^[15] and modern performers of such stunts include Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats, Scott Owen from The Living End and Jimbo from Reverend Horton Heat. Marshall Lytle (b September 1, 1933, Old Fort North Carolina) who also goes by the name Tommy Page, is an This article is specifically about the rock and roll band See Bill Haley for biographical information regarding Haley himself Lee Rocker (born August 3, 1961 in Long Island New York) is a Rockabilly Double bass player The Stray Cats are a Rockabilly band formed in 1979 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer (Bloodless Pharaohs/ Brian Setzer Orchestra) with Scott Bradley Owen (born February 14 1975) plays the Double bass in the Australian rock band The Living End. The Living End are an Australian rock band based in Melbourne, Victoria. Reverend Horton Heat is both a three-piece Psychobilly / Rockabilly band from Dallas Texas and the Stage name of its Singer / Primus's Les Claypool used an upright bass for the song "Mr. Krinkle," from Pork Soda, and for the song "Over the Falls," from the Brown Album. Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool (born September 29, 1963 in Richmond, California, U "Mr Krinkle" is a 1993 single by Primus, from their album Pork Soda. Pork Soda is the third Album by Primus. Released in 1993 it is considerably darker than the band's earlier efforts dealing with murder ("My "Over the Falls" is the second of two singles by the Alternative rock band Primus from their 1997 Brown Album. Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam uses a double bass in the song "Nothing As It Seems," on the album Binaural. Jeffrey Allen Ament (born March 10 1963 in Havre, Montana) is an American Bassist and Songwriter. Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990 " Nothing as It Seems " is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on April 25 2000 as the first single from the band's sixth studio album Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers uses a double bass for the song "Cabron," on the 2002 album By the Way.

Modern playing styles

In popular music genres, the instrument is usually played with amplification and almost exclusively played with a form of pizzicato where the sides of the fingers are used in preference to the tips of the fingers. Pizzicato (ˌpɪtsɪˈkɑːtoʊ is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a String instrument.

In traditional jazz, swing, polka, rockabilly, and psychobilly music, it is sometimes played in the slap style. Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of Jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and had solidified as a distinctive style by 1935 in the United In Music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different playing techniques used on the Double bass and on the (electric Bass guitar. This is a vigorous version of pizzicato where the strings are "slapped" against the fingerboard between the main notes of the bass line, producing a snare drum-like percussive sound. The snare drum is a Drum with strands of snares made of curled metal wire metal cable plastic cable or gut cords stretched across the a drumhead typically The main notes are either played normally or by pulling the string away from the fingerboard and releasing it so that it bounces off the fingerboard, producing a distinctive percussive attack in addition to the expected pitch. Notable slap style bass players, whose use of the technique was often highly syncopated and virtuosic, sometimes interpolated two, three, four, or more slaps in between notes of the bass line.

"Slap style" may have influenced electric bass guitar players who from about 1970 developed a technique called "slap and pop," where the thumb of the plucking hand is used to hit the string, making a slapping sound but still allowing the note to ring, and the index or middle finger of the plucking hand is used to pull the string back so it hits the fretboard, achieving the pop sound described above. The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the Bass (pronounced like the word "base" refers to a variety of Musical instruments that can be collectively regarded as bass instruments since they produce

Double bassists

Notable classical players of historical importance

• Domenico Dragonetti (1763-1846) Virtuoso, composer, conductor
• Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889) Virtuoso, composer, conductor
• Franz Simandl (1840-1912) Virtuoso, composer
• Edouard Nanny (1872-1943) Virtuoso, composer
• Serge Koussevitzky (1874-1951) Conductor, virtuoso, composer

Lists of notable players

• See List of contemporary classical double bass players
• See List of jazz bassists, which includes both double bass and electric bass players. Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti ( April 7, 1763 - April 16, 1846) was an Italian Double bass Virtuoso. Giovanni Bottesini ( December 22, 1821 - July 7, 1889) was an Italian Romantic Composer, conductor Franz Simandl ( August 1 1840 - December 15 1912) was a Double-bassist and Pedagogue who is remembered most for his Edouard Nanny ( March 24, 1872 &ndash October 12, 1942) was a famous French Double bass player teacher and composer WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes -->Dr Contemporary classical double bass players are performers who play the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument.
• See List of double bass players in other popular genres

See also

• Electric upright bass
• List of jazz bassists
• List of classical bassists
• Octobass
• Piccolo bass
• Bass guitar
• International Society of Bassists
• Bazantar

References

External links

• Bass at the Open Directory Project
• http://www.jazzdoublebass.com - Site featuring notable jazz Double Bass players and educational resources
• http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com - Site featuring Double Bass instruction as it relates to Bluegrass, New Grass & Rock-A-Billy

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