MandShef

It was the bass that the luthier lent me that has failed. I have had a few people contact me with possible bass loans, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will only have to go without for a couple of weeks (ONLY!). Sarah, yes I have had a progress report, and it's looking like I'll get my own bass back mid/late March - hurray!!

[quote name='nickbass' timestamp='1359117577' post='1950106'] Can you rent one for a month or two? The rental bass I used when I first started wasn't brilliant but it got me through the first few months until I knew I wanted to buy my own. [/quote] Thanks, you'd think so wouldn't you, but I've searched for double bass rental in Sheffield and had no luck. The music service only rents to people having lessons with them. I'm crossing fingers I'll be able to find someone to lend me one, but obviously double basses are fairly unusual things for people to just have lying around going spare ...

Hey all, just wanted a moan to people who would understand my frustration!! As some will know, my old bass has been in for repairs for quite some time now, and is not due back to me 'til mid/end March. I had been borrowing a bass so I could still play with my orchestra and practice, BUT, it was badly set up and repaired, and now the neck has started to pull away from the body in an alarming way. I have had to just take the tension of the strings and stop using it, which leaves me with no bass to play. I'm using to playing every day, so it feels very strange to know that I am potentially going to be bass-less for a couple of months. I'm going to have to take up air-bass!

Wow, I've never heard bass played in this style before! Beautiful! Refreshing to see the instrument up front as a focal point, not just plonking away in the background. 5-strings as well! Loved it - thank you!

There is a similar conversation going on over at Talkbass: [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f31/muting-your-bass-949833/"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f31/muting-your-bass-949833/[/url] Perhaps there's something there that could be of some help?

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1358600207' post='1941938'] I've never had any complaints from my neighbours at all, they're nice people and I never do any playing after 9pm to avoid annoying them. The problem is that I'm worried they'll hear what it sounds like! [/quote] Well in that case stop worrying & go for it!!!

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1358534040' post='1941100'] Do they really work? It doesn't look like it would do much. Maybe I should get one anyway, no harm in trying. [/quote] I've only ever tried an orchestral mute, so I don't know tbh. Hopefully someone on here will know more ... In the meantime is it worth asking your neighbours if they mind? If you pre-arrange a time when you're gonna make some noise, and promise it'll only be for 20 mins, they might be OK with it?!

You can get practice mutes apparently, tho' be careful not to confuse them with an orchestral mute (round shaped) which just softens the sound but doesn't make it significantly quieter. I'm v lucky - my neighbour is deaf! I am also able to practice in the daytime when folk are at work. Hope you find a way around it, 'cos it's definitely worth learning.

Never seen a bass duet done like this before! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wynScdeRaA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wynScdeRaA[/url]

Good stuff! Must go and practice

Just found this. It's Craig Butterfield playing Charlie Parker's 'Donna Lee'. He plays the sax solo on his bass with absolute precision. One thing I noticed is how he starts thumb position much sooner than normal: [url="http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2012/01/15/craig-butterfield-charlie-parkers-donna-lee-on-double-bass/"]http://www.notreble....on-double-bass/[/url]

Love this vid Sarah

[quote name='geoffbassist' timestamp='1356086746' post='1906563'] My old teacher Jirji Hudec won this. It's great to see and hear a younger version of him sounding so good.[/quote] He was your teacher? That's fabulous! [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356103157' post='1906912'] Just watched it! I'm new to Db but already love Gary Karr [/quote] He always looks like he's enjoying himself, and makes it all look so effortless doesn't he?

[url="http://youtu.be/bTzy85j-wW4"]http://youtu.be/bTzy85j-wW4[/url] Thought you guys would appreciate this. It's an old documentary about a double bass competition held in 1978. There's some well known names from the double bass world like Gary Karr, and Rodney Slatford, and some wonderful playing. It's an hour long, so you'll need to watch it at your leisure. Enjoy!

Thank you all for taking the time to give me advice. Up until now I'd not known whether I was being unreasonably impatient. At least now I know my concerns are valid, and I can start pushing for more info and a completion date! As ever, you have all been really helpful.

Hmm, from the very kind responses I've had so far, I think I have reason to be concerned. [quote name='henry norton' timestamp='1355332954' post='1897106'] Make a fuss! Six months is taking the p#ss [/quote] When you consider I'm at the 6 months waiting stage at the mo, and I've been told it can't be guaranteed for a March concert, we're looking at 9 months or more in total. I think I'm going to have to make a fuss - oh dear.

Thanks Sarah. He says he has a policy of not letting clients see the instruments while he's working on them, so as not to worry them (needless to say this worries me even more!). The double bass I've got was loaned from him, but it was one that a friend of his found (& repaired) from a skip (my fellow bassists who've seen it have joked it should've been left in there!). It seems ungrateful to moan about it, as even a dodgy bass is better than no bass at all - at least I've been able to keep up with my rehearsals & concerts - but after this amount of time I just want mine back ...

Thanks, I've pm'd details.

Hello I know this would depend on the state of the bass etc etc, I'm just trying to get an idea. I took my double bass (1890's Lowendahl) in for repairs at the beginning of the summer hols. At the time it was just to fix a few cracks and to lower the height of the strings. I was told at the time it'd take 6 weeks. 6 months later, and it seems to have turned into a complete restoration/renovation job, and I've been told I can't even be guaranteed to have it back for a concert I'm doing in March! From what I can gather the luthier encountered some botch repairs that had been done in the past, and is having to do more work to repair these, and he's replacing edging that had just crumbled away, which means a lot of glueing and waiting ....Does this sound normal, or has something gone wrong?! Part of me wonders whether I should just go around and ask for it back to take elsewhere, except I'd have to take a plastic bag and collect it in pieces!!! Do I just hold tight and cross fingers that he's done a good job when I finally get it back, or should I be worried? Really frustrated, as in the meantime I'm borrowing a really badly set up bass which hurts my fingers. Having never sent my bass into a luthier before, I have no idea what's normal with regards to timescales for repairs ...

Some new sheet music/tab for bass?

Yes, these vids always motivate me to practise!! Such a lovely, effortless tone ...

I've got a piece we're playing with our orchestra that is in that range. I was getting a really tired left hand playing it, and felt like I was having to shift too much. Maybe not an issue on concert day when we only play it once through, but in rehearsals when we play the same bit over & over again - ouch! I've just today reworked the fingering further up the board. It might not have as strong a sound up there, but it's comfortable enough that I can keep going without tiring, and it probably looks better to do less shifting too (it should never look like hard work!). Also I suspect intonation is better moving across strings rather than shifting around. I'd say go with the practical option & move up.

I put some useful links on my other thread 'best online double bass tuition'. I also take a peek at TalkBass and DBD Upright Bass Forum (http://www.doublebasschat.com/forum/index.php) although they're not a patch on this one (v american)!!

[quote name='mtroun' timestamp='1353019910' post='1870725'] There's only so far online tutorials can take you imho, [/quote] I suspect you're right. The online stuff is a useful resource, but I can't see it replacing lessons. I have just been in contact with a tutor based in Huddersfield, so cross fingers that works out & I'll make quicker progress with some proper lessons. Hopefully the links I've put up will be useful for people though

In the absence of a real life tutor, I was wondering what online tuition is available for double bass? Obviously I've done my own Googling, and I've listed what I've found below, but what have you guys found that's useful? Most of the stuff I've found so far covers the basics, but doesn't go into advanced technique (I'm looking mostly for classical style Grade 8 +/advanced techniques). Would it be useful for us to list online double bass tuition (covering all styles)? Sorry if this has already been done - I did a forum search & didn't find anything covering this... [url="http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange/the_orchestra/instruments/double_bass/"]http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange/the_orchestra/instruments/double_bass/[/url] (Philharmonia Orchestra) [url="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL842C266B4272E97B"]http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL842C266B4272E97B[/url] (Andrew Anderson Teaches Double Bass) [url="http://www.driveadoublebass.com/bass-lessons-on-video"]http://www.driveadoublebass.com/bass-lessons-on-video[/url] (Michael Klinghoffer) [url="http://www.thelessonroom.com/LessonRoomResourceSearch.Page?ActiveID=3037&query=double%20bass"]http://www.thelessonroom.com/LessonRoomResourceSearch.Page?ActiveID=3037&query=double%20bass[/url] (The Lesson Room) [url="http://www.stringgallery.com/video-archive.asp?lib=Techniques%20Double%20Bass"]http://www.stringgallery.com/video-archive.asp?lib=Techniques%20Double%20Bass[/url] (The String Gallery) Do any of you have tuition via Skype? I notice that Thomas Martin is offering Skype lessons, but they're a bit out of my price range! Does it work well for you, even though the tutor isn't in the room with you? Ta