Tips for playing folk bass violin ??

Subject: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: Donuel
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 09:27 AM

Are there any resources, teachers, websites that you might personally recommend to help kick start my bass ambitions.
Kick ass bass lines dot com didn't show any results ;) but there are plenty of you tube videos of interest.

I have the bow technique and finger strength down already since I already play cello.

The damn thing is nearly as tall as our Christmas tree but it does just barely fit in the car. Since it had a neck repair the price was reasonable at our local Chuck Levin's music store. This time of year is not the time to ship a bass.


By the way have you seen 4 people playing one cello yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxiQji0CGrA





Which reminds me, I took my old electric 6 string cello and converted it to a bass and was amazed how well the pick up under the bridge works for the deepest bass notes. WOOF

However my 50 watt bass amp/speaker is not sufficient to reproduce high frequencies.


Is there a modest speaker amp that might do both bass and treble frequencies at modest volumns ???

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: Donuel
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 09:48 AM

Gettin a decent tip nowadays is tough but stand up bass people are rare compared to guitarists.

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: Jack Campin
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 10:17 AM

Hagai Bilitzky's resources on Middle Eastern double bass:

http://www.doublebasseast.com/

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: Stringsinger
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 03:53 PM

Play simply. Roots and fifths for the most part. Don't get tricky and detract.
The folk bass is primarily an accompaniment, not a solo, instrument.

Oddly enough, there are jazz bass players who have trained themselves out of playing simply. The best thing is to get a full round sound and support as a foundation in a house the music you are accompanying.

You don't have to be a virtuoso technically but getting a good sound is an important goal.
In bass playing, folk style, less is more.

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: foggers
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 04:34 PM

The bass or "bull fiddle" has a respected role in old time American folk. The best players I have seen have absolutely rock solid rhythm, and with a sensitive "less is more" approach are the crucial backbone of a line-up, especially as american OT bands tend not to have much in the way of percussion.

I played classical bass in my teens and often think about turning my hand to folk bass, but we just ain't got space for one at the moment.

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: Midchuck
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 08:52 PM

Q: How many bluegrass bass players does it take to change a light bulb?

A: I'm not sure...One?...Five?...One?...Five?...One?...

Peter

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 11:28 PM

Why "bow technique"? Is it not usually plucked for folk?

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 12:42 AM

I never saw a bass play a violin....actually I didn't think it was possible to play a violin with fins but perhaps I didn't have a good observation point. Sandy mentioned bow technique I got to thinking that maybe if I stood in the bow I would be able to see the bass and his violin a bit better.

I also may have been looking in the wrong place since Stringy Frank suggests something about roots and fifths. Most midwestern lakes have a lot of roots close to the shore which is also littered with empty fifths, not to mention the mass of Miller and Bud cans.


Spaw

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Jan 12 - 08:33 PM

The double bass is particularly good to have on an Italien cruise.


Regarding the electric bass cello, I found a vintage Fender wpeaker amp which seamlessly amplifies the deepest E or C all the way up to the highest cello harmonics. It took three returns but I think I found the ideal amp. For special effects I can just route it through an old Korg synthesizer. I can now play all the parts of Beethoven's 7th on one instrument, you know, the one you hear in the movie 'The King's Speech' when he reads his declaration of war.
The same tune is in the movie 'Knowing' when there is but 10 minutes of life left to live on Earth. Jacques Loussier also performs the 7th theme in 10 variations in his jazz ensemble of piano, bass and drums. (*) there goes my irrelevant alarm!



btw Spaw,

the wierdest thing happened nine days ago. I woke up with no headaches, neck aches, arthritis, sore hip, ultra frequent having to go or chronic fatigue. Its like I have returned to the state of health I had 10 years ago.

If I could bottle whatever happened, I would give you the first drink. You see, the only thing I did the night before that was out of the ordinary was to have some Drambuie from an unusual new bottle. Either that or I surfed sideways in space time like my character in my sci fi novel who has a sensitive limbic sensory circuits that changed his time perception whenever a gravity wave hit on full and new moons...but then the Magnatar super nova struck Earth causing his senses to surf time as never before. If only it hadn't happened while he was making love to Amy. (*)
naaaah can't be that.

But seriously thank you all for each bit of advice that was both valid and helpful...save one.

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 12:25 PM

Hi, Donuel. That's great news about feeling better.

I agree with you about that theme from Beethoven's 7th. I watched 'The King's Speech' this past Thanksgiving, and I thought it was wonderful.

How great it must be to play that theme on a powerful, tuneful instrument like a viol.

Subject: RE: Tips for playing folk bass violin ??
From: Jack Campin
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 06:12 PM

Hungarian folk style from Transylvania:

Mezőség folk camp 2008