NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Doublebass

The double 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, psychobilly, rockabilly, and bluegrass. As with most other string instruments, the double bass is played 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. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The viola (in French, alto; in German Bratsche) is a string instrument played with a bow which serves as the middle voice of the violin family, between the upper lines played by the violin and the lower lines played by the cello and double bass. ... A cello The violoncello, almost always abbreviated to cello (the c is pronounced as the ch in cheese), is a stringed instrument and a member of the violin family. ... Various sizes of viol, from Michael Praetorius Syntagma musicum (1618) The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, fretted stringed musical instruments developed in the 1400s and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. ... 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. ... A philharmonic orchestra An orchestra is a musical ensemble used most often in classical music. ... 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. ... A philharmonic orchestra An orchestra is a musical ensemble used most often in classical music. ... The word ensemble can refer to a musical ensemble an ensemble cast (drama) a statistical ensemble in mathematical physics, for example a thermodynamic ensemble a quantum ensemble a fluid mechanical ensemble a Climate Ensemble ensemble forecasting (meteorology) ensemble averaging a distribution ensemble (maths) a neural ensemble a DAB ensemble Ensemble... Jazz is an original American musical art form originating around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in Western music technique and theory and marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. ... 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. ... Psychobilly is a genre of music generally described as a mix between the British punk rock of the 1970s and the American rockabilly of the 1950s. ... Media:Example. ... Bluegrass music is considered a form of American roots music with its own roots in English, Irish and Scottish traditional music. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... Pizzicato is a method of playing a bowed string instrument by plucking the strings with the fingers, rather than using the bow. ...

Origins and history

The double bass is generally 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 can be described as a "bass viol."^[3] Various Viola da gamba The viol or viola da gamba family of musical instruments is related to the vihuela, rebec, etc. ...

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.

The double bass' proportions are dissimilar to those of the violin; 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. This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

The double bass is the only modern bowed string instrument that is tuned in fourths (like viola da gambas), 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. ...

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," comes from the instrument's Italian name contrabbasso (contrabass). The name "double bass" may be derived from the double bass' size, since 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. The name also refers to the fact that the sounding pitch of the double bass is an octave below the bass clef. Other terms for the instrument among classical performers are string bass, contrabass, 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, bass viol, contrabass viol, bass violin, doghouse bass, dog-house, bull fiddle, hoss bass, or bunkhouse bass. A cello The violoncello, almost always abbreviated to cello (the c is pronounced as the ch in cheese), is a stringed instrument and a member of the violin family. ... Jazz is an original American musical art form originating around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in Western music technique and theory and marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. ... Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case. ... Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and for the common people. ... Bluegrass music is considered a form of American roots music with its own roots in English, Irish and Scottish traditional music. ...

Design

The design of the double bass, in contrast to the instruments in the violin family, has never been fully standardized. 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. ...

In general there are two major approaches to the design outline shape of the double bass, these being the violin form, and the viol or 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 (with variations in between). The double bass features many parts that are similar to members of the violin family including a bridge, f-holes, a tailpiece and a scroll. 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. ...

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. 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 heads are almost always used for tuning. Various sizes of viol, from Michael Praetorius Syntagma musicum (1618) The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, fretted stringed musical instruments developed in the 1400s and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. ... The violone (literally large viol in Italian, -one being the suffix for large) is a musical instrument of the viol family. ... The machine heads on a Squier Stratocaster electric guitar. ...

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.

Tone

The sound and tone of the double bass is distinct from that of the fretted bass guitar and is similar to a cello. The differences in sound come from several sources. Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case. ...

The double bass's strings are stopped by the finger directly on the wooden fingerboard. This tends to make the string buzz against the fingerboard near the stopped position. The fretted bass guitar's strings are stopped with the aid of metal frets and buzzing does not generally occur. The neck of a guitar showing the first four frets. ...

Also, the double bass is an acoustic instrument with a hollow body that selectively amplifies the tone of the plucked or bowed strings. In contrast, bass guitars are often made with a solid wood body, and the sound is produced by electronic amplification of the vibration of the strings, which is "sensed" by magnetic pickups that also add to the characteristic tone.

Construction

The double bass is closest in construction 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 suffix for large) 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's due to 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. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The viola (in French, alto; in German Bratsche) is a string instrument played with a bow which serves as the middle voice of the violin family, between the upper lines played by the violin and the lower lines played by the cello and double bass. ... A cello The violoncello, almost always abbreviated to cello (the c is pronounced as the ch in cheese), is a stringed instrument and a member of the violin family. ... 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 the double basses sometimes used by blues, rockabilly, or bluegrass bassists, which have plywood-laminate tops and backs. All parts are glued together except the soundpost, bridge, nut and saddle, which are kept 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. Model constructed from plywood. ... A laminate is a material constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together. ... 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. ...

Strings

Historically, strings were made of gut, but since the 20th century steel has largely replaced gut due to its better playability.^[5] Gut strings are nowadays mostly used by individual players who prefer their tone. Some bassists who perform in baroque ensembles use gut strings to get a lighter, "warmer" tone that is more appropriate for music composed in the 1600s and early 1700s. In addition, bassists in rockabilly, traditional blues bands, and bluegrass groups often use gut strings, because they produce a "thumpy," darker tone when they are played pizzicato (plucked), which better approximates the sound heard on 1940s and 1950s recordings. 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). 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 and ass. ... Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 to 1750 (see Dates of classical music eras for a discussion of the problems inherent in defining the beginning and end points). ... Media:Example. ... Blues music redirects here. ... Bluegrass music is considered a form of American roots music with its own roots in English, Irish and Scottish traditional music. ...

Gut strings are more vulnerable to changes of humidity and temperature, and they break much more easily than steel strings. 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.

Tuning

The double bass is generally tuned in fourths, in contrast to the other members of the orchestral string family, which are all 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, approx 41Hz), nearly 3 octaves below middle C ); and the highest string is tuned to G, an octave and a fourth below middle C (approx 98Hz). Image File history File links Bassnotes. ... Image File history File links Bassnotes. ... The Violin family of instruments was developed in Italy in the 17th Century. ... A grand piano, with the lid up. ... The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the SI unit of frequency. ... In music, the term middle C refers to the note C located between the staves of the grand staff, quoted as C4 in note-octave form. ... The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the SI unit of frequency. ...

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. Some bassists use a fifth string tuned to B three octaves below middle C. 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. ... In music, the term middle C refers to the note C located between the staves of the grand staff, quoted as C4 in note-octave form. ...

Professional bass players with four-string double basses sometimes have a low "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 use a mechanical lever system. 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. As well, in the Romantic era and the 20th-century, composers such as Mahler and Prokofiev specifically requested notes below the low "E."

A small number of bass players choose to tune their strings in fifths, like a cello but an octave lower (C-G-D-A low to high). This tuning is mostly used by jazz players, as the major tenth can be played easily without a position shift, but 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^[6]. Fifths tuning is a non-standard tuning for the double bass, used primarily in classical and jazz music. ... 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. It is not uncommon for students that require solo tuning for a short period of time to tune up orchestra strings. Therefore the strings are always labelled for either solo or orchestral. Sometimes published solo music is also arranged especially for either solo or orchestral tuning.

Pitch range

The lowest note of a double bass is the E1 (on standard four-string basses) at 41.20 Hz or a B (when 5 strings are used) at 30.87 hertz, and the highest notes are almost down at the bridge. 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. A solo player will cover some 5 or 6 octaves on his instrument using these harmonics, whereas in most orchestral music, the double bass parts seldom exceed 3 octaves. Image File history File links Bass_clef. ... Image File history File links Bass_clef. ... 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. ...

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 clef and treble clef, which are used for the instrument's extreme 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. ...

Playing posture

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 sitting, a stool (which is measured by the player's seam length) is used. Soloists often stand and extend the endpin higher than normal while also adopting a sloping stance over the shoulder of the instrument in order to more comfortably reach the upper register in high passages.

When playing the extreme upper range 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 little finger is rarely used simply because its range is inefficient.

Bows

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 held with the right hand grasping the frog in a loose fist. Image File history File links French_and_german_bows. ... Image File history File links French_and_german_bows. ... In music, a bow is a device pulled across the strings of a string instrument in order to make them vibrate and emit sound. ... 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 and provide the player with better control of the bow. The German bow is claimed to allow the player to apply more arm weight- and thus more force- 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.

German bow

The German bow Dragonetti is the older of the two designs. The bowing style was handed down from the time when the bows of all stringed instruments played 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. Domenico Dragonetti with his Gasparo da SalÃ² double bass. ...

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 and middle fingers are held together and support the bow at the point where the frog meets the stick. The little finger supports the frog from underneath, while the ring finger does not support the bow at all. Various sizes of viol, from Michael Praetorius Syntagma musicum (1618) The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, fretted stringed musical instruments developed in the 1400s and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. ...

French bow

The French bow was not widely popular until its adoption by 19th-century virtuouso 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. Giovanni Bottesini. ...

Rosin

In order to allow the hair to grip the string, string players use rosin on the hair of their bows. Double bass rosin is generally softer and stickier than violin rosin, to allow the hair to grab the 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. A 20 g cake of amber violin bow rosin. ...

Stick material

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. 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 is used by some lutheirs. 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" (70 cm). 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 or fibreglass is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. ... 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. ... Binomial name Diospyros ebenum Koenig ex Retz. ... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silver, Ag, 47 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 5, d Appearance lustrous white metal Atomic mass 107. ... Horsehair refers to hair taken from the mane or tail of horses. ...

Stringing

The double bass bow is strung with white or black horsehair, or a combination of black and white (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.

Practical problems

Loudness

Despite the size of the instrument, it is relatively quiet, primarily due to the fact that 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. When writing solo passages for the bass, composers typically ensure that the orchestration is light, so it will not cover the bass. Loudness is the quality of a sound which is high in volume (amplitude, or sound pressure). ... Orchestration is the study and practice of adapting music for an orchestra or musical ensemble. ...

Dexterity

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.

Intonation

As with all unfretted string instruments, performers must learn to precisely place their fingers 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. A string instrument (also stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ...

Size

Until recently, 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.

Transportation issues

The double bass' large size, combined with the fragility of the wooden top and sides and the wood bodies' sensitivity to temperature and humidity changes can make it difficult to transport and store. Although double basses made of more damage-resistant carbon-fiber laminates or plywood laminate are available, these are less likely to be used by professional classical or jazz bassists. Carbon fiber composite is a strong, light and very expensive material. ...

Modern playing styles

In popular music genres, the instrument is usually played with amplification and almost exclusively played with a form of pizzicato where the sides of the fingers are used in preference to the tips of the fingers. Pizzicato is a method of playing a bowed string instrument by plucking the strings with the fingers, rather than using the bow. ...

In traditional jazz, swing, and some other styles of music, it is sometimes played in the slap style. This is a vigorous version of pizzicato where the strings are "slapped" against the fingerboard between the main notes of the bass line, producing a metallic click. The main notes are either played normally or by pulling the string away from the fingerboard and releasing it so that it bounces off the fingerboard, producing a distinctive percussive attack in addition to the expected pitch. Notable slap style bass players, whose use of the technique was often highly syncopated and virtuosic, sometimes interpolated two, three, four, or more slaps in between notes of the bass line. Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of jazz music that developed during the 1920s and had solidified as a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States. ... In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different though related playing techniques on the double bass and on the (electric) bass guitar. ...

"Slap style" had an important influence on electric bass guitar players who from about 1970 developed a technique called "slap and pop," where the thumb of the plucking hand is used to hit the string, making a slapping sound but still allowing the note to ring, and the index or middle finger of the plucking hand is used to pull the string back so it hits the fretboard, achieving the pop sound described above. Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case. ... Slap Bass More commonly known as Slap Bass, this sound is produced by a bass player hitting his thumb hard down on an individual string. ...

Classical repertoire

Orchestral excerpts

There are many examples of famous bass parts in classical repertoire. The scherzo and trio from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is a very famous orchestral excerpt for the double bass. The recitative at the beginning of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is also an extremely famous orchestral excerpt. Both of these examples are frequently requested in orchestra auditions. Another prominent example would be the opening of the prelude to act I of Wagner's Die Walküre. 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. ... 1820 portrait by Karl Stieler Ludwig van Beethoven (pronounced ) (baptized December 17, 1770[1] â€“ March 26, 1827) was a German composer and pianist. ... Ludwig van Beethovens Symphony No. ... Recitative, a form of composition often used in operas, oratorios, cantatas and similar works, is described as a melodic speech set to music, or a descriptive narrative song in which the music follows the words. ... The Symphony No. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813 â€“ February 13, 1883) was an influential German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as he later came to call them). ... Die WalkÃ¼re (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ...

Orchestral solos

Some composers such as Richard Strauss assigned the double bass with daring parts and his symphonic poems and operas stretch the double bass to its limits. Some solo works have been written such as Mozart aria "Per questa bella mano" (By this beautiful hand), K. 612, for bass voice, double bass, and orchestra, featuring the double bass as an obbligato. "The Elephant" from Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals is also a well known example of a double bass solo. The third movement of Gustav Mahler's 1st symphony features a solo for the double bass which quotes the children's song "Frere Jacques", transposed into a minor key. Sergei Prokofiev's "Lieutenant Kijé Suite" features an important double bass solo in the "Romance" movement. Later pieces with solo parts for the bass include a duo for cello and double bass by Gioacchino Rossini. Popular with bassists is Niccolò Paganini's Fantasy on a Theme by Rossini, a 20th-century transcription of the violin original. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart; January 27, 1756 â€“ December 5, 1791) was a prolific and highly influential composer of Classical music. ... This article is about the musical term aria. ... Portrait of von KÃ¶chel Ludwig Alois Ferdinand Ritter von KÃ¶chel (January 14, 1800 - June 3, 1877) was a musicologist, writer, composer, botanist and publisher. ... Italian for obligatory, from Latin word obligare, to oblige. ... Charles Camille Saint-SaÃ«ns (IPA: ) (9 October 1835â€“16 December 1921) was a French composer and performer, best known for his orchestral work The Carnival of the Animals. ... The Carnival of the Animals (French: Le carnaval des animaux) is a musical suite of 14 movements by the French Romantic composer Camille Saint-SaÃ«ns. ... Gustav Mahler in 1909 Gustav Mahler (July 7, 1860 â€“ May 18, 1911) was a Bohemian-Austrian composer and conductor. ... The Symphony No. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: , Sergej SergejeviÄ Prokofâ€™ev; 15/April 271, 1891â€“March 5, 1953) was a Russian composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. ... Portrait Gioacchino Antonio Rossini (February 29, 1792 â€“ November 13, 1868) was an Italian musical composer who wrote more than 30 operas as well as sacred music and chamber music. ... NiccolÃ² (or NicolÃ²) Paganini, (October 27, 1782 â€“ May 27, 1840) was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist and composer. ...

Quintets

The Trout Quintet by Franz Schubert added the double bass to the traditional piano quartet, creating an ensemble consisting of four members of the bowed string family plus piano. Antonín Dvořák wrote a much less well known quintet with double bass. The Prokofiev Quintet is a challenging piece, which features the violin, viola, double bass, clarinet and oboe. Other pieces written for string quintets with a double bass added onto a string quartet exist by Darius Milhaud, Murray Adaskin, Giovanni Bottesini, Domenico Dragonetti, and Edgar Meyer. The Trout Quintet is the popular name for the piano quintet in A major by Franz Schubert. ... Franz Schubert. ... AntonÃn DvoÅ™Ã¡k AntonÃn Leopold DvoÅ™Ã¡k ( ) (IPA: ) (September 8, 1841 â€“ May 1, 1904) was a Czech composer of Romantic music. ... AntonÃn DvoÅ™Ã¡ks String Quintet No. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев) (April 271, 1891 – March 5, 1953) was one of the Soviet Unions greatest composers. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The viola (in French, alto; in German Bratsche) is a string instrument played with a bow which serves as the middle voice of the violin family, between the upper lines played by the violin and the lower lines played by the cello and double bass. ... Two soprano clarinets: a Bâ™ clarinet (left) and an A clarinet (right, with no mouthpiece). ... The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. ... Darius Milhaud Darius Milhaud (September 4, 1892 â€“ June 22, 1974) was a French composer and teacher. ... Murray Adaskin (March 28, 1906 - May 6, 2002) was a Canadian violinist and composer. ... Giovanni Bottesini. ... Domenico Dragonetti with his Gasparo da SalÃ² double bass Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti (April 9, 1763 - April 16, 1846), was an Italian double bass player, born in Venice. ... Edgar Meyer is a prominent contemporary bassist. ...

Concertos

Domenico Dragonetti influenced Beethoven to write more difficult bass parts which still remain as some of the most challenging bass parts written in the orchestral literature and he wrote a large number of works for the double bass which include ten concertos and various pieces for double bass and piano. The term concerto (plural is concerti or concertos) usually refers to a musical work in which one solo instrument is contrasted with an orchestra. ... Domenico Dragonetti with his Gasparo da SalÃ² double bass Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti (April 9, 1763 - April 16, 1846), was an Italian double bass player, born in Venice. ...

Joseph Haydn wrote a concerto for double bass, Hob. VIIc 1 (now lost), for Johann Georg Schwenda, at Esteháza. Haydn wrote solo passages in the trios of the minuets in his symphonies numbers 6, 7 and 8 (Le Matin, Le Midi and Le Soir). Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf wrote two concertos for double bass and a Sinfonia Concertante for viola, double bass, and orchestra. Johann Baptist Vanhal also composed a concerto for the double bass which remains standard repertoire today. It has been suggested that Papa Haydn be merged into this article or section. ... A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... August Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (November 2, 1739 â€“ October 24, 1799) was an Austrian composer and violinist. ... Johann Baptist Vanhal (Jan KÅ™titel VaÅˆhal) also spelled Wanhal or Wanhall (May 12, 1739 - August 20, 1813) was a composer. ...

In 1905, Serge Koussevitzky (better known as a conductor) wrote a concerto for the instrument. Reinhold Glière, composed four short pieces for double bass and piano (Intermezzo, Op. 9.1, Tarantella, Op. 9.2, Preladium, Op. 32.1, and Scherzo, Op. 32.2). Eduard Tubin wrote a concerto for double bass in 1948. Other works for double bass and orchestra include Gunther Schuller's Concerto (1962), Hans Werner Henze's Concerto (1966), Einojuhani Rautavaara's Angel Of Dusk (1980), Gian-Carlo Menotti's Concerto (1983), Christopher Rouse's Concerto (1985), and John Harbison's Concerto for Bass Viol (2006). Other pieces for solo double bass include Luciano Berio's Psy (1989), for solo bass; Composition II (1973) by Galina Ustvolskaya, for eight double basses, drum and piano; and a sonata for double bass and piano by Paul Hindemith (who also wrote a number of other pieces for unusual solo instruments). This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A conductor conducting a band at a ceremony A conductors score and batons Conducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. ... Reinhold Moritzovich GliÃ¨re (Russian: ) (January 11 [O.S. 30 December 1874] 1875 â€“ June 23, 1956) was a Russian composer of German descent. ... Eduard Tubin (June 18, 1905 - November 17, 1982) was an Estonian composer and conductor Born in Kallaste, Estonia, Tubin fled occupied Estonia for Sweden in 1944, where he lived and worked until his death in Stockholm. ... Gunther Schuller Gunther Schuller (born November 22, 1925) studied at the St. ... Hans Werner Henze (born July 1, 1926 in GÃ¼tersloh, Westphalia, Germany) is a composer well known for his left-wing political beliefs. ... 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 (born July 7, 1911, Cadegliano, Italy) is an Italian-born American composer and librettist. ... Christopher Rouse (born 15 February 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American composer. ... John Harris Harbison (born December 20, 1938 in Orange, New Jersey) is a composer, best known for his operas and large choral works. ... Luciano Berio (October 24, 1925 â€“ May 27, 2003) was an Italian composer. ... Galina Ustvolskaya (born June 17, 1919) is a Russian composer of classical music. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A grand piano, with the lid up. ... Sonata (From Latin and Italian sonare, to sound), in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to cantata (Latin cantare, to sing), a piece sung. ... Paul Hindemith (November 16, 1895 â€“ December 28, 1963) was a German composer, violist, teacher, theorist and conductor. ...

In addition to being a virtuoso player, Johannes Matthias Sperger also composed a large number of pieces, many of which include the double bass. Among his compositions include 18 concertos, sonatas, and string symphonies. Giovanni Bottesini, a 19th century virtuoso on the instrument, wrote a number of concert pieces for the instrument, including two concertos for the double bass and various chamber works for double bass and piano. Giovanni Bottesini. ...

New works

Over the last thirty years or so players such as Bertram Turetzky and Gary Karr have commissioned a large number of new works. Player and composer Edgar Meyer has written two concertos for solo double bass and a double concerto for double bass and cello for the instrument and had made arrangements of Bach's unaccompanied cello suites. Meyer also includes the double bass in the majority of his chamber music compositions. Bertram Turetzky is a contemporary double bass soloist, teacher and author of The Contemporary Contrabass, a book that looks at a number of new and interesting ways of playing the double bass. ... Gary Karr (born November 20, 1941) is a famous classical double bass soloist and teacher. ... Edgar Meyer is a prominent contemporary bassist. ... Bach redirects here. ... The first page from the manuscript by Anna Magdalena Bach of Suite No. ... Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. ...

Player and teacher Rodney Slatford, via his company Yorke Edition, has published both old and new music for the double bass. Frank Proto, former bassist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, has published a large number of his own compositions as well as new editions of classic double bass repertoire via his company Liben Music . George Vance, noted teacher and author of "Progressive Repertoire for Double Bass", provides numerous publications from his company Slava Publishing. Norman Ludwin, bassist and composer, has published with his company Ludwin Music over three hundred works for the bass, including many original works as well as transcriptions. Rodney Slatford is an English contemporary Double Bass player and teacher (especially for young children). ... Cincinnati Music Hall As the fifth-oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours. ...

Other composers that have written for solo double bass include Fernando Grillo, Christian Wolff, Hans Werner Henze, Emil Tabakov, Vincent Persichetti, Miloslav Gajdoš, Henrik Hellstenius, Hans Fryba, Ase Hedstrom, Tom Johnson, Arne Nordheim, Luis Jorge Gonzalez, and Asmund Feidje. 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... Hans Werner Henze (born July 1, 1926 in GÃ¼tersloh, Westphalia, Germany) is a composer well known for his left-wing political beliefs. ... 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. ... American composer and critic Tom Johnson (born November 18, 1939), is one of the few composers to self-identify as minimalist, in fact, he may have coined the term while serving as the new music critic for the Village Voice. ... Arne Nordheim (born 20 June 1931) is a Norwegian composer, since 1982 living in the Norwegian States honorary residence, Grotten, next to the Royal Palace in Oslo. ...

Use in jazz

Beginning around 1890, the early New Orleans jazz ensemble (which played a mixture of marches, ragtime, and dixieland music) was initially a marching band with sousaphone (or occasionally bass saxophone) supplying the bass line. As the music moved into bars and brothels, the double bass gradually replaced these wind instruments. Many early bassists doubled on both the "brass bass" and "string bass," as the instruments were then often referred to. Bassists played "walking" basslines, scale-based lines which outlined the harmony. Noted jazz musicians who play the double bass, electric bass guitar, or both. ... Image File history File links Jazzbass. ... Image File history File links Jazzbass. ... Second edition cover of Maple Leaf Rag, perhaps the most famous rag of all Ragtime is an American musical genre enjoying its peak popularity between 1899â€“1918. ... Dixieland music is a style of jazz. ... A sousaphone player, showing how a Sousaphone is carried The sousaphone is a type of tuba often used in a marching band. ... The bass saxophone (or bass sax for short) is the second largest existing member of the saxophone family (or third largest, if the subcontrabass tubax is counted). ...

Because an unamplified double bass is generally the quietest instrument in a jazz band, many players of the 1920s and 1930s used the slap style, slapping and pulling the strings so that they make a rhythmic "slap" sound against the fingerboard. The slap style cuts through the sound of a band better than simply plucking the strings, and allowed the bass to be more easily heard on early sound recordings, as the recording equipment of that time did not favor low frequencies^[7]. For more about the slap style, see "Modern playing styles," above. George Pops Foster File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... George Pops Foster File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... George Murphy Foster, almost always known as Pops Foster (18 May 1892 (?) - 30 October 1969) was a jazz musician, best known for his vigorous string bass playing. ...

Double bass players have contributed to the evolution of jazz. Examples include swing era players such as Jimmy Blanton, who played with Duke Ellington, and Oscar Pettiford, who pioneered the instrument's use in bebop. Ray Brown, known for his virtuosic bowing technique, has been called "the Fritz Kreisler of jazz double bass playing." The "cool" style of jazz was influenced by players such as Scott LaFaro and Percy Heath, whose solos were melodic. Paul Chambers (who worked with Miles Davis on the famous Kind of Blue album) achieved renown for being one of the first jazz bassists to play solos in arco (bowed) style. Jimmy Blanton (1918 – July 30, 1942) was an American jazz double bassist. ... Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899 â€“ May 24, 1974), also known simply as Duke (see Jazz royalty), was an American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader. ... Oscar Pettiford (1922 â€“ 1960) was an American bebop bassist and cellist. ... Bebop or bop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. ... Raymond Matthews Brown (October 13, 1926â€“July 2, 2002) was an American jazz double bassist. ... Fritz Kreisler (February 2, 1875 â€“ January 29, 1962) was an Austrian violinist and composer, one of the most famous of his day. ... Rocco Scott LaFaro (April 3, 1936, Newark, New Jersey - July 6, 1961, Flint, New York) was one of the most influential jazz bassists of the 20th century. ... Percy Heath, (April 30, 1923 – April 28, 2005), was a jazz musician, most famous for his 40+ years as the double bass player for the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). ... Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. ... Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 â€“ September 28, 1991) was one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the 20th century. ... Kind of Blue is a jazz album by musician Miles Davis, released on August 17, 1959. ... An ARCO gas station in Los Angeles ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company) is an American oil company that prospered during the energy crisis. ...

Free jazz was influenced by the composer/bassist Charles Mingus (who also contributed to hard bop) and Charlie Haden, best known for his work with Ornette Coleman. Beginning in the 1970s, some jazz bandleaders such as saxophonist Sonny Rollins and fusion bassist Jaco Pastorius) began to substitute the electric bass guitar for the double bass. Apart from the jazz styles of jazz fusion and latin-influenced jazz, the double bass is still widely used in jazz . Free jazz is a movement of jazz music characterized by diminished dependence on formal constraints. ... Charles Mingus (April 22, 1922 â€“ January 5, 1979), also known as Charlie Mingus, was an American jazz bassist, composer, bandleader, and occasional pianist. ... Hard bop is an extension of bebop (bop) music which incorporates influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano playing. ... Charles Edward Haden (born August 6, 1937) is a jazz double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. ... Ornette Coleman Ornette Coleman (born March 19, 1930) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. ... An early Rollins picture graces the cover of Volume One Theodore Walter (Sonny) Rollins (born September 7, 1930 in New York City) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. ... Jaco Pastorius (December 1, 1951 â€“ September 21, 1987) was a jazz bassist and composer, notable for his virtuoso technique and fretless bass playing style. ... Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case. ...

Use in bluegrass

The string bass is the most commonly-used bass instrument in bluegrass music and is almost always plucked, though some modern bluegrass bassists have also used a bow. The Englehardt or Kay brands of basses have long been popular choices for bluegrass bassists. While most bluegrass bassists use the 3/4 size bass, the full and 5/8 size basses are less frequently used. Bluegrass music is considered a form of American roots music with its own roots in English, Irish and Scottish traditional music. ... // Onomastics and disambiguational informatins about the words, place- & human-names that forms Engel, Engl-, etc. ... Kay may refer to: In fiction: Kay, a character in the Men In Black film series and animated series Sir Kay, character from Arthurian legend In politics: Kay A. Orr, U.S. Republican Party politician Kay Bailey Hutchison, the senior United States Senator from Texas In other fields: DJ Kay...

The bluegrass bass is responsible for keeping time in the polyrhythmic conditions of the bluegrass tune. Most important is the steady beat, whether fast, slow, in 4/4 time, 2/4 or 3/4 time. Polyrhythm is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms. ...

Early pre-bluegrass music was often accompanied by the cello, which was bowed as often as plucked. Some contemporary bluegrass bands favor the electric bass, but it has a different musical quality than the plucked upright bass. The upright bass gives energy and drive to the music with its percussive, woody tone. Slapping is a widely-used bluegrass playing technique. A cello The violoncello, almost always abbreviated to cello (the c is pronounced as the ch in cheese), is a stringed instrument and a member of the violin family. ... Fender Precision Bass Bass Guitar is a commonly spoken phrase used to refer to the electric bass and horizontal acoustic basses, a stringed instrument similar in design to the electric guitar, but larger in size, commonly fretted and sometimes fretless and with a lower range. ...

Common rhythms in bluegrass bass playing involve (with some exceptions) plucking on beats 1 and 3 in 4/4 time; beats 1 and 2 in 2/4 time, and beats 1 and 3 and in 3/4 time (waltz time). Bluegrass bass lines are usually extremely simple, typically staying on the root and fifth of each chord throughout much of a song. There are two main exceptions to this "rule". Bluegrass bassists often do a diatonic "walkup" or "walkdown" in which they play every beat of a bar for one or two bars, typically when there is a prominent chord change. In addition, if a bass player is given a solo, they may play a walking bass line. In music a walking bass is a bass accompaniment generally consisting of unsyncopated notes of equal value, usually quarter notes (known in jazz as a four feel). Walking bass lines are used in rock, blues, rock-a-billy, ska, r&b, gospel, latin, country, and many other genres (Friedland 1995...

The first bluegrass bassist to rise to prominence was Howard Watts (also known as Cedric Rainwater), who played with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys beginning in 1944^[8]. One of the most famous bluegrass bassists is Edgar Meyer, who has now branched out into newgrass, classical, and other genres. Bill Monroe Bill Monroe (September 13, 1911 - September 9, 1996) developed the style of country music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the Blue Grass Boys, named for his home state of Kentucky. ... Edgar Meyer is a prominent contemporary bassist. ... Progressive bluegrass, also known as newgrass (a term attributed to New Grass Revival member Ebo Walker), is one of two major subgenres of bluegrass music. ...

Use in popular music

In the 1940s, a new style of dance music called rhythm and blues developed, incorporating elements of the earlier styles of blues and swing. Louis Jordan, the first innovator of this style, featured a double bass in his group, the Tympany Five^[9]. The double bass remained an integral part of pop lineups throughout the 1950s, as the new genre of rock and roll was built largely upon the model of rhythm and blues, with strong elements also derived from jazz, country, and bluegrass. However, double bass players using their instruments in these contexts faced inherent problems. They were forced to compete with louder horn instruments (and later amplified electric guitars), making bass parts difficult to hear. The double bass is difficult to amplify in loud concert venue settings, because it can be prone to feedback "howls". The double bass is large and awkward to transport, which also created transportation problems for touring bands. The copyright status of this vintage image is undetermined; it may still be copyrighted. ... The copyright status of this vintage image is undetermined; it may still be copyrighted. ... 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. ... Marshall Lytle (b. ... Rhythm and blues (aka R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences â€” first performed by African American artists. ... Blues music redirects here. ... Louis Jordan swinging on sax, Paramount Theatre, NYC, 1946 (Photo: William P. Gottlieb) Louis Jordan (July 8, 1908 â€“ February 4, 1975) was a pioneering African-American blues, jazz and rhythm & blues musician and songwriter who enjoyed his greatest popularity from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. ... 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. ... Jazz is an original American musical art form originating around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in Western music technique and theory and marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. ... Look up country in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Bluegrass music is considered a form of American roots music with its own roots in English, Irish and Scottish traditional music. ... Left: Rosa Hurricane, a heavy metal-style solid body guitar. ... Audio feedback (also known as the Larsen effect) is a special kind of feedback which occurs when a loop exists between an audio input (for example, a microphone or guitar pickup) and an audio output (for example, a loudspeaker). ...

In 1951, Leo Fender independently released his Precision Bass, the first commercially successful electric bass guitar^[10]. The electric bass was easily amplified with its built-in pickups, easily portable (less than a foot longer than an electric guitar), and easier to play in tune, thanks to the metal frets. In the 1960s and 1970s bands were playing at louder volumes and performing in larger venues. The electric bass was able to provide the huge, highly-amplified stadium-filling bass tone that the pop and rock music of this era demanded, and the double bass receded from the limelight of the popular music scene. Leo Fender working on a guitar Clarence Leonidas Fender (August 10, 1909 - March 21, 1991) was an American luthier who founded Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company, now known as Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, and later founded G&L Musical Products (G&L Guitars). ... Categories: Music stubs | Electric bass guitars ... Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case. ...

The upright bass began making a modest comeback in popular music in the mid-1980s, in part due to a renewed interest in earlier forms of rock and country music. In the 1990s, improvements in pickups and amplifier designs for electro-acoustic horizontal and upright basses made it easier for bassists to get a good, clear amplified tone from an acoustic instrument. Some popular bands decided to anchor their sound with an upright bass instead of an electric bass. A trend for "unplugged" performances further helped to enhance the public's interest in the upright bass and acoustic bass guitars.

The double bass is also favored over the electric bass guitar in many rockabilly and psychobilly bands. In such bands the bassist often plays with great showmanship, using slapping technique, sometimes spinning the bass around or even physically climbing onto the instrument while performing; this style was pioneered c. 1953 by Marshall Lytle, the bassist for Bill Haley & His Comets^[11], and modern performers of such stunts include Scott Owen. Fender Precision Bass Bass Guitar is a commonly spoken phrase used to refer to the electric bass and horizontal acoustic basses, a stringed instrument similar in design to the electric guitar, but larger in size, commonly fretted and sometimes fretless and with a lower range. ... Media:Example. ... Psychobilly is a genre of music generally described as a mix between the British punk rock of the 1970s and the American rockabilly of the 1950s. ... Marshall Lytle (b. ... The original members of Bill Haley and His Comets, c. ... Scott Owen wrestles with his double bass on stage Scott Owen plays the double bass in the Australian rock band The Living End. ...

Double bassists

Notable classical players of historical importance

Domenico Dragonetti with his Gasparo da SalÃ² double bass Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti (April 9, 1763 - April 16, 1846), was an Italian double bass player, born in Venice. ... Giovanni Bottesini. ... 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. ... Edouard Nanny was a famous French double bass player and teacher. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Lists of notable players

Streicher Timothy Cobb Mark Dresser Trevor Dunn (avant-garde) Paul Ellison Diana Gannett Barry Green (also author of The Inner Game of Music) Fernando Grillo Teppo Hauta-Aho Gary Karr Jorma Katrama Albert Laszlo Eugene Levinson Thomas Martin Duncan McTier Homer Mensch Edgar Meyer Franco Petracchi Frank Proto Joel Quarrington... Noted jazz musicians who play the double bass, electric bass guitar, or both. ... Joe Buck Country, hellbilly Ray Campi, rockabilly Ron Carter Stanley Clarke Les Claypool, rock John Clayton, Jr. ...

Contents

Origins and history

Terminology

Design

Tone

Construction

Strings

Tuning

Pitch range

Playing posture

Bows

German bow

French bow

Rosin

Stick material

Stringing

Practical problems

Loudness

Dexterity

Intonation

Size

Transportation issues

Modern playing styles

Classical repertoire

Orchestral excerpts

Orchestral solos

Quintets

Concertos

New works

Use in jazz

Use in bluegrass

Use in popular music

Double bassists

Notable classical players of historical importance

Lists of notable players

See also

References

External links

Contents

Origins and history GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Terminology

Design

Tone

Construction

Strings

Tuning

Pitch range

Playing posture

Bows

German bow

French bow

Rosin

Stick material

Stringing

Practical problems

Loudness

Dexterity

Intonation

Size

Transportation issues

Modern playing styles

Classical repertoire

Orchestral excerpts

Orchestral solos

Quintets

Concertos

New works

Use in jazz

Use in bluegrass

Use in popular music

Double bassists

Notable classical players of historical importance

Lists of notable players

See also

References

External links

Origins and history