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. Being a transposing instrument, the bass is typically notated one octave higher than tuned to avoid excessive ledger lines below the staff. The double bass is the only modern bowed string instrument that is tuned in fourths [5] (like a bass guitar, viol, or the first four strings of a standard guitar), rather than fifths, with strings usually tuned to E 1, A 1, D 2 and G 2. Bow - not all accessories are of the same quality, and since a bow is essential to playing the double bass, make sure your new double bass is supplied with a wooden or carbon graphite bow that will help you create a better sound. An early 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. [49] The classical bassist Edgar Meyer has frequently branched out into newgrass, old-time, jazz, and other genres. Children require the correct size or their development can be impacted. Usually we would expect a child to start on 1/8 for two years, then 1/4 for another two or three years, 1/2 for two or three, then somewhere between 13 and 15 year olds, they would move to 3/4.

Many adults take up a musical instrument, frequently it’s when their children are a bit older and you have time to do something for yourself, or you’re an adult who would like to re-start. If it’s something you’re passionate about and can invest time in every day (even if it’s just 15 minutes) why not? The notes of the open strings are E 1, A 1, D 2, and G 2, the same as an acoustic or electric bass guitar. However, the resonance of the wood, combined with the violin-like construction and long scale length gives the double bass a much richer tone than the bass guitar, in addition to the ability to use a bow, while the fretless fingerboard accommodates smooth glissandos and legatos. As a member of the violin-family of instruments, the construction of the upright bass is quite different from that of the acoustic bass guitar, as the latter is a derivative of the electric bass guitar, and usually built like a larger and sturdier variant of an acoustic guitar. The double bass is the only modern bowed string instrument that is tuned in fourths (like a viol), rather than fifths (see Tuning below). 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 viol family is one that has not been entirely resolved.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. While most stringed instruments are relatively manageable to hold, the double bass is quite a bit larger. 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 Double bass ensembles include L'Orchestre de Contrebasses (6 members), [34] Bass Instinct (6 members), [35] Bassiona Amorosa (6 members), [36] the Chicago Bass Ensemble (4+ members), [37] Ludus Gravis founded by Daniele Roccato and Stefano Scodanibbio, The Bass Gang (4 members), [38] the London Double Bass Ensemble (6 members) founded by members of the Philharmonia Orchestra of London who produced the LP [39] Music Interludes by London Double Bass Ensemble on Bruton Music records, Brno Double Bass Orchestra (14 members) founded by the double bass professor at Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts and principal double bass player at Brno Philharmonic Orchestra – Miloslav Jelinek, and the ensembles of Ball State University (12 members), Shenandoah University, and the Hartt School of Music. The Amarillo Bass Base of Amarillo, Texas once featured 52 double bassists, [40] [41] and The London Double Bass Sound, who have released a CD on Cala Records, have 10 players. [42] Other examples of chamber works that use the double bass in mixed ensembles include Sergei Prokofiev's Quintet in G minor, Op.39 for oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, and double bass; Miguel del Aguila's Malambo for bass flute and piano and for string quartet, bass and bassoon; Erwin Schulhoff's Concertino for flute/piccolo, viola, and double bass; Frank Proto's Afro-American Fragments for bass clarinet, cello, double bass and narrator and Sextet for clarinet and strings; Fred Lerdahl's Waltzes for violin, viola, cello, and double bass; Mohammed Fairouz's Litany for double bass and wind quartet; Mario Davidovsky's Festino for guitar, viola, cello, and double bass; and Iannis Xenakis's Morsima-Amorsima for piano, violin, cello, and double bass. There are also new music ensembles that utilize the double bass such as Time for Three and PROJECT Trio.

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).

Some of the main beginner tutor books introduce you systematically to the theory aspect of music, teaching note reading from the very start, then reinforcing each new note or concept in the next few pieces you will learn. If you are hoping to learn as much as possible on your own, these books will help best.