Upright bass
- sloop_john_b
- Rick-a-holic
- Posts: 13837
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am
Upright bass
I got an early Christmas gift from my girlfriend yesterday - my first upright bass (luckily the thing was so big she had no room for it in her house!)
I've been messing around on it a bit, playing "I Got Rhythm" and some other standards, as well as just messing around with playing scales and improvising in blues progressions. Muscles in my hands are hurting that i didn't know I had - this thing is a beast!
It also came with a bow, so i've been messing with that a little too. I find the sound odd, I think because i'm used to hearing the cello as the lowest stringed instrument - this almost reminds me of what a 5-string electirc bass is to me right now.
So, any other upright players out there? Any tips to offer?
I've been messing around on it a bit, playing "I Got Rhythm" and some other standards, as well as just messing around with playing scales and improvising in blues progressions. Muscles in my hands are hurting that i didn't know I had - this thing is a beast!
It also came with a bow, so i've been messing with that a little too. I find the sound odd, I think because i'm used to hearing the cello as the lowest stringed instrument - this almost reminds me of what a 5-string electirc bass is to me right now.
So, any other upright players out there? Any tips to offer?
- sloop_john_b
- Rick-a-holic
- Posts: 13837
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am
Re: Upright bass
I've also been watching these Ray Brown videos - he's my favorite upright player:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bass443
http://www.youtube.com/user/bass443
Re: Upright bass
Good for you John. That's a good little woman! My 1940 Kay M-1 is in the shop right now. Hopefully I'll have it back with the neck joint fixed in a week or two.
- captsandwich
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 1312
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:13 am
Re: Upright bass
I don't play an upright, but my buddy Ralph does.
Re: Upright bass
I had a NS Designs CR4M for a while; that was a bit of a workout.
Re: Upright bass
here is a real upright bass.
- sloop_john_b
- Rick-a-holic
- Posts: 13837
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am
Re: Upright bass
I have never liked those electric uprights, like the NS. But I realize that once I have to gig this beast, they'll suddenly look a lot better!
Hope I can scrounge up a a piano player and a drummer this weekend to play some jazz with.
Hope I can scrounge up a a piano player and a drummer this weekend to play some jazz with.
- sloop_john_b
- Rick-a-holic
- Posts: 13837
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am
-
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 1347
- Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 7:46 pm
Re: Upright bass
Dat's NIIICE!!!
Best tip I can offer... don't take days off from playing it... your hands WILL suffer and all that endurance you build up goes away pretty quick. I tried swapping back to electric, neglecting the upright for a while and I feel like I'm starting over... it's like I got used to the lower physical effort of an electric all over again. Make sure you make time for both!
Wait, am I giving bass advice or telling you how to keep a wife and a mistress happy?
Best tip I can offer... don't take days off from playing it... your hands WILL suffer and all that endurance you build up goes away pretty quick. I tried swapping back to electric, neglecting the upright for a while and I feel like I'm starting over... it's like I got used to the lower physical effort of an electric all over again. Make sure you make time for both!
Wait, am I giving bass advice or telling you how to keep a wife and a mistress happy?
What do you mean the Bass is too loud???
-
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 1943
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 1:43 pm
- Contact:
Re: Upright bass
Nice bass John. What brand is it? Stick that left arm out though, parallel to the floor.
- sloop_john_b
- Rick-a-holic
- Posts: 13837
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am
Re: Upright bass
It's a Carlo Robelli. Thanks for the tip!blueflamerick wrote:Nice bass John. What brand is it? Stick that left arm out though, parallel to the floor.
- sloop_john_b
- Rick-a-holic
- Posts: 13837
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am
Re: Upright bass
Any pickup reccomendations?
And should I always be using one finger to pluck, or is using a 2nd finger sometimes okay?
And should I always be using one finger to pluck, or is using a 2nd finger sometimes okay?
Re: Upright bass
very nice,john! i am a big fan of scotty lafaro,from the bill evans trio of the sixties. i love the sound of these big boys,but have never really tried to play one, for that matter,i don't do real well on fretless bass guitar,either! good luck!