fretless5 Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 I have many years experience playing electric and string bass, including a professional orchestra position. I would like to pass along a practice concept that will benefit electric bassists everywhere (string bassists already know this secret . If you play 5-string bass, especially fretless, here is my advice for a practice routine that will improve your sight-reading and fingerboard knowledge as well as broaden your musical horizons: Get a copy of the six suites for solo cello by J.S. Bach.' Why should you practice cello music on the 5-string? For one, these short pieces are great music, and by and large are all playable on the 5-string due to the fact that the lowest note on a cello is "C" while the lowest note on a 5-string with standard tuning is "B." Not all of the cello suites are playable on the bass, mostly due to the fact that the cello is tuned in fifths, and Bach's music takes advantage of the open string notes of a cello which are different than those on a bass (C,G,D,A,E vs. B,E,A,D,G). If you stick it out with these pieces you will definitely improve your sight reading and fingerboard knowledge. As you play them challenge yourself to use different fingerings and make decisions as why one fingering may be better than the other. If you are comfortable reading bass clef and want an additional reading/fingerboard workout, transpose the pieces to tenor clef and you will have an upper fingerboard workout. For example, if the piece is originally written in G major (one sharp) transpose the piece to D major (two sharps) and read the music as if it was written in tenor clef. Alternately you could just play the music as originally written an octave up. If you need to actually hear this music a great portion is available on YouTube as the music is standard repertoire for cellists. Well, that's it. Give it a shot. I play these pieces on a 5-string fretless and I assure you they are doable (except for those reasons listed above). And no, I do not play cello. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 +1 I'm adding a comment. My dad has always loved J.S. Bach. I learned the first movement of the first Cello suite and played it for him when he was laid up in the hospital after surgery. He was so happy to hear me play something he liked for him. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke73 Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Thanks - good advice. I play a four string, and have played the Prelude to the Suite 1, and have also just bought two books of various Bach pieces arranged for solo bass. It's great music, and very enjoyable to play. http://www.myspace.com/twoshortrocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I got me Bach For Bass and although I have not got far in it, it has been fun so far The book comes with a cd, even. Handy, in case you don't know what it all is supposed to sound like :grin: "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brocko777 Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 hhmmmm, first post with intellegent speak and spelling... looks like spam. Is the JS himself trying to drum up more sales of his suites that otherwise might not be selling??** Brocko ** hold your left mouse button and drag below.... NO NO NO this is intended as HUMOR HAHA HUMOR!! Get IT?!? No? BAH! Don't have a job you don't enjoy. If you're happy in what you're doing, you'll like yourself, you'll have inner peace. ~ Johnny Carson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxofunk Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Great link Eddie - that book is now on my Amazon wish list. As far as buying a 5 string ... that's a little farther down the wish list. - Matt W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbn Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 The Bach Cello Suites arranged for Double Bass have taken up the bulk of my listening rotation for about 2 weeks now. YouTube has a lot of this stuff for both DB and electric bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slap-pop-karl Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I like Bach. I can play one of his songs on 4 string electric. I like the different sound that it gives compared to rock music. Okay I got my hair cut! Its now this short *shows how short using hand* Lets get down to business gentlemen! I want that bagel now!...Don't forget the lettuce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxofunk Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 While we're on the topic, more or less: 'round Halloween I was thinking it would be an extra-ordinary feat to tap Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (this one). Ah hah! Here's a decent one. - Matt W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brocko777 Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 [font:Comic Sans MS]Cool SaxO, Here is one Jeremy might like more..... [/font] Don't have a job you don't enjoy. If you're happy in what you're doing, you'll like yourself, you'll have inner peace. ~ Johnny Carson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jitter Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 You can download sheet music for the first and fourth Cello Suites for free (and completely legal) at http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/make-table.cgi?collection=bachcello&preview=1 ...and there's lots and lots more: http://www.mutopiaproject.org/browse.html jitter Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. -- Leonardo da Vinci Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke73 Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 .......(this one). Wow - thanks for that. Incredible! http://www.myspace.com/twoshortrocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxofunk Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 [font:Comic Sans MS]Cool SaxO, Here is one Jeremy might like more..... [/font] Teach me to double check my links... that's the one I intended to leave up. The one I linked to is the first one I found. Sounds like he's tapping a bowl of pudding in bad time. - Matt W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 [font:Comic Sans MS]Cool SaxO, Here is one Jeremy might like more..... [/font] Because of the blue bass? The Red Sox shirt? The bald head? Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I was thinking blue bass, but I guess the others apply. Wow. Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 [font:Comic Sans MS]Cool SaxO, Here is one Jeremy might like more..... [/font] Teach me to double check my links... that's the one I intended to leave up. The one I linked to is the first one I found. Sounds like he's tapping a bowl of pudding in bad time. You're a bowl of pudding. That's a great link. Cool arrangement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brocko777 Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I was thinking the blue bass but I guess it was a hat trick! Don't have a job you don't enjoy. If you're happy in what you're doing, you'll like yourself, you'll have inner peace. ~ Johnny Carson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austinrick Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 FWIW, the Suites lay very well on a marimba, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennardo Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 Didn't Stuart Hamm do a finger tapping from Bach called "Prelude in C" from Bach in his "Kings of Sleep" album? I remember it being very lullaby-ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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