Happy Monday readers! Pete Tambroni here from MostlyBass.com.

I have some rants on my blog but I thought should also be posted for you readers. So here are my thoughts on student bass auditions.

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Teachers – Stop asking ridiculous audition material of bassists that they haven’t been taught! Every year I get private students that come to me with scale and excerpt requirements that are not in their repertoire. Now, I’m not talking about youth orchestras, master classes, etc…Rather when public school orchestra teachers ask their own bassists to play a 2 or 3 octave scale that they never taught them. These students are not going to magically learn thumb position just  because you ask it!

Meanwhile, sometimes these same students should be working on first position intonation, a solid bass tone, and proper technique.

Ask for better quality things that have been taught! Perfect the 1 octave Bb scale or have them practice with a tuner to improve intonation rather than force poor habits with outrageous requests. Stop asking for a 2 octave D scale!!! Just because it works for the violins or is in first position for violas and cellos, it is monstrous on the bass for young players!! Ask for a 2 octave E or F scale. ARGH.

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Read more rants here and visit MostlyBass.com for more bass talk.

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