Dear Bassists and Friends, 

This month we've got a few tips to help you move your bass from place to place. Because the double bass is such a large instrument, it can be difficult to carry around, sometimes resulting in injuries from lifting and carrying incorrectly. We have come up with a few ways to lighten the load. Also, we have more details for the 2009 Double Bass Workshop down the left hand side along with some CD info from some of our favourite bass players. Check out sensational Esperanza Spalding.  

Lightening Your Load 
 

Double bass is a very large instrument and can be a bit of a hassle to cart around so we've come up with a few ideas to help lighten the load when transporting your bass.

Bow socks are a bow-length fabric bag that sits on the belly of the bass under the fingerboard and is secured by a velcro strap to the neck (as shown above.) The only better security your bow gets is a case. The advantage with the bow sock, is it doesn't add the weight and bulk of a bow case to an already large and weighty instrument.

Another way to make transporting your bass easier is to get a bass wheel . The wheel shown above is Australian made and half the weight of the Chinese version, weighting only 407 grams. It has a 10mm stainless steel shaft for strength and a soft, solid rubber tyre (model airplane tyre). This wheel makes

walking your double bass around, much easier.

Mooradian bass bags are also a great way to lighten the overall weight when transporting your bass.   These are the lightest quality bag available.

Mooradian have been making well- designed

covers for over 25 years. With thick padding, plenty of handles (making it much easier to carry), good quality zips and strong fabric, these bags are perfect for anyone who needs to get their bass around easily whilst keeping it well protected. Mooradian also consulted bass players with their design and as a result, the handles and carry strap work together to distribute the weight of the bass. The prices have just been reduced so these bags now start at a price of $439.00 for a Standard 3/4 size.

Finally, sheet music and accessories such as tuners, leads etc can create a lot of extra weight. Even though there are many pockets on good quality bags it is recommended that you only carry what you need and definitely not a library of music, as paper is incredibly heavy.

Practising at the Correct Tempo

By George Vance
Practise at the correct tempo. In any passage we need to establish the correct relations among movement, space and time in the left hand and weight, speed and placement for the bow. But the coordination of these six factors is dependent on the tempo. So when we practise slowly, we are doing something, but not studying the passage in question. If the tempo seems too fast, employ the procedure "Stop-Think-Play" as outlined in the Book 2 preparatory exercise for "The Happy Farmer" and in Vade Mecum, the preparatory exercise for the universal fingering of the one-octave scale.
In a similar vein it is very discouraging to hear a student stop to replay notes each time an accident occurs. It is much more efficient to notice the accident and correct it on the next pass. If there is a problem that cannot be corrected just by being noticed (e.g., "I went too far; I will go less far next time.") one can rejoice because an interesting opportunity has presented itself for examination. The problematical passage is isolated and the student searches for its resolution.
It is at moments like these that the student can make real discoveries. One of my favorite examples is "the third solution." There is this way and that way, and then there is also a third way that didn't occur to me at first. We see that in life as well as music all the time. The proper solution turns out to be the one that didn't fit our preconceptions.
Life is short and we have physical limitations about how long we can play in one day. But when we practise we must behave as if there is all the time in the world to take an interest in the smallest detail. If you are really in a hurry to make progress, discover what lies beyond logging hours by the clock.
Some days we "don't feel like" practising. If one refuses at first to give in to these feelings and goes ahead with the work even on the bad days, they gradually stop happening. The student has to experience this waning of off days for himself to believe the foregoing statement is true.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or comments.

Thanks,

Susy

www.bassworks.com.au  

info@bassworks.com.au

(08) 82782016

Gloucester Ave, Belair