The purpose of buying or owning an item is so much important that it influences the buyer's choices in the market. Same for bass stands, the purpose may be to have a type that can be used at home to practice, play, and enjoy the amazing sounds of a double bass without having to take the stand for concerts or to have a portable stand that can be taken to almost all places. Jazz bass players are expected to improvise an accompaniment line or solo for a given chord progression. They are also expected to know the rhythmic patterns that are appropriate for different styles (e.g., Afro-Cuban). Bassists playing in a big band must also be able to read written-out bass lines, as some arrangements have written bass parts. quote name='james_guitar' post='1235136' date='May 18 2011, 02:42 AM']It seems that most of the double bass stands I have come across online are also for Cello and and it is hard to assess what the quality is like based upon pictures alone. Having had my reaonably okay DB stand go missing after a gig a recently, I am on the hunt for a high quality stand that is ideal for both home and live and won't run the risk of my bass falling off and breaking (already been there; not a pretty topic).

Because of its body size and low tuning, the double bass is one of the quietest stringed instruments in any orchestral lineup. My all-time favorite is Todd Phillips", proclaimed Union Station bassist Barry Bales in April 2005. "He brought a completely different way of thinking about and playing bluegrass. [50] From the 1960s through the end of the century Gary Karr was the leading proponent of the double bass as a solo instrument and was active in commissioning or having hundreds of new works and concerti written especially for him. Karr was given Koussevitzky's famous solo double bass by Olga Koussevitsky and played it in concerts around the world for 40 years before, in turn, giving the instrument to the International Society of Bassists for talented soloists to use in concert. Another important performer in this period, Bertram Turetzky, commissioned and premiered more than 300 double bass works. Double bass players use various accessories to help them to perform and rehearse. Three types of mutes are used in orchestral music: a wooden mute that slides onto the bridge, a rubber mute that attaches to the bridge and a wire device with brass weights that fits onto the bridge. The player uses the mute when the Italian instruction con sordino ("with mute") appears in the bass part, and removes it in response to the instruction senza sordino ("without mute"). With the mute on, the tone of the bass is quieter, darker, and more somber. Bowed bass parts with a mute can have a nasal tone. Players use a third type of mute, a heavy rubber practice mute, to practice quietly without disturbing others (e.g., in a hotel room).In his A New History of the Double Bass, Paul Brun asserts 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 instruments in the violin family, and very different from the internal structure of viols. [14] Double bass professor Larry Hurst argues that the "modern double bass is not a true member of either the violin or viol families". He says that "most likely its first general shape was that of a violone, the largest member of the viol family. Some of the earliest basses extant are violones, (including C-shaped sound holes) that have been fitted with modern trappings." [15] Some existing instruments, such as those by Gasparo da Salò, were converted from 16th-century six-string contrabass violoni. [4] Design [ edit ] Example of a Busetto-shaped double bass: remake of a Matthias Klotz (1700) by Rumano Solano Principal parts of the double bass time. The bass also maintains the chord progression and harmony. The Engelhardt-Link (formerly Kay) brands of plywood laminate basses have long been popular choices for bluegrass bassists. Most bluegrass bassists use the 3⁄ 4 size bass, but the full-size and 5⁄ 8 size basses are also used. A person who plays this instrument is called a "bassist", "double bassist", "double bass player", "contrabassist", "contrabass player" or "bass player". The names contrabass and double bass refer (respectively) to the instrument's range, and to its use one octave lower than the cello (i.e. the cello part was the main bass line, and the "double bass" originally played a copy of the cello part; only later was it given an independent part). [6] [7] The terms for the instrument among classical performers are contrabass (which comes from the instrument's Italian name, contrabbasso), string bass (to distinguish it from brass bass instruments in a concert band, such as tubas), or simply bass. Performing on bass can be physically demanding, because the strings are under relatively high tension. Also, the space between notes on the fingerboard is large, due to scale length and string spacing, so players must hold their fingers apart for the notes in the lower positions and shift positions frequently to play basslines. As with all non-fretted string instruments, performers must learn to place their fingers precisely to produce the correct pitch. For bassists with shorter arms or smaller hands, the large spaces between pitches may present a significant challenge, especially in the lowest range, where the spaces between notes are largest. However, the increased use of playing techniques such as thumb position and modifications to the bass, such as the use of lighter-gauge strings at lower tension, have eased the difficulty of playing the instrument.

There are several methods for making these notes available to the player. Players with standard double basses (E–A–D–G) may play the notes below "E" an octave higher or if this sounds awkward, the entire passage may be transposed up an octave. The player may tune the low E string down to the lowest note required in the piece: D or C. Four-string basses may be fitted with a "low-C extension" ( see below). Or the player may employ a five-string instrument, with the additional lower string tuned to C, or (more commonly in modern times) B, three octaves and a semitone below middle C. Several major European orchestras use basses with a fifth string. [24] C extension [ edit ] A low-C extension with wooden mechanical "fingers" that stop the string at C ♯, D, E ♭, or E. For orchestral passages which only go down to a low E, the "finger" at the nut is usually closed.Playing and performance considerations [ edit ] Body and hand position [ edit ] French double-bass player and composer Renaud Garcia-Fons during a performance time (waltz time). Bluegrass bass lines are usually simple, typically staying on the root and fifth of each chord throughout most 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 chord change. In addition, if a bass player is given a solo, they may play a walking bass line with a note on every beat or play a pentatonic scale-influenced bassline. If you’re brand new to double bass, we have lots of resources to help you get started, right here on our blog. We’d recommend having a read of our size guide to see which size may suit you best. We offer double basses in all the different sizes and prices to ensure you can find the perfect fit. But, since double basses are so quiet, orchestras need anywhere between four and eight bassists in the string section. Get your kids into bass lessons if that’s what they want, but be aware that pre-Grade 1 children may not be able to focus well enough yet, and don’t turn them off music by pushing them too hard, too soon. The best thing you can do to get the ball rolling is expose your small child to music and see where it takes them. There are hundreds of early music classes around the country that will give your child an excellent start to their musical journey before progressing to a double bass.

These extensions allow the musician to extend the length of the low E string so that they can play lowered pitched notes. Typically extensions go as low as C! 8. Double Basses Are Made From Wood, But It Depends Which Type Bridge & soundpost - these parts of the double bass must be included, as they are crucial for creating sound. If they have been fitted correctly, you’ll get a clear tone from the instrument.The double bass ( / ˈ d ʌ b əl b eɪ s/), also known simply as the bass ( / b eɪ s/), amongst other names, is the largest and, therefore, lowest-pitched chordophone [1] in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). [2] Similar in structure to the cello, it has four, although occasionally five, strings. If you are in an apartment, or have a baby needing lots of uninterrupted sleep, you may wish to use a practice mute. These reduce the sound substantially and make it kinder for those around us. There are three types to choose: rubber, metal and rubber-coated metal. Read our guide to mutes.