I learned to set the height with the bow in playing position, even though I'm not a classical player, I do practice with the bow. Holding the bow paralllel to the floor and crossing over the strings about half way between the bridge and the fingerboard , gives the perfect height for pizzicato with the rt hand. Your demonstration of balancing the bass is good. I find the corner of the upper bout resting just inside the rt hipbone , not vaguely against somewhere in the stomach. The hipbone is like a corner. Being an old hipster I find this comforting. Thx for the vids. Keep on plucking.
@@kungfuviolist7284 I come from a electric bass background and I mostly play that. I've not had any "formal lessons" with the double bass so far. I played some shows with my with it and even did a busking roadtrip with my friends last year! It was great! Germany - France - Spain - Portugal and back. We payed for the whole thing with the money we made from busking + income from one show we played a few weeks before :)
Thanks Geoff, I've had the bass just a few days now and this lesson has been invaluable - just extending the endpin an extra inch has made all the difference, my stance is much more open and the bass balances against me so much better.
Bobby G Thanks Bobby, that's great to hear. I find that bass height can have a huge impact on how you play so it's great to hear that's been useful. Best of luck with your practice, cheers Geoff :-)
Thanks Geoff, I really enjoy your videos. I am new and anxious to learn. I have joined the beginner class at a local music school and your videos reinforce what I am learning there. Its a big class with many people learning various instruments, so to have your videos available are very helpful for me. Thanks for putting all the effort into making them. Cheers.
Starting to play upright in an old time band, this video has helped a ton with some of the issues I've been having. Time to do a deep dive into your content!
Unvaluable lesson. I moved from bass to an electric EUB (sort of a stick insect with strings) and now i laid my hands over a real dbass. Got to adjust posture and tecniques, and your video is a great starter. I'm starting to take lesson too, but channels like your provide great value for practice. And yes, basses and dbasses are very different beasts!
Fantastic lesson just bought my 4/4 double bass and just starting out , I'm 5"11 so getting the height just right is important , it's all very confusing at the moment . I do play the alto and tenor sax and flute so thought to go for the double bass which I've loved since a child , love all the folk , blues , jazz ,soul music , I've self taught on all my instruments but must say I think I've met my match at the moment with the double bass lol
Thank you Geoff! I guess I never realized that I needed to adjust the height of my double bass and I’m 6’3”, so once I did as you suggested, it helped my comfort, ease of thumb position, etc… so much more, so thank you for opening my eyes up to this!!
Geoff has a comfortable and easy to follow teaching method. This is what Ive been searching for .Most of the other online teachers seem to loose me ( or maybe it's just my A.D.D. ), anyway I enjoy following Mr. Chalmers advice & that's what matters .
Fantastic lesson! Just moving from electric "slab" to upright. I don't ant to develop bad habits at the start, and this is SO helpful. Really appreciate the lesson, very clear and easy to follow. Cheers from Michigan!
I've been bumbling around, reinventing the wheel apparently. Great to see some reinforcement of things I've become aware of, and great to be exposed to those I've missed. Very nice presentations. Thank you.
This is so helpful! I have to teach my string pedagogy class remotely the Fall because of COVID-19, so my students will not be able to use a bass or experiment with setting one up in person. This video is the cleanest description of how to do that. I'm going to subscribe to Discover Double Bass.
I'm starting to shop for my 1st Double Bass, and this was so helpful! I'm a short player, and knowing to line up the nut and lean it in would (I assume) be important to help find the right sized instrument.
I've been playing the bass on a stand. It's nice to not have to worry about holding/balancing/losing control of the beast, and just focus on intonation, clean bowing, expressive playing, etc.
Really informative and useful. Im a beginning upright player. Been playing electric for almost 40 years but I just came into possession of an old acoustic bass and Im finally ready to be a real bass player. I'll have to watch more of your videos to help my technique.
I really like your video. I have been playing the DB for just over a year and this really helped me out. My arm/hands were going numb and I was kind of freaking out. LOL! My question is: how is this for bowing? My teacher has me doing about 50% arco and 50% pizz. Thanks again. I cannot wait to watch the other videos.
Thanks so much for the great video Geoff! I am a bass guitarist and I will be purchasing an upright soon. I plan to use these videos to get me started! Your extremely helpful and descriptive! You just earned another subscriber!
I was reluctant to watch and care about standing technique, because you know I have to look at the fingerboard (Im new) and thats why I face the fingerboard. But I tried out exactly as you showed and must say I have such a better connection to the instrument! Also, because I sing while playing (songs, not just anything), correct breathing is super important, being straight and relaxed. But your technique absolutely works and even opens up my voice (deepens it) a tiny bit!! Thank you so much, it's a huge difference. Highly recommended. If you have tips for singing+playing, I'd be happy to hear about them. Cheers, jilski
+jilski thanks, I really appreciate that and it's great to hear the lesson worked for you. I'm afraid I'm a pretty terrible singer, but I think that working out what beats the singing/bass playing land on to help you see how the parts function rhythmically is how I would go about it. That way you can see what words and bass notes land on the same beats etc... plus lots of practising them separately, then putting them together. Good luck with it and thanks for checking out the video, cheers Geoff :-)
I am a Electric Bassist, I want to play Double Bass also. It will enrich my playing a understanding the instrument, I fell in love with bass and it's beautiful sound. I am real bass 🤓 geek!!
@@DiscoverDoubleBass Thanks you!! I have my upright bass fixed, fingerboard and bridge fell off. This bass I bought is about 80 years ago, I bought it in 1990. It was made in Chicago in the 1930's I believe.
Hi Jordyn, I'm in the process of replacing a bunch of the early lessons so there's about 15 which are not available. The good news is that the numbers are just the order they were released, not an order to watch them in so you are not missing anything important. Plus, keep an eye out for new versions of these topics over the next couple of months. Cheers Geoff :-)
Fantastic tutorial thank you. ..I'm just getting started , moving over from bass guitar , this is facanating but slightly different from the set up of a bass guitar , myself using an electric upright double bass I'll have to adjust a few things. Thank you for your effort. Cheers. Gavin.
Geoffrey thank you once again you have acknowledged some of my questions, and some I didn't even think about, dealing with height and position of the stand up bass. I'm thinking about purchasing me a standup, I generally have only played a traditional bass guitar I held my friends standup bass and kind of wondered if I would like to give it a go , so now with your you tube instruction I'm sure I will get my first standup bass,,,thank you thank you
Hey Timothy, I also started out on electric and it gives you a great grounding. So much is transferable to upright so I hope you enjoy the journey. I would really focus on this lesson and the left hand ones at first as they seem to be the areas that are the most different from electric bass. Good luck and if you make the switch I hope you enjoy it, cheers Geoff
Thanks a lot. I was considering to start learning double bass, but I have back pain. Looking at the body position and mainly to reach the high notes I'm afraid that it is really bad for my back. Is that better if play seated ? Otherwise I think I need to forget, ... Too bad.
I think you should be able to play and keep your back straight, both seated and standing. The key is to bend at the waist and not bend your spine. This lesson on thumb position shows you the approach we use when playing the high notes. Also bear in mind that those notes are very high and the vast majority of bassists spend most of their time in the lower positions. discoverdoublebass.com/lesson/double-bass-thumb-position-lesson
I really appreciate these TH-cam Channel, thanks so much! I want to learn double bass but I don't know which is a good option. How much is a good double bass for learning? At this time I play guitar, maybe it will help me? Greetings from Chile!!
***** Hi Nadim, great to hear you are enjoying the lessons. I'm afraid I can't be too specific about costs as they vary so much but I would keep an eye out for a used bass that's been well set up and has decent strings so you can play in comfort. Guitar will help as it's similar tuning and techniques. I hope that helps, best of luck with your playing and I hope you get to play an upright bass soon, cheers Geoff :-)
Thanks Geoff! I understand. So maybe I can buy an used double bass and after going to a luthier for setting up and changing strings. I think the next week I will have my double bass and, for sure, I will see your lessons! Thanks again! :D
***** I think that's a good option, especially if you can get either a luthier or bass teacher to check it out before you buy it. It's always a challenge to find a decent bass without spending tons of cash, but I would focus on the set up as that makes a huge difference. Best of luck and I hope you enjoy the lessons, cheers Geoff :-)
Nadim E You should try renting a Double Bass first to get the feel for it and see if you actually like it before spending a lot of money on buying one.
Could you please give your opinion on the use of a bass stand? I know there are a few out there that people have actually used While playing... What is your take on this? Doing a little research in advance of getting a double bass, (I have an EUB that has a stand, but am determined to get a double bass asap). Thanks for all your videos, I am Binge Watching them all!
I wouldn't recommend using a stand as it will make the instrument harder to play with conventional technique. I know there are a few people who do it, but my view is it will hold you back as if you play standing you need to adjust the angle of the instrument, especially as you move into thumb position. Also it's very likely the bass will be too vertical which makes playing in regular positions really hard! ....however the NS EUBs do come with a stand, but they are able to be moved into a better playing position than you can get with an acoustic bass on a regular stand. Good luck with all your practice and it's fantastic to hear you're getting into upright bass!
Hi, I have just bought a 3/4 size double bass and as I'm only 5'4" could not lower the bass to a height as suggested in your video. I suppose I could stand on a small chair or put up with raising my arms above mu head when playing the lower notes. What do you suggest? Thanks in anticipation. Regards Charlie
Hey Charlie, I think if the end pin is at the lowest setting I would try to lean it into you to get the height more comfortable. It's tricky without seeing you, but I know a lot of guys who are a similar height and if the end pin is not extended it should be fine. Good luck with your practice, Cheers Geoff
Hi Geoff. I play with a German bow, and am having trouble playing the E string without shifting the bass around, or contorting myself a bit. (I have recently started learning to play with a bow, and up until this point have only played pizz, or EBG). Do you have any advice? Do you have a video that covers this? Great videos! Keep up the good work.
Hey James. I do move the instrument when playing on different strings with German bow. Generally the bass needs to be a little bit more forward facing when bowing the E string. It's a question I've been asked a few times and I do plan to do a lesson on it in future so keep an eye out for that. The main thing is that it's not huge movements, just small adjustments to allow the bow to travel past your side. I hope that helps, cheers Geoff
How's your standing posture? Go right back to the basics and check out one of my first ever double bass lessons! th-cam.com/video/LD8qKV9aWD4/w-d-xo.html
If find it important to adjust the height of the instrument so that one can finger the highest position of the fret board. Too high and one can't reach over the body of the instrument. Too low and one can't bow or reach down the neck.
Double basses are about 6 feet tall, right? My great grandfather played double bass in a swing band and I have a photograph of him playing it and it's about an inch shorter than him maybe two and he was 6 feet tall, he had a full size 4/4 size one. But most people I see playing are a fair amount shorter than it, who's holding it differently? I'd love to learn the instrument myself one day, it's so beautiful.
So what does a newbie do regarding position of an Electric Upright? It's 34" scale. Since it's mounted rigidly on a stand, it's going to be a completely different approach. :-(
My best guess is that whatever you come up with, it will be slightly different to regular technique, but many of the same principles will still apply. I'm afraid I've not played one before so can't offer any specific advice, but there are bassists who take this approach so it's certainly possible. Best of luck with all your practice.
@@DiscoverDoubleBass Thank you for the very quick response on an older video. You should try one just to see what you think about them. I know they cannot replace a Double Bass, but as a workaround they are interesting.
hi. I'm thinking of getting a 1/2 size bass. I'm a full size person! but... a lot of strain on my left side. (head neck arm.) I have up for 8 years 'cause it was killing me..(!?) whaddaya think?
For most people I think a 3/4 is the way to go, but a 1/2 can work for some players. However, most players who find they have pain in their left hand is due to either a badly set up bass, or not using hand/arm weight and squeezing when they play. That is very common and most students need help to correct it. So a 1/2 might work for you, but only if you have exhausted the set up and technique issues as you will find you have the same problems on any bass.
I was trying your pose which was also taught by my instructor, tried to add your point of using arm instead of thumb to push the strings but every time I do that the bass rotates toward left and the reason is that there is more body of bass in the left side (I’m standing off center to the right of the bass) so this rotation is just the result of that. So either I have to be behind the bass to avoid rotation or minimize the force from the arm and mostly rely on my thumb. The only way to avoid the rotation is use my right thumb behind the finger board to find a counter force against rotating the bass. Overall the position is very unstable. So what is wrong with standing behind the bass?
It's really hard to say what's happening here without seeing you play, but the reason posture is so important is that it's not possible to utilise arm/hand weight as easily when you use an alternative posture like standing behind the bass. It sounds to me like you're positioning the bass in a way that's not secure, I would recommend checking out this video and reading the accompanying text as there may be something that helps pin point the issue. If not you really need to get feedback from an experienced teacher as if the bass moves when you're using arm/hand weight it will cause bad habits as you compensate to hold it steady which will slow your progress. Good luck and I hope this is helpful: discoverdoublebass.com/lesson/using-arm-hand-weight-the-balance-point
@@DiscoverDoubleBass hi there thanks for reply. I’m actually finding this rotation as a result of standing off-axis to the right of the bass (it’s evident when you line up the seam on the right hand side to the body, simple mechanic) and put a backward force on the neck IF thumb is not engaged. You do a demo without thumb and show how you keep bass stable on the end pin. That would be a great learning for me. Thank you 👍🏽
Hi there. I was watching another video and my instructor also both pointed out about importance of arm weight which is downward not backward hence it doesn’t cause rotation but the downward weight doesn’t quite help to transfer the force from arm to the fingers without thumb involvement however it helps to distribute the force to more muscles so thumb tend to get a bit less tired and also the press on the strings tend to become more firm that helps to get a more clear sound.
I have a question. I don't ever stand with one knee bent so im really having trouble getting used to standing this way. it's not comfortable at all,there's allot of tension and I'm just really having trouble with it. is there no technique for standing that would work with natural standing position or will I just have to learn this was exactly? ( also I have a little bit more of a belly and I don't know whether that is part of the reason im having trouble or not.)
+mias lotz Hi, it's a tough one to diagnose what the issue is without seeing you, but here's a few ideas. The position you stand in should be the natural stance, you should only use the inside of your knee to correct the stance when the bass moves away from you. Otherwise it should be a very relaxed, standing position just as you would stand normally, but with the bass leaning into you. Your weight should be equally divided between feet and shoulders relaxed. I hope that helps, thanks Geoff
I'm 5'4 and find it hard to balance the bass. I can't get my knee to the back of the bass without putting all my weight on one foot, which obviously isn't good. I've tried playing with a stool in the past but it's difficult to lug around. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Yes, you don't really need your knee on the back of the bass all the time. It should really be used as a corrective motion, otherwise all your weight is on one foot. Here's a lesson which I hope will help discoverdoublebass.com/lesson/using-arm-hand-weight-the-balance-point
Hi Geoff, I've been doing Lauren's "vomit" exercise standing up, with a French bow, I know she sits down to play. I have no problem with going upwards, say A to D, but when I return to the tonic the weight of my left hand doing the glissando is making the bass rotate anti-clockwise, making me lose good contact with the fingerboard. Any ideas how to avoid that? Thank you.
Hard to say for sure without seeing you play but it must be some kind of posture issue if you are maintaining contact with the fingerboard throughout the shift. My best guess is you don't have the bass balanced correctly. When descending try to let the instrument fall to your right so you can use it's weight to press into your fingers of the left hand by letting it fall into you. So the face of the bass becomes slightly more closed, rather than open. It's a very subtle feeling but will help keep the bass from rotating. You probably won't be able to see it as it's just a subtle movement of the instrument's weight. Once you have it try to use as little as possible and keep it subtle. I hope that helps, bear in mind I can't say for sure without seeing you play. Cheers Geoff
Discover Double Bass Thanks Geoff, that was exactly it. I think I had the bass a tad too vertical. I left it lean a little bit more towards me and, as you say, let the face of the bass turn slightly clockwise and the problem is solved. There seems to be an optimum point of balance which is easy to overshoot, 10ths of an inch it seems to me, but when I get it right the whole thing plays beautifully. It turns out the vomit exercise is a good test of the standing position you teach in this video.
I'm sure you're doing great and it's awesome you are working on the fundamentals of technique as it will help all aspects of your bass playing. Best of luck with your music :-)
+Blitzerg Kon It's 3/4 ...it looks a bit bigger than it is due to the camera angles, but it's actually fairly moderate in size compared to other 3/4s. The string length is 41.5"
Funny story last year in my junior year at high school I participated in an orchestra festival.And some guy called me out for having a bad technique and he told me that the endpin on my bass was a little too high for my height since I am kind of a short dude.So I mainly came to watch this video to learn the correct way to adjust the endpin and to never have a bad technique.
I've started playnig double bass for 2 months now. I've been playing with my left knee bent. And the bass is actually set straight like cello. Is this wrong? Sorry for my English. It's not my first language.
Great to hear you are getting into bass. I think it does sound like you may have the bass too flat against you and it might need to be on more of an angle. If you are standing you need to have your body weight evenly spread on both legs, except when you have to use the left knee to stop the bass falling. I suggest watching the video a few time and then comparing your own stance in the mirror. I hope that help, best of luck with your practice, cheers Geoff
I wish I could own a double bass. But these are soo expensive… and I don't want to buy cheap double basses. I never buy cheap instruments. Any idea? What would be a good starting price? thx
It's really hard to say as there's so many variables, but upright basses are expensive. I think the main thing to look for when is one that's set up well and has good strings. It's tough to say how much to spend but I would recommend checking out talkbass.com to see if there's any decent starter basses in the classified adverts. Also a local teacher may know of one being sold and getting an experienced player to vouch for the instrument is really useful. Good luck, cheers Geoff
Hi Geoff, I'm seeing lots of people say there's negligible sound difference between 4/4 and 3/4 basses. Is the same true for 1/2 basses? As a bass guitarist looking to move into upright, it would seem sensible for me to maintain as similar a scale length as possible along with the added benefit of fitting in cars / pits easier. Thanks!
Hey Stephen, it's such a tricky topic, especially as there's so much discrepancy between what people describe as 3/4, 5/8 etc... In general I would not suggest going for a true half size instrument as I've not seen one that would work well... there are smaller basses out there which are good, but I think the main thing is you focus on one with a string length of no more than 42" that's well set up. Probably a 3/4 on the the smaller side would be the best solution, but it's hard to be that specific with all the variables out there unless you are commissioning a new bass.
Me too, it's tough to remember to keep your weight evenly distributed and not end up with all the weight on your right leg. Good luck with it, cheers Geoff
Am i the only one trying to learn psychobilly and rockabilly double bass tricks from this chanel... about the video.. man during psycho gigs they play the bass in the air sometimes👌😂🤪🤦♂️
I have yet to purchase a double bass, but I have been curious about how to correctly play one for years now; this video is a tremendous help, and is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for posting such a great, helpful video.
As an Electric bassist moving to double bass, this corrected a few of my posture and height issues. Thank you!!
That's great Rob, I'm glad it helped. Cheers Geoff
Thanks for the feedback. Yes I have plans to do a lesson on bowing and I play German bow so will definitely be looking at that. Cheers Geoff
I learned to set the height with the bow in playing position, even though I'm not a classical player, I do practice with the bow. Holding the bow paralllel to the floor and crossing over the strings about half way between the bridge and the fingerboard , gives the perfect height for pizzicato with the rt hand. Your demonstration of balancing the bass is good. I find the corner of the upper bout resting just inside the rt hipbone , not vaguely against somewhere in the stomach. The hipbone is like a corner. Being an old hipster I find this comforting. Thx for the vids. Keep on plucking.
I bought my first double bass literally 1 hour ago. Thanks for the video, this seems to be a good starting point :)
Congrats! Enjoy your new bass :-)
How is it now?
yeah how is it now?! :)
@@kungfuviolist7284 I come from a electric bass background and I mostly play that. I've not had any "formal lessons" with the double bass so far. I played some shows with my with it and even did a busking roadtrip with my friends last year! It was great! Germany - France - Spain - Portugal and back. We payed for the whole thing with the money we made from busking + income from one show we played a few weeks before :)
@@Colorella13 wow that is amazing! Im so glad you got to do that
Thanks Geoff, I've had the bass just a few days now and this lesson has been invaluable - just extending the endpin an extra inch has made all the difference, my stance is much more open and the bass balances against me so much better.
Bobby G Thanks Bobby, that's great to hear. I find that bass height can have a huge impact on how you play so it's great to hear that's been useful. Best of luck with your practice, cheers Geoff :-)
Thanks Geoff, I really enjoy your videos. I am new and anxious to learn. I have joined the beginner class at a local music school and your videos reinforce what I am learning there. Its a big class with many people learning various instruments, so to have your videos available are very helpful for me.
Thanks for putting all the effort into making them. Cheers.
Thanks, i'm glad they are helpful. Best of luck with all your studies :-)
Starting to play upright in an old time band, this video has helped a ton with some of the issues I've been having. Time to do a deep dive into your content!
That's great to hear about your new bass and I hope you enjoy the journey :-)
Unvaluable lesson. I moved from bass to an electric EUB (sort of a stick insect with strings) and now i laid my hands over a real dbass. Got to adjust posture and tecniques, and your video is a great starter. I'm starting to take lesson too, but channels like your provide great value for practice. And yes, basses and dbasses are very different beasts!
***** Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it and best of luck with your new bass. Cheers Geoff :-)
Fantastic lesson just bought my 4/4 double bass and just starting out , I'm 5"11 so getting the height just right is important , it's all very confusing at the moment . I do play the alto and tenor sax and flute so thought to go for the double bass which I've loved since a child , love all the folk , blues , jazz ,soul music , I've self taught on all my instruments but must say I think I've met my match at the moment with the double bass lol
+SHARON LAKE Great stuff Sharon, I'm 5.10 so it should end up looking similar to my posture. Best of luck with the new bass, Cheers Geoff
Wait...... so you bought a bass that only plays 4/4 time?
Just kidding
@@sneakking101 IKR? Everyone knows you need a 4/4 bass for regular music and a 3/4 bass for the waltzes!
Thank you Geoff! I guess I never realized that I needed to adjust the height of my double bass and I’m 6’3”, so once I did as you suggested, it helped my comfort, ease of thumb position, etc… so much more, so thank you for opening my eyes up to this!!
I'm glad it helped :-)
Geoff has a comfortable and easy to follow teaching method. This is what Ive been searching for .Most of the other online teachers seem to loose me ( or maybe it's just my A.D.D. ), anyway I enjoy following Mr. Chalmers advice & that's what matters .
Thanks Phil. It's great to hear the lessons are helping and I really appreciate the kind feedback. I hope you have a great 2014, Cheers Geoff
Thank you for this wonderful lesson.
Fantastic lesson! Just moving from electric "slab" to upright. I don't ant to develop bad habits at the start, and this is SO helpful. Really appreciate the lesson, very clear and easy to follow. Cheers from Michigan!
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it! Best of luck with the new upright :-)
Thank you! Will be enjoying it! Especially with correct hand position! Hehehehehe
Thank you for deately explaining standing position for jazz doublebass players I think it is very usefull for improvizator doublubass solo players to
Awesome help
Glad it helped :-)
I've been bumbling around, reinventing the wheel apparently. Great to see some reinforcement of things I've become aware of, and great to be exposed to those I've missed. Very nice presentations. Thank you.
Thanks Timm, that's great to hear. I'm glad you enjoyed the lesson. Cheers Geoff
This is so helpful! I have to teach my string pedagogy class remotely the Fall because of COVID-19, so my students will not be able to use a bass or experiment with setting one up in person. This video is the cleanest description of how to do that. I'm going to subscribe to Discover Double Bass.
Glad it was helpful! I really appreciate the kind feedback.
Cheers Geoff! Will u make a lesson on holding the German bow? Also, the French bow. Great detailed vids!! Cheers
I'm starting to shop for my 1st Double Bass, and this was so helpful! I'm a short player, and knowing to line up the nut and lean it in would (I assume) be important to help find the right sized instrument.
Glad it helped! Best of luck with your practice.
I've been playing the bass on a stand. It's nice to not have to worry about holding/balancing/losing control of the beast, and just focus on intonation, clean bowing, expressive playing, etc.
I'm an electric guy just starting to learn double-bass as well. Very helpful, thanks! I'll be checking out your other videos soon too.
Can you give a lesson on practicing and relaxing?
Solo much to think about.
I was on the verge of a heart attack everytime you moved the bass around
I`ve been playing Double Bass with Rockabilly bands for years, but this lesson has really helped me with my left arm pump. Thanks!
+Mike Snow Thanks, that's great to hear :-)
Great Lesson.. Thank you so much...
I have just bought one and am keen to not start with any bad habits.. so thank you
There was an orchestra option in my school and I was very interested in playing the bass and the things you said helped me not have bad habits
Glad it helped 🙏🏻
Another terrific, clear and concise lesson on a crucial, fundamental technique. Thank you!
Really informative and useful. Im a beginning upright player. Been playing electric for almost 40 years but I just came into possession of an old acoustic bass and Im finally ready to be a real bass player. I'll have to watch more of your videos to help my technique.
Thanks, I also started out on electric and really enjoy playing both. :-)
cathridge What do you mean a real bass player?
Thank you very much. Accordionist here❤
I always played double bass sitting and I'm trying to figure out how to play standing and the video helped so much! Thank you!
Happy to help! Best of luck with all your playing.
Thank you for posting this!
Thanks so much! I love the channel and as a new double bass player the technique videos are so helpful.
Thanks and enjoy your new bass! 🙏🏻
I really want to learn bass and these videos just make me more and more prepared and excited for when I finally get one!!
Thanks for watching and enjoy your new bass when it comes 😀👍
I really like your video. I have been playing the DB for just over a year and this really helped me out. My arm/hands were going numb and I was kind of freaking out. LOL! My question is: how is this for bowing? My teacher has me doing about 50% arco and 50% pizz. Thanks again. I cannot wait to watch the other videos.
Thanks so much for the great video Geoff! I am a bass guitarist and I will be purchasing an upright soon. I plan to use these videos to get me started! Your extremely helpful and descriptive! You just earned another subscriber!
Awesome! Thanks for watching and best of luck with your new bass! :-)
I was reluctant to watch and care about standing technique, because you know I have to look at the fingerboard (Im new) and thats why I face the fingerboard. But I tried out exactly as you showed and must say I have such a better connection to the instrument! Also, because I sing while playing (songs, not just anything), correct breathing is super important, being straight and relaxed. But your technique absolutely works and even opens up my voice (deepens it) a tiny bit!! Thank you so much, it's a huge difference. Highly recommended. If you have tips for singing+playing, I'd be happy to hear about them. Cheers, jilski
+jilski thanks, I really appreciate that and it's great to hear the lesson worked for you. I'm afraid I'm a pretty terrible singer, but I think that working out what beats the singing/bass playing land on to help you see how the parts function rhythmically is how I would go about it. That way you can see what words and bass notes land on the same beats etc... plus lots of practising them separately, then putting them together. Good luck with it and thanks for checking out the video, cheers Geoff :-)
I am a Electric Bassist, I want to play Double Bass also. It will enrich my playing a understanding the instrument, I fell in love with bass and it's beautiful sound. I am real bass 🤓 geek!!
That's great to hear! Enjoy your double bass journey. It's an amazing ride :-)
@@DiscoverDoubleBass Thanks you!! I have my upright bass fixed, fingerboard and bridge fell off. This bass I bought is about 80 years ago, I bought it in 1990. It was made in Chicago in the 1930's I believe.
This seems easier that the Driving a double bass approach. I tried many times to look at it that way with no real success. This is very helpful.
+Eric Garcia Thanks, I'm really glad it helped. Good luck with your practice, cheers Geoff
I found my way to a lovely old bass, and now I'm trying to learn, your lessons have been great. Where is lesson 4?
Hi Jordyn, I'm in the process of replacing a bunch of the early lessons so there's about 15 which are not available. The good news is that the numbers are just the order they were released, not an order to watch them in so you are not missing anything important. Plus, keep an eye out for new versions of these topics over the next couple of months. Cheers Geoff :-)
Hello i just started the bass and your videos are such a great help, very usefull. thanks alot for your hard work and doing good youtube videos
My pleasure, it's great to hear you're enjoying them, Cheers Geoff
I'm from Brazil. I'm loving the lessons! thanks!
Sidnei Pioto Thanks, I really appreciate that and I love Brazil, I was there in 2013 and it's an amazing country, best wishes Geoff
Excellent lesson Jeff, thank you!!!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching :-)
Great presentation & playing!
Thanks Alan :-)
Thanks Geoff, once again! These lessons are incredible! :)
Cheers Adam, I really appreciate that :-)
Fantastic tutorial thank you. ..I'm just getting started , moving over from bass guitar , this is facanating but slightly different from the set up of a bass guitar , myself using an electric upright double bass I'll have to adjust a few things.
Thank you for your effort.
Cheers.
Gavin.
Hey Gavin, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Best of luck with your new bass :-)
Geoffrey thank you once again you have acknowledged some of my questions, and some I didn't even think about, dealing with height and position of the stand up bass.
I'm thinking about purchasing me a standup, I generally have only played a traditional bass guitar I held my friends standup bass and kind of wondered if I would like to give it a go , so now with your you tube instruction I'm sure I will get my first standup bass,,,thank you thank you
Hey Timothy, I also started out on electric and it gives you a great grounding. So much is transferable to upright so I hope you enjoy the journey. I would really focus on this lesson and the left hand ones at first as they seem to be the areas that are the most different from electric bass. Good luck and if you make the switch I hope you enjoy it, cheers Geoff
This is wonderful!!! Thank you!
Outstanding content! So glad I found you!
Thanks Kenny, I really appreciate that :-)
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great lesson!
Thanks! 😃
my orchestra teacher and I are talking about playing Violin and bass so im just looking into this to see if its something i really really want to do.
Both are great instruments so I'm sure you will enjoy playing either. Best of luck with your studies :-)
Did you ever do it. In the same position rn
I LOVE YOUR TUTORIALS.
Thanks Daniel! I really appreciate that, cheers Geoff
Very good. Thank you.
Question on sitting posture and setting for double bass when sitting down? Is there video for this?
I'm afraid we don't have one currently but it is in the pipeline for a future topic.
Cool! But if you need to play high notes?
Same set up, regardless of what register you play in.
Thanks a lot. I was considering to start learning double bass, but I have back pain. Looking at the body position and mainly to reach the high notes I'm afraid that it is really bad for my back. Is that better if play seated ? Otherwise I think I need to forget, ... Too bad.
I think you should be able to play and keep your back straight, both seated and standing. The key is to bend at the waist and not bend your spine. This lesson on thumb position shows you the approach we use when playing the high notes. Also bear in mind that those notes are very high and the vast majority of bassists spend most of their time in the lower positions.
discoverdoublebass.com/lesson/double-bass-thumb-position-lesson
I really appreciate these TH-cam Channel, thanks so much! I want to learn double bass but I don't know which is a good option. How much is a good double bass for learning? At this time I play guitar, maybe it will help me? Greetings from Chile!!
***** Hi Nadim, great to hear you are enjoying the lessons. I'm afraid I can't be too specific about costs as they vary so much but I would keep an eye out for a used bass that's been well set up and has decent strings so you can play in comfort. Guitar will help as it's similar tuning and techniques. I hope that helps, best of luck with your playing and I hope you get to play an upright bass soon, cheers Geoff :-)
Thanks Geoff! I understand. So maybe I can buy an used double bass and after going to a luthier for setting up and changing strings. I think the next week I will have my double bass and, for sure, I will see your lessons! Thanks again! :D
***** I think that's a good option, especially if you can get either a luthier or bass teacher to check it out before you buy it. It's always a challenge to find a decent bass without spending tons of cash, but I would focus on the set up as that makes a huge difference. Best of luck and I hope you enjoy the lessons, cheers Geoff :-)
I really appreciate your answers! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. See you on TH-cam! Cheers.
Nadim E You should try renting a Double Bass first to get the feel for it and see if you actually like it before spending a lot of money on buying one.
Could you please give your opinion on the use of a bass stand? I know there are a few out there that people have actually used While playing... What is your take on this? Doing a little research in advance of getting a double bass, (I have an EUB that has a stand, but am determined to get a double bass asap). Thanks for all your videos, I am Binge Watching them all!
I wouldn't recommend using a stand as it will make the instrument harder to play with conventional technique. I know there are a few people who do it, but my view is it will hold you back as if you play standing you need to adjust the angle of the instrument, especially as you move into thumb position. Also it's very likely the bass will be too vertical which makes playing in regular positions really hard! ....however the NS EUBs do come with a stand, but they are able to be moved into a better playing position than you can get with an acoustic bass on a regular stand.
Good luck with all your practice and it's fantastic to hear you're getting into upright bass!
Hi, I have just bought a 3/4 size double bass and as I'm only 5'4" could not lower the bass to a height as suggested in your video. I suppose I could stand on a small chair or put up with raising my arms above mu head when playing the lower notes. What do you suggest? Thanks in anticipation. Regards Charlie
Hey Charlie,
I think if the end pin is at the lowest setting I would try to lean it into you to get the height more comfortable. It's tricky without seeing you, but I know a lot of guys who are a similar height and if the end pin is not extended it should be fine. Good luck with your practice, Cheers Geoff
Hi Geoff. I play with a German bow, and am having trouble playing the E string without shifting the bass around, or contorting myself a bit. (I have recently started learning to play with a bow, and up until this point have only played pizz, or EBG). Do you have any advice? Do you have a video that covers this? Great videos! Keep up the good work.
Hey James. I do move the instrument when playing on different strings with German bow. Generally the bass needs to be a little bit more forward facing when bowing the E string. It's a question I've been asked a few times and I do plan to do a lesson on it in future so keep an eye out for that. The main thing is that it's not huge movements, just small adjustments to allow the bow to travel past your side. I hope that helps, cheers Geoff
Thanks, that definitely helps! I'm looking forward to future lessons on the subject. Best wishes!
I was just going to ask the same question...yes, such a video would be fantastic! Thanks a lot for your great lessons!
How's your standing posture? Go right back to the basics and check out one of my first ever double bass lessons!
th-cam.com/video/LD8qKV9aWD4/w-d-xo.html
If find it important to adjust the height of the instrument so that one can finger the highest position of the fret board.
Too high and one can't reach over the body of the instrument. Too low and one can't bow or reach down the neck.
Double basses are about 6 feet tall, right? My great grandfather played double bass in a swing band and I have a photograph of him playing it and it's about an inch shorter than him maybe two and he was 6 feet tall, he had a full size 4/4 size one. But most people I see playing are a fair amount shorter than it, who's holding it differently? I'd love to learn the instrument myself one day, it's so beautiful.
So what does a newbie do regarding position of an Electric Upright? It's 34" scale. Since it's mounted rigidly on a stand, it's going to be a completely different approach. :-(
My best guess is that whatever you come up with, it will be slightly different to regular technique, but many of the same principles will still apply. I'm afraid I've not played one before so can't offer any specific advice, but there are bassists who take this approach so it's certainly possible. Best of luck with all your practice.
@@DiscoverDoubleBass Thank you for the very quick response on an older video. You should try one just to see what you think about them. I know they cannot replace a Double Bass, but as a workaround they are interesting.
@@davidgagnon2849 yes I would love to. I think it’s a great alternative and would love to try one 👍
hi. I'm thinking of getting a 1/2 size bass. I'm a full size person! but...
a lot of strain on my left side. (head neck arm.) I have up for 8 years 'cause it was killing me..(!?)
whaddaya think?
For most people I think a 3/4 is the way to go, but a 1/2 can work for some players. However, most players who find they have pain in their left hand is due to either a badly set up bass, or not using hand/arm weight and squeezing when they play. That is very common and most students need help to correct it. So a 1/2 might work for you, but only if you have exhausted the set up and technique issues as you will find you have the same problems on any bass.
I was trying your pose which was also taught by my instructor, tried to add your point of using arm instead of thumb to push the strings but every time I do that the bass rotates toward left and the reason is that there is more body of bass in the left side (I’m standing off center to the right of the bass) so this rotation is just the result of that. So either I have to be behind the bass to avoid rotation or minimize the force from the arm and mostly rely on my thumb. The only way to avoid the rotation is use my right thumb behind the finger board to find a counter force against rotating the bass. Overall the position is very unstable. So what is wrong with standing behind the bass?
It's really hard to say what's happening here without seeing you play, but the reason posture is so important is that it's not possible to utilise arm/hand weight as easily when you use an alternative posture like standing behind the bass. It sounds to me like you're positioning the bass in a way that's not secure, I would recommend checking out this video and reading the accompanying text as there may be something that helps pin point the issue. If not you really need to get feedback from an experienced teacher as if the bass moves when you're using arm/hand weight it will cause bad habits as you compensate to hold it steady which will slow your progress.
Good luck and I hope this is helpful: discoverdoublebass.com/lesson/using-arm-hand-weight-the-balance-point
@@DiscoverDoubleBass hi there thanks for reply. I’m actually finding this rotation as a result of standing off-axis to the right of the bass (it’s evident when you line up the seam on the right hand side to the body, simple mechanic) and put a backward force on the neck IF thumb is not engaged. You do a demo without thumb and show how you keep bass stable on the end pin. That would be a great learning for me. Thank you 👍🏽
Hi there. I was watching another video and my instructor also both pointed out about importance of arm weight which is downward not backward hence it doesn’t cause rotation but the downward weight doesn’t quite help to transfer the force from arm to the fingers without thumb involvement however it helps to distribute the force to more muscles so thumb tend to get a bit less tired and also the press on the strings tend to become more firm that helps to get a more clear sound.
I have a question. I don't ever stand with one knee bent so im really having trouble getting used to standing this way. it's not comfortable at all,there's allot of tension and I'm just really having trouble with it. is there no technique for standing that would work with natural standing position or will I just have to learn this was exactly? ( also I have a little bit more of a belly and I don't know whether that is part of the reason im having trouble or not.)
+mias lotz Hi, it's a tough one to diagnose what the issue is without seeing you, but here's a few ideas. The position you stand in should be the natural stance, you should only use the inside of your knee to correct the stance when the bass moves away from you. Otherwise it should be a very relaxed, standing position just as you would stand normally, but with the bass leaning into you. Your weight should be equally divided between feet and shoulders relaxed. I hope that helps, thanks Geoff
I'm 5'4 and find it hard to balance the bass. I can't get my knee to the back of the bass without putting all my weight on one foot, which obviously isn't good. I've tried playing with a stool in the past but it's difficult to lug around. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Yes, you don't really need your knee on the back of the bass all the time. It should really be used as a corrective motion, otherwise all your weight is on one foot. Here's a lesson which I hope will help discoverdoublebass.com/lesson/using-arm-hand-weight-the-balance-point
@@DiscoverDoubleBass Thanks very much!
Cool 😁
Hi Geoff, I've been doing Lauren's "vomit" exercise standing up, with a French bow, I know she sits down to play. I have no problem with going upwards, say A to D, but when I return to the tonic the weight of my left hand doing the glissando is making the bass rotate anti-clockwise, making me lose good contact with the fingerboard. Any ideas how to avoid that? Thank you.
Hard to say for sure without seeing you play but it must be some kind of posture issue if you are maintaining contact with the fingerboard throughout the shift. My best guess is you don't have the bass balanced correctly. When descending try to let the instrument fall to your right so you can use it's weight to press into your fingers of the left hand by letting it fall into you. So the face of the bass becomes slightly more closed, rather than open. It's a very subtle feeling but will help keep the bass from rotating. You probably won't be able to see it as it's just a subtle movement of the instrument's weight. Once you have it try to use as little as possible and keep it subtle. I hope that helps, bear in mind I can't say for sure without seeing you play. Cheers Geoff
Discover Double Bass Thanks Geoff, that was exactly it. I think I had the bass a tad too vertical. I left it lean a little bit more towards me and, as you say, let the face of the bass turn slightly clockwise and the problem is solved.
There seems to be an optimum point of balance which is easy to overshoot, 10ths of an inch it seems to me, but when I get it right the whole thing plays beautifully. It turns out the vomit exercise is a good test of the standing position you teach in this video.
I thought I was good a the double Bass but after watching this video I have a lot to learn
I'm sure you're doing great and it's awesome you are working on the fundamentals of technique as it will help all aspects of your bass playing. Best of luck with your music :-)
I m 183cm ane 180 kg. I just have UP any Ideas?
hi, i want to ask something , what the size of your double bass ?
+Blitzerg Kon It's 3/4 ...it looks a bit bigger than it is due to the camera angles, but it's actually fairly moderate in size compared to other 3/4s. The string length is 41.5"
+Discover Double Bass ooooo,thanks for the information sir geoff !
Great, great
So Saturday morning I'm going to rent to own an upright bass...I'm nervous but excited...my journey begins....
Good luck!
Funny story last year in my junior year at high school I participated in an orchestra festival.And some guy called me out for having a bad technique and he told me that the endpin on my bass was a little too high for my height since I am kind of a short dude.So I mainly came to watch this video to learn the correct way to adjust the endpin and to never have a bad technique.
Welcome to the channel and best of luck with all of your bass playing :-)
im a electric bass player lates 40s can I learn the double bass
Yes, absolutely. Check out our website for lots of information which could help you on your journey. discoverdoublebass.com
To get into it Skip to 1:40.
I've started playnig double bass for 2 months now. I've been playing with my left knee bent. And the bass is actually set straight like cello. Is this wrong? Sorry for my English. It's not my first language.
Great to hear you are getting into bass. I think it does sound like you may have the bass too flat against you and it might need to be on more of an angle. If you are standing you need to have your body weight evenly spread on both legs, except when you have to use the left knee to stop the bass falling. I suggest watching the video a few time and then comparing your own stance in the mirror. I hope that help, best of luck with your practice, cheers Geoff
Thank you. :)
Alright . Cheers
I wish I could own a double bass. But these are soo expensive… and I don't want to buy cheap double basses. I never buy cheap instruments. Any idea? What would be a good starting price? thx
It's really hard to say as there's so many variables, but upright basses are expensive. I think the main thing to look for when is one that's set up well and has good strings. It's tough to say how much to spend but I would recommend checking out talkbass.com to see if there's any decent starter basses in the classified adverts. Also a local teacher may know of one being sold and getting an experienced player to vouch for the instrument is really useful. Good luck, cheers Geoff
Some people rent to own.
My coworker did that with his guitar.
There's nothing won't with cheap plywood basses. Just ensure it has been set up correctly by a luthier who actually knows what they are doing.
well...i am taller than the bass and the nut is broken what do i do?!
I'm afraid I don't know how to repair the nut. If possible I would recommend taking it to a luthier who can fix that for you.
멋있어요
Now i can practice my right hand
Good lessons.
I'm 5"4, and I'm just gonna ask- what's a good size for me?
I would recommend a 3/4 size bass, but it's a personal thing and instrument sizes do vary a lot, so it's always worth trying them first when possible.
Thank you!
This channel only makes double bass videos?
Yes, it's double bass only :-)
Ok just asking because I got my doublr bass like 2 or 3 days ago I and need help with it
double
Hi Geoff, I'm seeing lots of people say there's negligible sound difference between 4/4 and 3/4 basses. Is the same true for 1/2 basses? As a bass guitarist looking to move into upright, it would seem sensible for me to maintain as similar a scale length as possible along with the added benefit of fitting in cars / pits easier. Thanks!
Hey Stephen, it's such a tricky topic, especially as there's so much discrepancy between what people describe as 3/4, 5/8 etc... In general I would not suggest going for a true half size instrument as I've not seen one that would work well... there are smaller basses out there which are good, but I think the main thing is you focus on one with a string length of no more than 42" that's well set up. Probably a 3/4 on the the smaller side would be the best solution, but it's hard to be that specific with all the variables out there unless you are commissioning a new bass.
would like to learn playning the double Bass ..... but time ... time... to much I want to do and learn... hahaha
Ah, I also have this problem where all my weight goes to my right leg and I get very tired easily.
Me too, it's tough to remember to keep your weight evenly distributed and not end up with all the weight on your right leg. Good luck with it, cheers Geoff
100th coment
My endpin wont stay in place and nobody talks about this.
Is the spike slipping on the floor, or is the end pin coming loose and retracting as you play?
Discover Double Bass the pin just slips due to being stripped. The music stores finally opened up for me to take it in and get serviced today
@@afxmnstr That's good news. I'm sure they can sort it by adding a notch to the endpin shaft.
Am i the only one trying to learn psychobilly and rockabilly double bass tricks from this chanel... about the video.. man during psycho gigs they play the bass in the air sometimes👌😂🤪🤦♂️
What I heard him say is I am the founder of scubadubabass.com
bruh i thought this was for drums
Goddammit I thought this was Double Drum Pedals for Drums :( Peace out lmao
I have yet to purchase a double bass, but I have been curious about how to correctly play one for years now; this video is a tremendous help, and is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for posting such a great, helpful video.
Thanks for the feedback and best of luck finding an upright. :-)