SteveJ

[quote name='philparker' timestamp='1441899897' post='2862807'] A wise choice! I use Martin Penning as he is the nearest high class Luthier to me at 40 miles away, but I've spent a lot more money than that (getting more work done of course!). [/quote] I'm hundreds of miles away in North Yorkshire but Frome is very close to my sister's home and so I combined it with a trip to see family. Probably the best £30 I've spent on instruments ever.

Thanks guys. The Lauren Pierce videos look great and the stuff about using the arm weight rather than pressure makes sense and I'll work on that to cut down fatigue in my right arm. I took the bass to Martin Penning in Frome [url="http://mpenning-luthier.co.uk/"]http://mpenning-luthier.co.uk/[/url] on Tuesday. What a nice chap! Great workshop, great coffee. He re-cut my bridge, lowering the string height, moved the sound post and re-profilled the edge of the finger board in the time it took my to have a haircut and treat Mrs J to a light lunch. The bass is easier to play and the sound is a little more focussed. Had I spent a couple of grand on a new bass I'd have been well chuffed, as it was it cost me £30! I cannot recommend this chap highly enough!

Thanks Geoff, will have a look when I get the chance.... I've got 2 weeks off coming up so lots of bass practice planned. I'm also going to let Martin Penning have a look at my bass and see if the action can be lowered a bit and generally check over the bass set-up.

Does anybody have any experience open-access orchestras? There is an a 'Cobwebs Orchestra' in the North East that invites [b]novices[/b] to come and join in and play. I'd definitely include myself as a novice! Anyone done this sort of thing? What should I expect on turning up?

It's now 8 weeks since my first classical lesson and so I thought a progress report might be of interest to those who have been down this route or might be tempted in the future. Well, it's supposed to take 10,000 hours to become totally proficient in any endeavour... At my current rate of progress I'll be 94 years old by the time I complete 10,000 hours. So, I thought I would keep a log of my practice hours and see what can be achieved in the time available to me, which after work, gigs, sleeping and all the other activities of being a husband and father equates to about 5 hours a week. So after 40 hours of practice there is definite improvement. Scratchy or farty noices are becoming increasingly rare and I'm no longer obsessed by the tension of the bow hairs or the amount of roisin. The left hand is playing in tune much of the time in 1/2 and first position and the bowing is sounding pleasant with the beginnings of some nice [i]legarto[/i] playing. Some of the grade one pieces are starting to sound like pieces of music if you catch me on a good day and the tempo is kept a bit slower than intended. Keith Hartley's book Double Bass solo 1 is great and I'm loving having a go at Beethoven's Ode to Joy and Dvorak's Largo. It's so much easier to sight read if you are familiar with the tune! C,G,F and Bb major scales are sounding ok but need further work. My teacher told me about a professor of bass who practiced scales for 3 hours every day. He presumably doesn't have much of a life outside of his music and I think anything more than 30 mins would drive me nuts. I hope this is of use to other novices. Let me know your own progess. Steve

[quote name='Paultrader' timestamp='1435767998' post='2812290'] I've taken this journey too. After over forty year of electric bass playing, I took up classical double bass two and a half years ago, and it has been a fantastic journey, but hard work! I got Grade 5 in March this year, and did Grade 5 Theory in June - still waiting for the result. I was sixty two weeks ago. I've learnt a tremendous amount about music which has been really energising, especially from the Theory work. Playing double bass is a challenge, particularly the concentration on developing proper technique, which is a slow process - I still have trouble getting the 'bite' with the bow and avoiding overtones. I'm interested in the discussion on bows here. So - I say, definitely go for it, and go down the classical route, it makes everything better. I still play electric bass in a rock and roll band, but my style is changing; i spend a lot less time trying to be brilliant, and more time enjoying the musicality of what I'm doing - I know I play fewer notes now - but better ones! [/quote] Thanks Paul, that is really motivating and exactly what I'm hoping to do too. Planning on Grad 1 this Autumn then, if successful Grade 3 in Spring 2016. Likelwise I've already noticed my jazz pizz playing has improved and bass guitar too with better rhythm and less temptation to fit too many notes into the bar.

The new carbon bow has arrived, well made, nicely balanced, time to apply the rosin and give it a go!

[quote name='neilp' timestamp='1434575093' post='2800970'] The right bow will make a huge difference, and I'd look at that first - assuming you've got good strings suitable for arco and a good setup already. As has been said, it's a very personal thing. You need to try lots, different weights, lengths and stiffnesses. Try not to look at price tags before you play with them! You'll feel and hear the difference when you find a good one. With a good bow it'll be easier to make the bass speak, and the tone will be easier to produce, richer and clearer. I tried bows twice the price of the one I bought, and to me they didn't feel or sound as good. You don't necessarily need pro-quality yet, but you do need a bow that "fits". I might just have been lucky with the carbon bow, and to be hyper-critical it's a tad shorter than I'd like, but I still think it's great value. Worth a try if you get the chance... Neil [/quote] Thanks Neil, I'm going to try the carbon bow from the contrabass shop. I don't mind putting hours and hours of practice in but if a quality bow makes it easier it will be well worth the money. Might have to sell a guitar in penance though!

Thanks for all the advice so far!

Thanks that is very helpful. If money was available, would you upgrade the bass or the bow first?

Thanks for the comments about bows, I've read the contrabass shoppe write-up on the carbon fibre bows and am intrigued. I'm a bit cynical still about the costs, is it a bit like guitars? You know you can get a fine telecaster for £500 or spend £5000 on a vintage tele. The £5k guitar may satisfy your lust for gear but will it help you play any better? So, educate me please, what is it that makes a good bow and how will a better on improve my playing, especially in the early stages. Looking forward to some advice. Steve

The best gigs are not always the obvious ones. Today the village of Coxwold had its open garden day. They were expecting a brass band, they got us. Now I've played to small audiences before but this time the 2 men and a dog stayed in the snug whilst we played outside under a gossamer thin gazebo in driving drivel and numbing cold. If you know the Scottish word 'dreek' that sums it up. In situations like that you play for your own and each others pleasure. Our spirits were lifted momentarily by the appearance of a French beauty adding that certain je ne sais quoi. Mike Wilson missed the one beat on '5 Ft 2' and suddenly we were into a Trad-Reggae fusion. Next off the 'Old Rugged Cross' became a rock anthem with John Hesp doing a mighty fine imitation of Richie Blackmore at his best. Sadly the cold finally did for Madame and she returned to her family in the warmth of the bar and we played out the rest of our set. Life in the old dogs yet.

Thanks, great advice. Had a lesson today. My bowing had improved on open strings and single octave scales in half and first position but when we moved on to one of the Simandl exercises the bowing went to pieces. I think it was task loading due to the sight reading and changes in note lengths. Trying to maintain a relaxed wrist and elbow was just too hard at my early stage, my arm tensed up and the screeches returned. Plenty to practice over the next two weeks then. I did change strings from Velvet Garbots to Evah Pirazzi which are easier to bow. I had a basic £50 bow and have tried a number in the £250 - £350 range, all French. I've bought the one that felt the best in my hand. It feels better and sounds much better when I'm having a good day but rather annoyingly can sound worse than the cheap bow on a bad day. I wonder if really good bows may be even counterproductive for beginners?

Thanks. A full length mirror it is then!

After 3 years of plonking away on the DB in a trad jazz setting I've bitten the bullet, booked some lessons and am about to learn the mysteries of the bow. Where once chord sheets sufficed I now have to master the dots and become familiar with the writings of F. Simandl. I'm also planning to pit myself against the examiners and work my way through the grades. After the first lesson the ear piercing scratchy noices are becoming less intrusive and some of the notes are actually quite musical. Any advice from those who have been down this road before?