The bow can be such a mysterious thing on the double bass, especially when you’re starting out. To me, the left hand seems so much more objective: You’re either in tune or you’re out of tune.You’re on first finger, second finger, or fourth finger.You’re on the G...
Here’s the latest in my attempt to create more content for beginner bassists! Minor scales are always a bit complicated due to their natural, harmonic, and melodic forms. I did the best I could (!) in the above video to explain how they work, and I recorded all...
A few years ago, I was searching in vain for a YouTube video of one of George Vance’s Progressive Repertoire pieces. This search proved futile–the best thing I could find was a blurry cell phone video of a 12-year-old playing it at a recital. Frustrated at not...
This excerpt comes from an interview with Brian Bromberg for Contrabass Conversations. Enjoy, and you can check out the complete interview here. Brian: In the process of my career, I grew into a producer, and I’ve been producing for many many many years. Producers...
Every time I’d grab my bow on a jazz gig, I’d cringe. My swing would suddenly get awkward. I could never figure out how many notes to put in a bow. My vibrato felt forced and unnatural. My sense of pulse went out the window. As a result, I’d pick up my bow less and...
