Open strings are a must for me. Helped my learning immensely. I don't play orchestral bass so I have a different opinion on the issue of the sound difference. Also, most of my plaing is pizz.
Aye, same here. Only been playing a couple of years, and largely self-taught (if you can call it that, these days, with all the excellent internet resources, such as this channel), playing acoustic, kind of modern folk type stuff. I find open strings useful as occasional points of reference, to keep my intonation from straying too far. Also, there are a few times where I need to shift quite quickly up the neck, and an open string in the middle of the run can buy me time to move my hand from down in half-position up to the 4th position, or back down.
@@Murdo2112 I'm with you man! I only started with double bass about four years ago after about fifty with bass guitar. They are two pretty different animals. I find that fretted notes make it easier to play the electric bass, just as open strings make the learning easier on the double bass. My man here is an excellent tutor, him and his little dog. 🙂
A spin off topic worthy of another video is the dynamic difference of string length and gauge. Fundamentally a fingered option is quieter due to the shorter string length and thicker gauge. I love playing a c on the D string vs the G string when the music is more sensitive and mf or less. I sometimes choose an open string in orchestra for a sustained fff note in unison with the brass. They're going to stomp on my tone quality anyway so I don't feel any reservation about driving a power open string near the bridge.
Interestingly in the world of historically informed performance they aim for all notes to sound like open strings. And they actually are if the instrument has frets.
Mister Health, I have never have seen you "without Words" - You lost your "train of thought" in the first segment, or seemed to. I play the open strings only if I have to or for tuning, as I am playing. A few weeks ago we performed Beethoven's Fifth - I played them in the Finale. Fascinated and most relevant video! This "train of thought" also applies with the electric bass. I remember listing to an old Willie Nelson recording, the bassist, I won't speculate who, as I can't remember the album, was playing an open E or A on Boom and a fretted five on Chuk. I found it really irritating as I listened. I did find it surprising when reviewing a Jaco Pastorius transcription, that he used open strings. Merry Christmas
Open strings are a must for me. Helped my learning immensely. I don't play orchestral bass so I have a different opinion on the issue of the sound difference. Also, most of my plaing is pizz.
Aye, same here.
Only been playing a couple of years, and largely self-taught (if you can call it that, these days, with all the excellent internet resources, such as this channel), playing acoustic, kind of modern folk type stuff.
I find open strings useful as occasional points of reference, to keep my intonation from straying too far.
Also, there are a few times where I need to shift quite quickly up the neck, and an open string in the middle of the run can buy me time to move my hand from down in half-position up to the 4th position, or back down.
@@Murdo2112
I'm with you man! I only started with double bass about four years ago after about fifty with bass guitar. They are two pretty different animals. I find that fretted notes make it easier to play the electric bass, just as open strings make the learning easier on the double bass. My man here is an excellent tutor, him and his little dog. 🙂
I thought you had a stroke there at 1:51 haha
A spin off topic worthy of another video is the dynamic difference of string length and gauge. Fundamentally a fingered option is quieter due to the shorter string length and thicker gauge. I love playing a c on the D string vs the G string when the music is more sensitive and mf or less.
I sometimes choose an open string in orchestra for a sustained fff note in unison with the brass. They're going to stomp on my tone quality anyway so I don't feel any reservation about driving a power open string near the bridge.
Thanks for sharing!
Wow! 12k subs already! Feels like just yesterday that you had 652! Keep up the work, man!
Thanks so much!
If you put a piece of rubber band under the strings, right next to the nut it makes the open strings sound like closed ones. Try it!
Good tip-thanks!
I'm learning bass, could you please explain why you have an extension on the first string and how does it work?
hi Bob! We have a lot of info on that topic here: doublebasshq.com/gear_posts/what-are-double-bass-extensions-and-how-do-they-work/
Interestingly in the world of historically informed performance they aim for all notes to sound like open strings. And they actually are if the instrument has frets.
Good point!
Crazy that none of my teachers have never ever mentioned this.
But.... they're the four notes I can play in tune!
Mister Health, I have never have seen you "without Words" - You lost your "train of thought" in the first segment, or seemed to. I play the open strings only if I have to or for tuning, as I am playing. A few weeks ago we performed Beethoven's Fifth - I played them in the Finale. Fascinated and most relevant video! This "train of thought" also applies with the electric bass. I remember listing to an old Willie Nelson recording, the bassist, I won't speculate who, as I can't remember the album, was playing an open E or A on Boom and a fretted five on Chuk. I found it really irritating as I listened. I did find it surprising when reviewing a Jaco Pastorius transcription, that he used open strings. Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas also!
Orchestra players always close cause vibrato 😝j/k but good break down.