![]() Frequently Asked Questions About Double Basses How do you play the double bass? Double Bass and Other Bowed String Instrument AccessoriesĪt Bax Music, you'll also find various accessories for bowed string instruments like double basses, including strings, maintenance gear and bowed string instrument parts. Granted, cellos can't dive quite as low as double basses, but they're better suited for playing melodies. If you can't help but feel like a double bass is too unwieldy for you, you can always opt for a cello. Just so you know, a 3/4-size double bass isn't three quarters of the size of a 4/4-size model the difference is much smaller. As such, double basses come with different scale lengths, like the popular 3/4 size or the symphony orchestra-standard 4/4 size. Celloĭouble basses can be taller than the musician playing it. While electric double basses are just as tall as acoustic double basses, they're a lot slimmer since they don't have a resonance chamber: the vibrations of the strings are simply captured by pickups before they're sent to a combo amplifier or a pair of headphones. Also, double basses can be quite loud - an 'issue' that has led to the invention of the electric double bass. Getting a double bass to gigs or rehearsals can be a nuisance, which is something to keep in mind. If there's one downside to the double bass, it's the size. In reality, you'd be hard-pressed to find a six-string double bass as part of an orchestra. Six-string double basses fitted with a high C exist too but are only ever used for solo work. ![]() While a five-string double bass (B-E-A-D-G) can technically go as low as a low B, in practice, most compositions won't go any lower than a low C. ![]() The lowest note a cello can reach is the C sitting just above the low E of a double bass or bass guitar. Four-string double basses have the same strings, range and standard tuning as bass guitars (E-A-D-G), while five-string double basses can go even lower, the reason for this being that they need to be able to accompany a cello. There are four-string and five-string double basses. Plucking the strings is called pizzicato - a playing style that's predominant in jazz since it's a style where the double bass typically plays the role of the bass guitar. When it comes to the lowest registers of a double bass, this technique results in a barely, if at all recognisable pitch. While bowing, you can use the tremolo articulation to create a buzzy sound by moving the bow back and forth quickly. First off, there's the bowed sound, which is the most common articulation used in orchestras. The Sound of a Double BassĪll bowed string instruments have a similar sound and require a similar playing technique. That said, the instruments in the string family as a whole have a homogeneous sound, meaning all instruments from low (double bass) to high (violin) have a comparable timbre. ![]() While the shape of most orchestral string instruments is similar, it's clear that double basses have the brawniest build. Double basses are part of pretty much every symphony orchestra out there, but they're also often played in jazz bands. As the largest member of the bowed string instrument family, the double bass can shape extremely low notes.
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