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Classical Music for Upright Bass...Anybody Play on Electric?


Sammi Curr

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Posted

Guys, Let me introduce myself...I'm Sammi Curr, "Rock's Chosen Warrior" from the movie "Trick or Treat"!!! Pleased to meet you!!! I am an accomplished guitarist who started playing bass over 25 years ago but abandonded it for guitar. I haven't played bass in decades. I recently got a great Dean electric bass and it all came right back....alternating fingers, slap/pop...like riding a bike!

 

I'm working hard to try to read standard notation for electric bass and become a little bit better rounded musician. I've noticed the notes, tuning, and sheet music appear the same for both the upright "double-bass" and the electric bass.

 

My sight reading and knowledge of music theory isn't very good, yet, but I'm working through that great old Mel Bay / Roger Filiberto book from the early '60s so it's improving.

 

I just wanted to know if any of you musicians play the solos that the classical composers wrote for the upright bass on your electric basses.

 

I was in a music store today (one of the ones in business primarily for school bands & orchestras) and there were several music pieces written for upright bass that can be accompanied by piano. I was thinking about reading/learning/playing the bass solos on my electric bass with a pianist.

 

I've never heard anybody discussing this, so I thought I'd ask. Thanks.

"...Rock's chosen warriors will RULE the Apocalypse!"
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Posted

I've played the first of Bach's Cello Suites on my 5 string bass. I started working on the suite when I got the 5 string in order to work on reading on the low B string. Cello music goes down to low C, although a bass reading cello music will sound an octave lower than a cello.

 

I have a nice book called " Bach for the Young Bass Player ", edited by Frederick Zimmerman, that is a good introduction to playing classical music on the electric bass. It comes with a piano accompaniment book.

 

Welcome to the forum, Sammi. I think you'll enjoy it here!

Posted
John Patitucci has made this popular when he released the recording of the Bach Cello Suite No. 1 In G Major. It is best played on an extended range bass, but you can still pull it off on a 4 string. It is a great exercise and isn't that difficult. John has the transcription in his book [w/CD] "John Patitucci - Electric Bass". Let me know if you find some other ones worth giving a try! Good Luck
Posted

 

I'm working hard to try to read standard notation for electric bass and become a little bit better rounded musician. I've noticed the notes, tuning, and sheet music appear the same for both the upright "double-bass" and the electric bass.

 

My sight reading and knowledge of music theory isn't very good, yet, but I'm working through that great old Mel Bay / Roger Filiberto book from the early '60s so it's improving.

 

I just wanted to know if any of you musicians play the solos that the classical composers wrote for the upright bass on your electric basses.

 

I was in a music store today (one of the ones in business primarily for school bands & orchestras) and there were several music pieces written for upright bass that can be accompanied by piano. I was thinking about reading/learning/playing the bass solos on my electric bass with a pianist.

 

I've never heard anybody discussing this, so I thought I'd ask. Thanks.

 

Hi Sammi,

 

As an upright bassist, I can tell you that, yes, the modern electric bass is based on the tuning of the upright doublebass. There are a lot of similarities between the two, but the primary difference is in the fingering. Tablature for bass guitar will not work on a 42" scale (3/4 size) upright, at least for the upper part of the neck. Hence the stronger emphasis on "positions" on the fingerboard.

 

Once you get above 3rd position, however (usually close to the neck joint), then the notes are close enough to each other on the fingerboard to play like a bass guitar.

Posted

"Frederick Zimmerman", yeah! That was one of the authors I saw at the store. Thanks for the info., guys!

 

Calypso, I never played the double-bass but my son is starting orchestra in school this Fall and will be on the double-bass. I fooled around with one at the school and yes, it's a very different animal. The boy and I are going to learn a little bit about the upright together!

 

My goal is to play strictly through reading standard notation. As a guitarist, I've relied on learning by ear, tabs, diagrams, etc. As a result, I know a bunch of stuff from memory that sounds impressive but can't sight read to save my life....that's always bugged me. Not that there's anything wrong with using the tablature, I've done it for years. Thanks, guys.

"...Rock's chosen warriors will RULE the Apocalypse!"
Posted

Calypso, I never played the double-bass but my son is starting orchestra in school this Fall and will be on the double-bass. I fooled around with one at the school and yes, it's a very different animal. The boy and I are going to learn a little bit about the upright together!

 

Hi Sammi,

 

I don't know how old your son is, but I highly recommend getting him a copy of "New Method for Double Bass" by Franz Simandl. Getting him to study it fairly soon will spare him a lot of bad habits that I developed early in my musical journey, which I spent years overcoming. I suggest having him consult his instructor, however, as the book is not a particularly-easy read.

 

I recommend it not only because it teaches proper fingering, but also because it can train you to read the various key signatures and adjust your technique accordingly. I firmly believe it will aid you in sight-reading.

 

It also uses excerpts from famous classical compositions as training exercises (the author was the principal bassist in the Vienna Court Orchestra in the late 1800's).

Posted
I love that movie! So you are Tony Fields? That movie came along in a very formative year of my life. Welcome to the forum!

"For instance" is not proof.

 

Posted

I'll check out the book suggestions, guys. Thanks.

 

I'm curious what bad habits should we be on the lookout for.

 

The book the school uses (we've been reading it and watching the accompanying DVD over the summer) is Strings Essential Elements 2000.

 

Oh, I'm afraid I am not Tony Fields. Sadly, Tony died years ago. I love that movie too, though (obviously).

"...Rock's chosen warriors will RULE the Apocalypse!"

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