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This article is about the stringed instrument. For the double bass used in percussion, see Double bass drumming. Double Bass (String Bass, Bass) Classification String instrument (bowed or plucked) It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Bass drum. ... Download high resolution version (1100x1500, 94 KB)Photo of my double bass, front and side. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... A cello bow In music, a bow is a device pulled across the strings of a string instrument in order to make them vibrate and emit sound. ... Jazz bass is played almost exclusively in pizzicato. ... Playing range Related instruments Violin family (Violin, Viola, Cello) Viol Musicians List of Bassists The double bass (also known as the contrabass, string bass, upright bass, bull fiddle, or simply bass) is the largest and lowest pitched bowed string instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. It is used extensively in Western classical music as a standard member of the string section of symphony orchestras[1] and smaller string ensembles.[2] In addition, it is used in other genres such as jazz, blues, rock and roll, rockabilly, psychobilly, and bluegrass. Like many other string instruments, the double bass is played either with a bow (arco) or by plucking the strings (pizzicato). The playing range of a musical instrument is the region of pitch in which it can play, i. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (946x490, 3 KB) Range & tuning of a contrabass, self made with Sibelius3 & The Gimp File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Double bass ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... The Violin family of instruments was developed in Italy in the 17th Century. ... For the Anne Rice novel, see Violin (novel). ... The viola (French, alto; German Bratsche) is a bowed string instrument. ... This article is about the stringed musical instrument. ... Various sizes of viol, from Michael Praetorius Syntagma musicum (1618) Early Italian tenor viola da gamba, detail from the painting , by Raphael Sanzio, c. ... A cello bow In music, a bow is a device pulled across the strings of a string instrument in order to make them vibrate and emit sound. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... For the song titled Orchestra, see The Servant (band). ... Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. ... For the song titled Orchestra, see The Servant (band). ... A musical ensemble is a group of two or more musicians who perform instrumental or vocal music. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Blues music redirects here. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early-1950s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... Jazz bass is played almost exclusively in pizzicato. ... Contents 1 History 2 Terminology 3 Design 3.1 Construction 3.2 Strings 3.3 Bows 3.3.1 German bow 3.3.2 French bow 3.3.3 Bow construction and materials 3.3.4 Rosin 4 Pitch 5 Tuning 6 Playing and performance issues 7 Classical repertoire 7.1 Solo works for double bass 7.1.1 1700s 7.1.2 1800s 7.1.3 1900s-present 7.2 Chamber music with double bass 7.3 Orchestral passages and solos 7.4 Double bass ensembles 8 Use in jazz 9 Use in bluegrass 9.1 Slap-style bass 10 Use in popular music 11 Modern playing styles 12 Double bassists 12.1 Notable Classical players of historical importance 12.2 Lists of notable players 13 See also 14 References 15 External links [edit] History The double bass is generally (possibly mistakenly) regarded as the only modern descendant of the viola da gamba family of instruments, a family which originated in Europe in the 15th century, and as such it has been described as a "bass viol."[3] Before the 20th century many double basses had only three strings, in contrast to the five to six strings typical of instruments in the viola da gamba family or the four strings of instruments in the violin family. It has been proposed that a number of these three-stringed instruments in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries were originally fretted five or six-string contrabass viols that were converted to the more popular three-string configuration[citation needed]. Various Viola da gamba The viol or viola da gamba family of musical instruments is related to the vihuela, rebec, etc. ... The double bass's proportions are dissimilar to those of the violin and cello; for example, it is deeper (the distance from top to back is proportionally much greater than the violin). In addition, while the violin has bulging shoulders, most double basses have shoulders carved with a more acute slope, like members of the viola da gamba family. Many very old double basses have had their shoulders cut or sloped to aid playing with modern techniques. Before these modifications, the design of their shoulders was closer to instruments of the violin family. For the Anne Rice novel, see Violin (novel). ... This article is about the stringed musical instrument. ... The double bass is the only modern bowed string instrument that is usually tuned in fourths (like viols), rather than fifths (see Tuning, below). The issue of the instrument's exact lineage is still a matter of some debate, and the supposition that the double bass is a direct descendant of the viola da gamba family is an issue that has not been entirely resolved. In his A New History of the Double Bass, Paul Brun asserts, with many references, that the double bass has origins as the true bass of the violin family. He states that, while the exterior of the double bass may resemble the viola da gamba, the internal construction of the double bass is nearly identical to that of other instruments in the violin family, and is very different from the internal structure of viols.[4] The Violin family of instruments was developed in Italy in the 17th Century. ... [edit] Terminology A person who plays this instrument is called a bassist, double bassist, double bass player, contrabassist, contrabass player, or simply bass player. The instrument's standard English name, double bass may be derived from the fact that it is approximately twice as large as the cello, or because the double bass was originally used to double the cello part an octave lower especially in Baroque and Classical music[citation needed]. The name may derive from its alleged viol family heritage, in that it is tuned lower than the standard bass viola da gamba. The name also refers to the fact that the sounding pitch of the double bass is an octave below the bass clef. This article is about the stringed musical instrument. ... Other terms for the instrument among classical performers are contrabass (which comes from the instrument's Italian name, contrabbasso), string bass, or simply bass. Jazz musicians often call it the acoustic bass to distinguish it from electric bass guitars. Especially when used in folk and bluegrass music, the instrument can also be referred to as an upright bass, standup bass, bass fiddle, or bass violin (or more rarely as doghouse bass or bull fiddle). Other colorful nicknames are found in other languages; in Hungarian, for instance, the double bass is sometimes called nagy bőgő, which roughly translates as "big crier", referring to its large voice. For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... [edit] Design Example of a Busetto-shaped double bass: Copy of a Matthias Klotz (1700) by Rumano Solano The design of the double bass, in contrast to the instruments in the violin family, has never been fully standardized. In general there are two major approaches to the design outline shape of the double bass, these being the violin form, and the viol da gamba form. A third less common design called the busetto shape (and very rarely the guitar or pear shape) can also be found. The back of the instrument can vary from being a round, carved back similar to that of the violin, or a flat and angled back similar to the viol family. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (302x610, 21 KB) Summary Photo by Matthew Wengerd. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (302x610, 21 KB) Summary Photo by Matthew Wengerd. ... The double bass features many parts that are similar to members of the violin family including a bridge, f-holes, a tailpiece, a scroll and a sound post. Unlike the rest of the violin family, the double bass still reflects influence and can be considered partly derived from the viol family of instruments, in particular the violone, the bass member of the viol family. A cello with f-holes A guitar with a round hole A sound hole is a hole in the upper sounding board of a string musical instrument. ... The tailpiece is an element found in all musical instruments of the violin family. ... The scroll of a double bass A scroll is the decoratively carved end of the pegbox on certain stringed instruments, mainly members of the violin family. ... In a string instrument, the sound post is a small dowel inside the instrument directly under the treble end of the bridge, spanning the space between the top and back plates and held in place by friction. ... Various sizes of viol, from Michael Praetorius Syntagma musicum (1618) Early Italian tenor viola da gamba, detail from the painting , by Raphael Sanzio, c. ... The violone (literally large viol in Italian, -one being the augmentative suffix) is a musical instrument of the viol family. ... The double bass also differs from members of the violin family in that the shoulders are (sometimes) sloped, the back is often angled (both to allow easier access to the instrument, particularly in the upper range), and machine tuners are always fitted. Lack of standardization in design means that one double bass can sound and look very different from another. To see some of the variations and construction approaches discussed above visit the websites quoted below. The machine heads on a Squier Stratocaster electric guitar. ... [edit] Construction Salient parts of the double bass The double bass is closest in construction to violins, but has some notable similarities to the violone (literally "large viol"), the largest and lowest member of the viola da gamba family. Unlike the violone, however, the fingerboard of the double bass is unfretted, and the double bass has fewer strings (the violone, like most viols, generally had six strings, although some specimens had five or four). Image File history File linksMetadata Bassdiagram. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bassdiagram. ... The violone (literally large viol in Italian, -one being the augmentative suffix) is a musical instrument of the viol family. ... The neck of a guitar showing the first four frets. ... An important distinction between the double bass and other members of the violin family is the construction of the pegbox. While the violin, viola, and cello all use friction pegs for gross tuning adjustments, the double bass has machine heads. This development makes fine tuners unnecessary. At the base of the double bass is a metal spike called the endpin, which rests on the floor. This endpin is generally more robust than that of a cello, because of the greater mass of the instrument. A pegbox is the part of certain stringed musical instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass) that houses the tuning pegs. ... For the Anne Rice novel, see Violin (novel). ... The viola (French, alto; German Bratsche) is a bowed string instrument. ... This article is about the stringed musical instrument. ... Tuning Peg is a small peg that is used to hold a string for a stringed instrument. ... The machine heads on a Squier Stratocaster electric guitar. ... The endpin is the component of a cello or double bass that makes contact with the floor. ... The soundpost and bass bar are components of the internal construction. The materials most often used are maple (back, neck, ribs), spruce (top), and ebony (fingerboard, tailpiece). The exception to this are less-expensive basses which have laminated (plywood) tops, backs, and ribs. These basses are resistant to changes in heat and humidity, which can cause cracks in spruce tops. Composite material basses, which are used in music schools, are very resistant to humidity and heat, as well to the physical abuse they are apt to encounter in such an environment. Laminate flooring Laminated core transformer A laminate is a material constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together. ... Towers of Hanoi constructed from plywood. ... All parts are glued together except the soundpost, bridge and tailpiece, which are held in place by string tension. The tuning machines are attached to the sides of the pegbox with wood screws. The key on the tuning machine turns a worm, driving a worm gear that winds the string. Worm and worm gear A worm gear, or worm wheel, is a type of gear that engages with a worm to greatly reduce rotational speed, or to allow higher torque to be transmitted. ... Worm and worm gear A worm gear, or worm wheel, is a type of gear that engages with a worm to greatly reduce rotational speed, or to allow higher torque to be transmitted. ... [edit] Strings Detail of the bridge and strings Prior to the late 1900s, double bass strings were usually made of gut, but since that time, steel strings have largely replaced gut strings, because steel strings hold their pitch better and yield more volume when played with the bow.[5] Gut strings are also more vulnerable to changes of humidity and temperature, and they break much more easily than steel strings. Gut strings are nowadays mostly used by bassists who perform in baroque ensembles, rockabilly bands, traditional blues bands, and bluegrass bands[citation needed]. Gut strings, because they produce a "thumpy," darker tone when they are played pizzicato, better approximate the sound heard on 1940s and 1950s recordings[citation needed]. Rockabilly and bluegrass bassists also prefer gut because it is much easier to perform the "slapping" upright bass style (in which the strings are percussively slapped and clicked against the fingerboard) with gut strings than with steel strings. (For more information on slapping, see the sections below on Modern playing styles, Double bass in bluegrass music, Double bass in jazz, and Double bass in popular music). Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1224 × 1632 pixel, file size: 219 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1224 × 1632 pixel, file size: 219 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Catgut is the name applied to cord of great toughness and tenacity prepared from the intestines of sheep/goat, or occasionally from those of the hog, horse, mule, pig, and donkey. ... Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750. ... Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early-1950s. ... Blues music redirects here. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... The change from gut to steel has also affected the instrument's playing technique over the last hundred years, because playing with steel strings allows the strings to be set up closer to the fingerboard, and, additionally, steel strings can be played in higher positions on the lower strings and still produce clear tone. The classic 19th century Franz Simandl method does not utilize the low E string in higher positions because with older gut strings set up high over the fingerboard, the tone was not clear in these higher positions. However, with modern steel strings, bassists can play with clear tone in higher positions on the low E and A strings, particularly when modern lighter-gauge, lower-tension steel strings (e.g., Corelli/Savarez strings) are used. Franz Simandl (1840 - 1912) was a double-bassist and pedagogue who is remembered most for his New Method for the Double Bass, 30 Studies, and more advanced collection of studies, Gradus ad Parnassum. ... [edit] Bows The frogs of a French and German bow The double bass bow comes in two distinct forms. The "French" or "overhand" bow is similar in shape and implementation to the bow used on the other members of the orchestral string instrument family, while the "German" or "Butler" bow is typically broader and shorter, and is held in a very natural hand shake position. Image File history File links French_and_german_bows. ... Image File history File links French_and_german_bows. ... A cello bow In music, a bow is a device pulled across the strings of a string instrument in order to make them vibrate and emit sound. ... A cello bow In music, a bow is a device pulled across the strings of a string instrument in order to make them vibrate and emit sound. ... These two bows provide for different ways of moving the arm and distributing force on the strings. The French bow, because of the angle the hand holds the bow, is touted to be more maneuverable. The German bow is claimed to allow the player to apply more arm weight on the strings. The differences between the two, however, are minute for a proficient player trained in using his/her respective bow. Both bows are used by modern players, and the choice between the two is a matter of personal preference. [edit] German bow German-style bow The German bow (sometimes called Dragonetti bow) is the older of the two designs. The bowing style was handed down from when the bows of all stringed instruments had to be held in that fashion (middle three fingers between the stick and the hair) to maintain tension of the hair before screw threads were used. The German bow is easier to use for such bow strokes as staccato, spiccato, and detache[citation needed]. The German bow has a taller frog, and is held with the palm angled upwards, as used for the upright members of the viol family. When held in correct manner, the thumb rests on top of the stick. The index finger supports the bow at the point where the frog meets the stick. This is the finger that controls the tip of the bow. The little finger supports the frog from underneath, while the ring finger and middle finger relax not necessarily used for any thing. Some bass players will use their middle finger to support their index finger on the stick. Image File history File linksMetadata German_bow2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata German_bow2. ... Domenico Dragonetti with his Gasparo da Salò double bass. ... Various sizes of viol, from Michael Praetorius Syntagma musicum (1618) Early Italian tenor viola da gamba, detail from the painting , by Raphael Sanzio, c. ... [edit] French bow French-style bow The French bow was not widely popular until its adoption by 19th-century virtuoso Giovanni Bottesini. This style is more similar to the traditional bows of the smaller string family instruments. It is held as if the hand is resting comfortably by the side of the performer with the palm facing toward the bass. The thumb rests at the edge of the U-curve in the frog while the other fingers drape on the other side of the bow. Various styles dictate the curve of the fingers and thumb, as do the style of piece- a more pronounced curve and lighter hold on the bow is used for virtuosic or more delicate pieces, while a flatter curve and sturdier grip on the bow provides more power for rich orchestral passages. Image File history File linksMetadata French_bow2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata French_bow2. ... Giovanni Bottesini. ... [edit] Bow construction and materials Pernambuco is regarded by many players as the best stick material, but due to its scarcity and expense, other materials are used in less expensive bows nowadays. Less expensive student bows may be constructed of solid fiberglass, or of less valuable varieties of brazilwood. Brazilwood is a common name for several trees of the family Leguminosae (Pulse family) whose wood yields a red dye called brazilein. ... Bundle of fiberglass Fiberglass (also called fibreglass and glass fibre) is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. ... Snakewood and carbon fiber are also used in bows of a variety of different qualities. The frog of the double bass bow is usually made out of ebony, although Snakewood and buffalo horn are used by some luthiers. The wire wrapping is gold or silver in quality bows, and the hair is usually horsehair. Some of the lowest-quality student bows feature synthetic fiberglass "hair". Double bass bows vary in length, but average around 24" (60 cm). Binomial name Acacia xiphophylla E.Pritz. ... Graphite-reinforced plastic or carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP or CRP), is a strong, light and very expensive composite material or fibre reinforced plastic. ... For other uses, see Ebony (disambiguation). ... Tribes Bovini Boselaphini Strepsicerotini The biological subfamily Bovinae (or bovines) includes a diverse group of about 24 species of medium-sized to large ungulates, including domestic cattle, Bison, the Water Buffalo, the Yak, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... This article is about the chemical element. ... Horsehair refers to hair taken from the mane or tail of horses. ... The double bass bow is strung with either white or black horsehair, or a combination of the two (known as "salt and pepper"), as opposed to the customary white horsehair used on the bows of other string instruments. The slightly rougher black hair is believed by some to "grab" the heavier strings better; similarly, some bassists and luthiers believe that it is easier to produce a smoother sound with the white variety. Red hair is also commonly used. [edit] Rosin String players apply rosin to the hair of their bows so that the hair will "grip" the string and make it vibrate. Double bass rosin is generally softer and stickier than violin rosin to allow the hair to grab the thicker strings better, but players use a wide variety of rosins that vary from quite hard (like violin rosin) to quite soft, depending on the weather, the humidity, and the skill and preference of the player. The amount used generally depends on the type of music being performed as well as the personal preferences of the player. Most bassists apply more rosin in works for large orchestra (e.g., Brahms symphonies) than for delicate chamber works.[citation needed] Popular brands include Pop's Double Bass Rosin, which is softer and is prone to melting, and Carlsson Double Bass Rosin, which is harder.[citation needed] A 20 g cake of amber violin bow rosin. ... [edit] Pitch The bass (or F) clef is used for most orchestral double bass music. The lowest note of a double bass is an E1 (on standard four-string basses) at approximately 41 Hz or a B0 (when five strings are used) at approximately 31 Hz, and the highest notes are almost down at the bridge. Image File history File links Bass_clef. ... Image File history File links Bass_clef. ... In many double bass concertos harmonic tones are used. The use of natural harmonics (a technique often used by Giovanni Bottesini) and sometimes even "false" harmonics, where the thumb stops the note and the octave or other harmonic is activated by lightly touching the string at the relative node point, extend the double bass' range considerably. In acoustics and telecommunication, the harmonic of a wave is a component frequency of the signal that is an integral multiple of the fundamental frequency. ... Giovanni Bottesini. ... The double bass parts from most orchestral music rarely exceed three octaves. However, a virtuoso solo player could cover five or six octaves in solo bass repertoire, using natural and artificial harmonics. Since the range of the double bass lies largely below the standard bass clef, it is notated an octave higher (hence sounding an octave lower than written). This transposition applies even when reading the tenor and treble clef, which are used to avoid excessive ledger lines when notating the instrument's upper range. A clef (French for key) is a symbol used in musical notation that assigns notes to lines and spaces on the musical staff. ... A clef (French for key) is a symbol used in musical notation that assigns notes to lines and spaces on the musical staff. ... A clef (French for key) is a symbol used in musical notation that assigns notes to lines and spaces on the musical staff. ... [edit] Tuning Double Bass sheet music with fingering notes written on The double bass is generally tuned in fourths, in contrast to the other members of the orchestral string family, which are tuned in fifths. This avoids too long a finger stretch (known as an "extension"). Modern double basses are usually tuned (low to high) E-A-D-G. The lowest string is tuned to E (the same pitch as the lowest E on a modern piano, approximately 41 cycles per second), nearly three octaves below middle C); and the highest string is tuned to G, an octave and a fourth below middle C (approximately 98 cycles per second). Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1224 × 1632 pixel, file size: 348 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1224 × 1632 pixel, file size: 348 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Violin family of instruments was developed in Italy in the 17th Century. ... A short grand piano, with the lid up. ... In Western music, the expression middle C refers to the note C or Do located exactly between the two staves of the grand staff, quoted as C4 in note-octave notation (also known as scientific pitch notation). ... A variety of tunings and numbers of strings were used on a variety of confusingly-named instruments through the sixteenth to the early twentieth centuries, by which time the four-stringed tuning mentioned above became almost universal. Much of the classical repertoire has notes that fall below the range of a standard double bass. Notes below low E appear regularly in double bass parts in the Baroque and Classical eras, when the double bass was typically doubling the cello part an octave below. In the Romantic era and the 20th-century, composers such as Mahler, Beethoven, and Prokofiev also requested notes below the low E. This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the 2000s . ... Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750. ... The Classical period in Western music occurred from about 1750 to 1820, despite considerable overlap at both ends with preceding and following periods, as is true for all musical eras. ... The era of Romantic music is defined as the period of European classical music that runs roughly from 1820 to 1900, as well as music written according to the norms and styles of that period. ... Mahler refers to: Alma Maria Mahler-Werfel, or Alma Maria Schindler-Mahler Anna Mahler Arthur Mahler, Austrian archeologist Bruce Mahler, actor David Mahler, composer Eduard Mahler, Austrian astronomer; born in Hungary Gustav Mahler, Bohemian-Austrian composer and conductor Halfdan T. Mahler, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) from... Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized December 17, 1770 – March 26, 1827) was a German composer of Classical music, the predominant musical figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев) (April 271, 1891 – March 5, 1953) was one of the Soviet Unions greatest composers. ... There are two common methods for making these notes available to the player. Major European orchestras generally use basses with a fifth string, tuned to B three octaves and a semitone below middle C.[6] For the numerical computation software, see GNU Octave. ... A semitone (also known in the USA as a half step) is a musical interval. ... In Western music, the expression middle C refers to the note C or Do located exactly between the two staves of the grand staff, quoted as C4 in note-octave notation (also known as scientific pitch notation). ... A low C extension In the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, most professional orchestral players use four-string double basses with an "C extension" which extends the lowest string down as far as low C, an octave below the lowest note on the cello (more rarely, this string may be tuned to a low B). The extension is an extra section of fingerboard mounted up over the head of the bass, which requires the player to reach back over the pegs to play, or to use a mechanical lever system. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 560 KB) Summary An image showing a low C extension on a Double bass. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 560 KB) Summary An image showing a low C extension on a Double bass. ... A small number of bass players tune their strings in fifths, like a cello but an octave lower (C-G-D-A low to high). This tuning was used by the jazz player Red Mitchell and is increasingly used by classical players, notably the Canadian bassist Joel Quarrington. Tuning in fifths can also make the instrument louder, because the strings have more common overtones, causing the strings to vibrate sympathetically.[7] Fifths tuning is a non-standard tuning for the double bass, used primarily in classical and jazz music. ... Keith Moore Mitchell (September 20, 1927, New York City - November 8, 1992, Salem, Oregon), better known as Red Mitchell, was an American jazz bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet. ... Joel Quarrington (born January 15, 1955), is a Canadian double bass player and soloist. ... This article is about resonance in physics. ... In classical solo playing the double bass is usually tuned a whole tone higher (F♯-B-E-A). This higher tuning is called "solo tuning," whereas the regular tuning is known as "orchestral tuning." String tension differs so much between solo and orchestral tuning that a different set of strings is often employed that has a lighter gauge. Strings are always labelled for either solo or orchestral tuning, and published solo music is arranged for either solo or orchestral tuning. Some popular solos and concerti, such as the Koussevitsky Concerto are available in both solo and orchestral tuning arrangements. Dr. Sergei Aleksandrovich Koussevitzky (Russian: Сергей Александрович Кусевицкий) (July 26, 1874 – June 4, 1951), was a Russian-born conductor, composer, and double-bassist known for his long tenure as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1924 to 1949. ... A variant and much less-commonly used form of solo tuning used in some Eastern European countries is (A-D-G-C), which uses three of the strings from orchestral tuning (A-D-G) and then adds a high "C" string. Some bassists with five string basses use a high "C" string as the fifth string, instead of a low "B" string. Adding the high "C" string facilitates the performance of solo repertoire with a high tessitura (range). [edit] Playing and performance issues Double bassists have the option to either stand or sit while playing the instrument. When standing, the double bass' height is set (by adjusting the endpin) so that the player may easily place the right hand close to the bridge, either with the bow (arco) or plucking (pizzicato). While personal opinions vary, often the endpin is set by aligning the first finger in either first or half position with the player's eye level. While sitting, a stool (which is measured by the player's seam length) is used. Traditionally, standing has been preferred by soloists although many now choose to play sitting down. When playing in the upper register of the instrument (above the G below middle C), the player shifts his hand out from behind the neck and flattens it out, using the side of his thumb as a finger. This technique is called thumb position and is also a technique used on the cello. While playing in thumb position, the use of the fourth finger is replaced by the third finger, as the fourth finger becomes too short to produce a reliable tone. Despite the size of the instrument, it does not project a loud volume, because its range is so low. When the bass is being used as an ensemble instrument in orchestra, usually between four and eight bassists will play the part in unison. In jazz and blues settings, the bass is normally amplified with a bass amplifier and loudspeakers. When writing solo passages for the bass, composers typically ensure that the orchestration is light, so it will not cover the bass. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble) or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium. ... Performing on the bass can be physically taxing because the strings of the bass are larger and thicker than those of a smaller stringed instrument. As well, since the bass is much larger than other stringed instruments, the space between notes on the fingerboard is larger. As a result, bass parts have relatively fewer fast passages, double stops, or large jumps in range. The increased use of playing techniques such as thumb position and modifications to the bass such as the use of lighter-gauge strings have reduced this problem to some degree. As with all unfretted string instruments, performers must learn to place their fingers precisely to obtain the correct pitch. Because the bass is larger than other string instruments, the positions for the fingers are much further apart. As a result, more shifting of position is required, which increases the likelihood of intonation errors. As well, for bassists with smaller hands, the large spaces between pitches on the bass fingerboard may present a challenge, especially in the lower range, where the spaces between notes are largest. A string instrument (also stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... Until the 1990s, child-sized double basses were not widely available, and the large size of the bass meant that children were not able to start the bass until their hand size and height would allow them to play a 3/4-size instrument (the most commonly-available size). In the 1990s and 2000s, smaller half, quarter, eighth and even sixteenth-sized instruments became more widely available, which meant that children could start at a younger age. The double bass's large size, combined with the fragility of the wooden top and sides and the wood make safely transporting the instrument difficult. Since hard cases are both expensive and heavy, many bassists use soft cases. Some players use wheeled carts or endpin-attached wheels to transport the instrument. [edit] Classical repertoire [edit] Solo works for double bass [edit] 1700s The double bass as a solo instrument enjoyed a period of popularity during the 18th century and many of the most popular composers from that era wrote pieces for the double bass. The double bass, then often referred to as the Violone used different tunings from region to region. The "Viennese tuning" (A-D-F♯-A) was popular, and in some cases a fifth string or even sixth string was added. The popularity of the instrument is documented in Leopold Mozart's second edition of his Violinschulë, where he writes "One can bring forth difficult passages easier with the five-string violone, and I heard unusually beautiful performances of concertos, trios, solos, etc." The violone (literally large viol in Italian, -one being the augmentative suffix) is a musical instrument of the viol family. ... Leopold Mozart Johann Georg Leopold Mozart (November 14, 1719 – May 28, 1787) was a composer, music teacher and violinist. ... The earliest known concerto to exist for the double bass was written by Franz Joseph Haydn ca.1763, which is now lost. The earliest concertos that exist today are by Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, who composed two concertos for the double bass and a Sinfonia Concertante for viola and double bass. Other composers that have written concertos from this period include Johann Baptist Vanhal, Franz Anton Hoffmeister (3 concertos), Leopold Kozeluch, Antonio Capuzzi, Wenzel Pichl (2 concertos), and Johannes Matthias Sperger (18 concertos). (Franz) Joseph Haydn (in German, Josef; he never used the Franz) (March 31, 1732 – May 31, 1809) was a leading composer of the classical period. ... Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (November 2, 1739 – October 24, 1799) was an Austrian composer and violinist. ... Sinfonia concertante is a musical form that originated in the classical music era, and is a mixture of the symphony and the concerto genres: It is a concerto, in that it has one or more soloists (in the classical music era usually more than one). ... Johann Baptist Vanhal (Jan KÅ™titel Vaňhal) also spelled Wanhal or Wanhall (May 12, 1739 - August 20, 1813) was a composer. ... Franz Anton Hoffmeister (May 12, 1754 – February 9, 1812) was an Austrian composer. ... Leopold Kozeluch (born Jan Antonín Koželuh, alternatively also Leopold Koželuh, Leopold Kotzeluch) (June 26, 1747 – May 7, 1818) was a Czech composer and teacher of classical music. ... Giuseppe Antonio Capuzzi (August 1, 1755 - March 28, 1818) was an Italian violinist and composer. ... Wenzel Pichl (25 September 1741, Bechyne, Bohemia – 23 January 1805, Vienna, Austria; known in his native language as Vaclav Pichl) was a classical Czech composer of the 18th Century. ... Johannes Matthias Sperger (March 23, 1750, Feldsberg[1] - May 13, 1812, Schwerin) was a Austrian contrabassist and composer. ... While many of these names were leading figures to the music public of their time, they are generally unknown by contemporary audiences. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's concert aria, "Per Questa Bella Mano", K.612 for bass, double bass obbligato, and orchestra contains impressive writing for solo double bass of that period. It remains popular among both singers and double bassists today. “Mozart” redirects here. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The double bass eventually evolved to fit the needs of orchestras that required lower notes and a louder sound. The leading double bassists from the mid to late 18th century, such as Josef Kämpfer, Friedrich Pischelberger, and Johannes Mathias Sperger employed the "Viennese" tuning. Bassist Johann Hindle (1792-1862) pioneered tuning the bass in fourths, which marked a turning point for the double bass and its role in solo works. Bassist Domenico Dragonetti was a prominent musical figure and an acquaintance of Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven. His playing was known all the way from his native Italy to the Tsar of Russia and he found a prominent place performing in concerts with the Philharmonic Society of London. He influenced Beethoven to write difficult, separate parts for the double bass which do not double the cello. Dragonetti wrote ten concertos for the double bass and many solo works for bass and piano. Dragonetti frequently played on a three string double bass tuned G-D-A from top to bottom, popular at the time as low E strings made of gut were difficult and expensive to make and were often problematic to play on. Domenico Dragonetti with his Gasparo da Salò double bass Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti (April 9, 1763 - April 16, 1846), was an Italian double bass player, born in Venice. ... “Beethoven” redirects here. ... The Royal Philharmonic Society is a British music society, formed in 1813. ... [edit] 1800s In the 19th century, the opera conductor, composer, and bassist Giovanni Bottesini was thought of as the "Paganini of the double bass" in his time. His compositions written in the popular Italian opera style of the 19th century for the double bass exploit the double bass in a way that was not seen beforehand requiring the virtuosic runs and great leaps to the highest registers of the instrument in the realm of harmonics. These compositions were considered to be unplayable by many bassists in the early part of the 20th century, but now are frequently performed. Giovanni Bottesini. ... Niccolò Paganini Niccolò Paganini, (Genoa, October 27, 1782 - Nice, May 27, 1840) was a violinist and composer. ... During the same time, a prominent school of bass players in the Czech region arose, which included such figures as Franz Simandl, Theodore Albin Findeisen, Josef Hrabe, Ludwig Manoly, and Adolf Mišek. The compositions from these bassist-composers show a high level of virtuosity in a different way than that of Bottesini's compositions. Bohemia, Moravia, Austrian Silesia - 1892, then part of Austria-Hungary Bohemia and Moravia-Silesia within Czechoslovakia in 1928 The Czech lands (Czech: ÄŒeské zemÄ›) is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. ... Franz Simandl (1840 - 1912) was a double-bassist and pedagogue who is remembered most for his New Method for the Double Bass, 30 Studies, and more advanced collection of studies, Gradus ad Parnassum. ... [edit] 1900s-present The leading figure of the double bass in the early 20th century was Serge Koussevitzky, best known as conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, who popularized the double bass in modern times as a solo instrument. Because of improvements to the double bass with steel strings and better set-ups, the bass is now played at a more advanced level than ever before and more and more composers have written works for the double bass. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Boston Symphony Orchestra is one of the worlds premiere orchestras. ... The double bass now enjoys many compositions from the 20th century by leading composers with concertos that include Nikolaos Skalkottas's Concerto (1942), Eduard Tubin's Concerto (1948), Lars-Erik Larsson's Concertino (1957), Gunther Schuller's Concerto (1962), Hans Werner Henze's Concerto (1966), Nino Rota's Divertimento for Double Bass and Orchestra (1973), Jean Françaix's Concerto (1975), Einojuhani Rautavaara's Angel Of Dusk (1980), Gian Carlo Menotti's Concerto (1983), Christopher Rouse's Concerto (1985), Henry Brant's Ghost Nets (1988), John Harbison's Concerto for Bass Viol (2006), and André Previn's Double Concerto for violin, double bass, and orchestra (2007). Nikolaos Skalkottas Nikolaos (Nikos) Skalkottas (Greek: Νικόλαος Σκαλκώτας) (born 1901 in Chalcis, died 1949 in Athens) was a Greek composer of 20th-century music. ... Eduard Tubin (June 18, 1905 - November 17, 1982) was an Estonian composer and conductor. ... Lars-Erik Vilner Larsson (15 May 1908 - 27 December 1986) was an important Swedish composer of the 20th century. ... Gunther Schuller Gunther Schuller (born November 22, 1925) studied at the St. ... Hans Werner Henze (born July 1, 1926 in Gütersloh, Westphalia, Germany) is a composer well known for his left-wing political beliefs. ... Nino Rota (December 3, 1911 – April 10, 1979) was an Italian composer best known for his work on film scores, notably The Godfather series and the films of Federico Fellini. ... Jean René Désiré Françaix (May 23, 1912 – September 25, 1997) was a French neoclassical composer, pianist, and orchestrator, known for his prolific output and vibrant style. ... Einojuhani Rautavaara (born October 9, 1928) is a Finnish composer of classical music, probably the best known Finnish composer of his generation. ... Gian Carlo Menotti, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1944 Gian Carlo Menotti (July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007) was an Italian-born American composer and librettist who wrote the classic Christmas opera Amahl and the Night Visitors among about two dozen other operas intended to appeal to popular taste. ... Christopher Rouse (born 15 February 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American composer. ... Henry Brant (born September 15, 1913) is a highly significant California-based composer of art music based on spatialization and limited aleatory. ... John Harbison John Harris Harbison (born December 20, 1938 in Orange, New Jersey) is a composer, best known for his operas and large choral works. ... André Previn (born April 6, 1929)¹ is a prominent pianist, orchestral conductor, and composer. ... Other composers to have written for the double bass in the 20th and 21st centuries include Reinhold Glière, Paul Hindemith, Luciano Berio, Christian Wolff, Fernando Grillo, Sofia Gubaidulina, Jacob Druckman, Iannis Xenakis, Salvatore Sciarrino, Vincent Persichetti, Mario Davidovsky, Samuel Adler, Bright Sheng, Oliver Knussen, Giacinto Scelsi, Charles Wuorinen, and Lowell Liebermann. Reinhold Moritzovich Glière Reinhold Moritzovich Glière (Russian: , Rejngold Moricevič Glièr) (January 11, 1875 [O.S. 30 December 1874] – June 23, 1956) was a Soviet composer of German descent. ... Paul Hindemith aged 28. ... Luciano Berio (October 24, 1925 – May 27, 2003) was an Italian composer. ... Christian Wolff is the name of at least two notable individuals: an eighteenth-century philosopher and mathematician - see Christian Wolff (philosopher) a twentieth_century composer _ see Christian Wolff (composer) a German actor This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the... Sofia Gubaidulina in Sortavala 1981 Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina, (Russian София Асгатовна Губайдулина) (born October 24, 1931) is a Russian-Tatar composer of deeply religious music. ... Jacob Druckman (June 26, 1928 – May 24, 1996) was an American composer born in Philadelphia. ... Iannis Xenakis Iannis Xenakis (Ιάννης Ξενάκης) (May 29, 1922 Brăila – February 4, 2001 Paris) was a Greek composer and architect who spent much of his life in Paris. ... Salvatore Sciarrino, born April 4, 1947, in Palermo. ... Vincent Persichetti (June 6, 1915 – August 14, 1987) was a composer and teacher at the Juilliard School whose students included Philip Glass and Thelonious Monk. ... Mario Davidovsky (born March 4, 1934) is an Argentine-American composer. ... Samuel Adler (1809-1891) was born in Worms Germany, and became a rabbi in 1842. ... Bright Sheng (surname Sheng, born Sheng Liang, Shanghai, China, December 6, 1955) is a Chinese composer of contemporary classical music. ... Oliver Knussen (born June 12, 1952) is a British composer and conductor. ... It has been suggested that List of works by Giacinto Scelsi be merged into this article or section. ... Charles Wuorinen (born June 9, 1938 in New York City) is an American composer. ... Lowell Liebermann (born February 22, 1961 in New York City) is an American composer. ... [edit] Chamber music with double bass Perhaps the most famous chamber work that features the double bass is the Serenade for strings in G major, "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" K.525 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart scored for two violins, viola, cello, and double bass. The work is more often performed today with more than one to a part. Mozart also included the double bass in addition to 12 wind instruments for his "Gran Partita" Serenade, K.361 (370a). One of Beethoven's most famous pieces during his lifetime was his Septet in E flat major, Op.20 for violin, viola, clarinet, horn, bassoon, cello, and double bass. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the common group to play at dance functions was two violins and a double bass. Beethoven also composed Six Minuets, WoO9 and Six Ländlers, WoO15 for this instrumentation. The Serenade for strings in G major, better known as Eine kleine Nachtmusik (A little night music or less literally, A little serenade), is one of the most popular compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. ... The Serenade No. ... A minuet, sometimes spelt menuet, is a dance for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... The ländler is a folk dance in 3/4 time which was popular in Austria, south Germany and German Switzerland at the end of the 18th century. ... Gioacchino Rossini, who composed a duet for cello and double bass for Domenico Dragonetti, also composed six string sonatas for two violins, cello, and double bass. Luigi Boccherini, whose father was a double bass player, composed three string quintets for two violins, viola, cello, and double bass. Antonín Dvořák also used the string quartet with double bass for his String Quintet in G major, Op.77 as did Darius Milhaud for his second quintet for strings. Portrait Gioacchino Antonio Rossini (February 29, 1792 – November 13, 1868)[1] was an Italian musical composer who wrote more than 30 operas as well as sacred music and chamber music. ... Luigi Boccherini Luigi Rodolfo Boccherini (February 19, 1743 – May 28, 1805) was a classical era composer and cellist from Italy, whose music retained a courtly and galante style while he matured somewhat apart from the major European musical centers. ... Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; September 8, 1841 – May 1, 1904) was a Czech composer of Romantic music, who employed the idioms and melodies of the folk music of his native Bohemiaand Moravia in symphonic, oratorial, chamber and operatic works. ... Darius Milhaud Darius Milhaud (IPA: ) (September 4, 1892 – June 22, 1974) was a French composer and teacher. ... Another famous piece featuring the double bass is Franz Schubert's Trout Quintet scored for piano, violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The piece is thought to have been influenced by Johann Nepomuk Hummel's Quintet for piano and strings, Op. 87 which uses the same instruments. The instrumentation was used again in the 20th century by Ralph Vaughan Williams for his Piano Quintet. Felix Mendelssohn wrote his Sextet for piano and strings, Op.110 using piano, violin, two violas, cello, and double bass. Schubert redirects here. ... The Trout Quintet is the popular name for the piano quintet in A major by Franz Schubert. ... Johann Nepomuk Hummel Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel (14 November 1778 – 17 October 1837) was a composer and virtuoso pianist of Austrian origin who was born in Pressburg (present-day Bratislava, Slovakia). ... A statue of Ralph Vaughan Williams in Dorking. ... Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847) was a German composer and conductor of the early Romantic period. ... During the 20th century, the double bass was used in a variety of works including Erwin Schulhoff's Concertino for flute/piccolo, viola, and double bass; Paul Hindemith's Octet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, two violas, cello, and double bass; and Serge Prokofiev's Quintet, Op.39 for oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, and double bass. The double bass continues to be used in chamber music by more contemporary composers. Examples of such pieces include Fred Lerdahl's Waltzes for violin, viola, cello, and double bass; Mario Davidovsky's Festino for guitar, viola, cello, and double bass; and Iannis Xenakis's Morsima-Amorsima for piano, violin, cello, and double bass. Erwin Schulhoff (Prague, June 8, 1894; Wülzburg concentration camp, near Weißenburg, Bavaria, August 18, 1942) was a Czech composer and pianist of German-Jewish origin. ... Paul Hindemith aged 28. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев) (April 271, 1891 – March 5, 1953) was one of the Soviet Unions greatest composers. ... Fred Lerdahl, Fritz Reiner Professor of Musical Composition at Columbia University, is a composer and music theorist, best known for his work on pitch space and cognitive constraints on compositional systems or musical grammars. ... Mario Davidovsky (born March 4, 1934) is an Argentine-American composer. ... Iannis Xenakis Iannis Xenakis (Ιάννης Ξενάκης) (May 29, 1922 Brăila – February 4, 2001 Paris) was a Greek composer and architect who spent much of his life in Paris. ... [edit] Orchestral passages and solos The double bass in the baroque and classical periods would typically double the cello part in orchestral passages. A notable exception would be Haydn, who composed solo passages for the double bass in his Symphonies No.6 “Le Matin”, No.7 “Le midi”, No.8 “Le Soir”, No. 31 “Horn Signal, and No. 45 “Farewell”, but who otherwise would group the bass and cello parts together. Beethoven paved the way for separate double bass parts which would become more common in the romantic era. The scherzo and trio from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is a famous orchestral excerpt as is the recitative at the beginning of the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ... Trio is generally used in any of the following ways: Three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument. ... “Beethoven” redirects here. ... Ludwig van Beethovens Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... While orchestral bass solos are somewhat rare, there are some notable examples. Johannes Brahms, whose father was a double bass player, wrote many difficult and prominent parts for the double bass in his symphonies.