Fantastic tutorial thank you so much , I've transcribed every word you said. Now let me start applying these heel palm positions and then I can start tackling the thumb position with all its variations.
Hey Mauricio, thanks for your comment. Yes I have plans to do a lesson on thumb position. I'm just planning them out now and will actually do 2 or 3 lessons as it's such as great subject. Thanks for your request. Cheers Geoff
@@DiscoverDoubleBass Your bass you play sounds beautiful, how old is it?? What strings do you you use on it. You do video on changing strings on your double upright bass. Another great video hello from your American Cousin 🇺🇸
Great stuff, easy to understand and follow. Thanks Geoff! I made the transition from bass guitar to double bass just today, and this is really helpful.
One thing that made a huge difference to my playing was using the neck heel of the double bass to help me play in tune. Check out this lesson for details: Cheers Geoff ua-cam.com/video/rstwR2rnaEQ/v-deo.html#t=64
@@jamesrichardson3322 Thanks so much Jame and yes, Ray Brown is a huge influence and one of my all-time favourites! Thanks for watching and I hope your bass playing is going well :-)
I have a question, what is the method to do the octave jump for Eb ? And if I want to do a chromatism from its seventh (D, Db, Eb) on the G string, what is the reference? I always have a hard time tuning Eb on the first string (G). Excellent educational material. Thank you very very much for your work!!! Greetings from Spain
You're right that Eb with the 4th finger can be difficult as it's the last note before you reach the neck heel. There's a few ways to approach it, you can always use D the harmonic as a reference - if you're playing with your 4th finger then it should be under your 2nd finger. You can also work on finding the Eb with your 4th finger by doing a finger replacement drill by switching your 4th finger on C# (on g string) to your 1st finger which puts your 4th in position for the Eb (D#). Essentially it's worth doing a lot of shifting drills to get comfortable and really understanding the shifts you're making (don't just move your hand). I would recommend putting it into practice the usual scales and arpeggios, but also by playing many pieces in Eb, such as Eb blues and rhythm changes. It's all a case of making it more familiar. Good luck and enjoy the journey :-)
you just have unveiled, a mystery for me thanks a lot., by the way geoff,¿COULD YOU TEACH US HOW TO DO THE VERY SAME, BUT IN THUMB POSITION, IT WOULD BE GREAT.
Thanks, I'm glad you like it! It's a German, factory made bass which is about 100 years old. The details are on this page discoverdoublebass.com/geoff-chalmers
Probably a daft question, but is the shift to neck heal always with the thumb as the guide? I just wonder if I wanted to shift up the note d on the g string with the intention of then playing the c below on the same string, my natural instinct would be to shift my hand to have my forth finger on note d and then my hand would be comfortable to play that note c. My only concern is by doing that I have no real physical reference to the heal as my thumb will have reached the heel at that point. I can see how anything played above note D, would be much more accurate with this use of the neck heel, but just wonder if what I am doing is ok for avoiding poor habits that then become hard to break. Great lesson as always Geoff, many thanks.
+MrFireblade67 Good question and you are absolutely right. It depends what you are playing next and also if you need to play with the 1st finger for tuning safety..eg if it was the first note of the piece. If I played A-D-C on the G string I would use 1-4-1. However that only means shifting the hand the distance of a minor 3rd, your first finger moves from A-C to allow your 4th to play the D. It's tricky, but you have the C + D harmonics to check your tuning against. Once you have that and combine it with using the neck heel that's pretty much the whole fingerboard under the 1 octave harmonic. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any follow up questions, cheers Geoff :-)
Hey Geoff. What do you think of using fingers 1-2-3 instead of 1-2-4 in these positions? I've been playing for about 8 months (self taught) and I feel comfortable hitting these notes this way, but is it something that might give me issues going forward? Thanks Charles
I think it's something that depends a lot on the context of what you're playing...but the 99.9% of the time I use 1,2,4...but it is possible to use 1,2,3..especially in the E-F# position. Just bear in mind the majority of bassists still use 1,2,4 below the G harmonic. . however if it's comfortable below that then I don't see any problem, but I wouldn't recommend it below D-E position. I hope that helps, good luck with your practice.
I just had a look at my bass, and as it turns it has an Eb neck. Does this change the technique? How would you go about finding the D as reliably as possible? I have been using a cheat sticker at that note up until now, but I feel like it's time to get rid of it.
You may be able to pivot back to reach the D with your 1st finger, but I can't say without seeing your bass and if it feels like you are doing an uncomfortable stretch I wouldn't do that, but it's very possible it will be reachable and you need to add that pivot/strech into the process.....otherwise the process here will be the same as in the video except without the D position...so the positions are now Eb-F & E-F#.
Hey, your videos and learning materials are great. Thanks you so much for doing them! Anyway, I'm trying learn the piece here and struggling a bit. Some of it is because my neck heel is Eb and I'm wondering if you have any advice for that, although it's not what I meant to ask you. I've watched the video a few times and I'm quite uncertain about how you play that first D (the last note of the triplet in the first bar). You don't seem to be pressing the string with the tip of your finger - are you doing something akin to a barre on a guitar? If so, is this a common technique and do you have a video on it that I haven't found yet? Thanks :)
+Stefan Kanev I'm glad the lessons are helping. Using a bass with an Eb neck heel will change things as you would have 2 positions Eb & E rather than the D,Eb,E you get with a D neck. I do also use the barring technique here...but it would only be if it was getting better results than using the finger tip which is preferable...but sometimes barring your finger like a guitar can get some great results and make it possible to play things like chords which would be much harder work using the finger tips...but in this example either would work. I hope that helps and good luck with your practice, cheers Geoff :-)
I makes me want to puke, how easy he makes it look. It would really help me to see a tutorial where the instructor starts playing with a bad technique, and struggling like me, but gradually tidies up the technique and I can see and hear how, over time the technique and sound improves.
Discover Double Bass is sure a great channel for learners and everyone in it are great, but mr Chalmers is even the best teacher imo
Thanks so much, that’s made my day.
Brilliantly done. Easy to follow and entertaining!
Also - that is one badass looking Bass!!!
Great standing bass instructions. Best music instruction videos on the web, in my opinion.
Best bass lessons I've seen online. Very concise information, thank you.
Fantastic lesson!! I keep coming back to this, great little blues number for demonstration too.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! :-)
Fantastic tutorial thank you so much , I've transcribed every word you said. Now let me start applying these heel palm positions and then I can start tackling the thumb position with all its variations.
Thanks Tony, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Cheers Geoff
Thank you for the very clear, informative lessons!
Hey Mauricio, thanks for your comment. Yes I have plans to do a lesson on thumb position. I'm just planning them out now and will actually do 2 or 3 lessons as it's such as great subject. Thanks for your request. Cheers Geoff
Thanks Matt, it's great you like them. Cheers Geoff
This is a GREAT lesson. It is really helping me to overcome my "fear of heights" lol.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've actually got some on thumb position coming out soon so you can keep going even higher! :-)
@@DiscoverDoubleBass Your bass you play sounds beautiful, how old is it?? What strings do you you use on it. You do video on changing strings on your double upright bass. Another great video hello from your American Cousin 🇺🇸
Excellent teacher
Great! This really helps. It’s going to remove so much of the guessing or praying. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! I can remember when I was shown this approach and it made a huge difference.
Thanks Mark!
Muchas gracias me ha encantado tu vídeo y me ayudó mucho!!!
Great stuff, easy to understand and follow. Thanks Geoff! I made the transition from bass guitar to double bass just today, and this is really helpful.
Bobby G Thanks Bobby, that's great to hear. I also started out on electric and it's great fun playing both. :-)
Discover Double Bass I'm trying to make the opposite shift. I started on upright and am trying electric. Any tips are appreciated. Thanks!
Great lesson, thank you!
excellent lesson!
Thanks so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)
Thanks for a very useful lesson!
One thing that made a huge difference to my playing was using the neck heel of the double bass to help me play in tune. Check out this lesson for details:
Cheers Geoff
ua-cam.com/video/rstwR2rnaEQ/v-deo.html#t=64
I hear Ray Brown influence in your playing, another fantastic lesson, I am bing watching your channel.
@@jamesrichardson3322 Thanks so much Jame and yes, Ray Brown is a huge influence and one of my all-time favourites!
Thanks for watching and I hope your bass playing is going well :-)
Thanks Linda. It's a great instrument.
Great work!
This is great
you rock, thanks
nice thank brother
I have a question, what is the method to do the octave jump for Eb ?
And if I want to do a chromatism from its seventh (D, Db, Eb) on the G string, what is the reference? I always have a hard time tuning Eb on the first string (G).
Excellent educational material. Thank you very very much for your work!!!
Greetings from Spain
You're right that Eb with the 4th finger can be difficult as it's the last note before you reach the neck heel. There's a few ways to approach it, you can always use D the harmonic as a reference - if you're playing with your 4th finger then it should be under your 2nd finger. You can also work on finding the Eb with your 4th finger by doing a finger replacement drill by switching your 4th finger on C# (on g string) to your 1st finger which puts your 4th in position for the Eb (D#). Essentially it's worth doing a lot of shifting drills to get comfortable and really understanding the shifts you're making (don't just move your hand). I would recommend putting it into practice the usual scales and arpeggios, but also by playing many pieces in Eb, such as Eb blues and rhythm changes. It's all a case of making it more familiar. Good luck and enjoy the journey :-)
thanks u rawk
you just have unveiled, a mystery for me thanks a lot., by the way geoff,¿COULD YOU TEACH US HOW TO DO THE VERY SAME, BUT IN THUMB POSITION, IT WOULD BE GREAT.
What is the brand of this double bass? It looks gorgeous 🎶👍🏻
Thanks, I'm glad you like it!
It's a German, factory made bass which is about 100 years old. The details are on this page discoverdoublebass.com/geoff-chalmers
Discover Double Bass thanks again for replying 👍🏻
Great info, are doing the grace note off of the A string?
Yes, I'm playing a lot of muted notes on the string below the target notes on the adjacent string.
Discover Double Bass,... yeah I really dig your stuff, thanks for what you do....I play full time here in Estes Park Colorado
Probably a daft question, but is the shift to neck heal always with the thumb as the guide? I just wonder if I wanted to shift up the note d on the g string with the intention of then playing the c below on the same string, my natural instinct would be to shift my hand to have my forth finger on note d and then my hand would be comfortable to play that note c. My only concern is by doing that I have no real physical reference to the heal as my thumb will have reached the heel at that point. I can see how anything played above note D, would be much more accurate with this use of the neck heel, but just wonder if what I am doing is ok for avoiding poor habits that then become hard to break. Great lesson as always Geoff, many thanks.
+MrFireblade67 Good question and you are absolutely right. It depends what you are playing next and also if you need to play with the 1st finger for tuning safety..eg if it was the first note of the piece. If I played A-D-C on the G string I would use 1-4-1. However that only means shifting the hand the distance of a minor 3rd, your first finger moves from A-C to allow your 4th to play the D. It's tricky, but you have the C + D harmonics to check your tuning against. Once you have that and combine it with using the neck heel that's pretty much the whole fingerboard under the 1 octave harmonic. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any follow up questions, cheers Geoff :-)
Hey Geoff. What do you think of using fingers 1-2-3 instead of 1-2-4 in these positions?
I've been playing for about 8 months (self taught) and I feel comfortable hitting these notes this way, but is it something that might give me issues going forward?
Thanks
Charles
I think it's something that depends a lot on the context of what you're playing...but the 99.9% of the time I use 1,2,4...but it is possible to use 1,2,3..especially in the E-F# position. Just bear in mind the majority of bassists still use 1,2,4 below the G harmonic. . however if it's comfortable below that then I don't see any problem, but I wouldn't recommend it below D-E position. I hope that helps, good luck with your practice.
I just had a look at my bass, and as it turns it has an Eb neck. Does this change the technique? How would you go about finding the D as reliably as possible?
I have been using a cheat sticker at that note up until now, but I feel like it's time to get rid of it.
You may be able to pivot back to reach the D with your 1st finger, but I can't say without seeing your bass and if it feels like you are doing an uncomfortable stretch I wouldn't do that, but it's very possible it will be reachable and you need to add that pivot/strech into the process.....otherwise the process here will be the same as in the video except without the D position...so the positions are now Eb-F & E-F#.
Thanks a lot! I'll test a few different approaches and see what works and what doesn't.
I love the videos they've been a great help.
Hello what is the name of this piece? Or it is an improvvisation?
It's improvised. Thanks for watching.
Need to work on your tuning in the middle area of the neck? Check out this lesson of mine.
Hey, your videos and learning materials are great. Thanks you so much for doing them!
Anyway, I'm trying learn the piece here and struggling a bit. Some of it is because my neck heel is Eb and I'm wondering if you have any advice for that, although it's not what I meant to ask you. I've watched the video a few times and I'm quite uncertain about how you play that first D (the last note of the triplet in the first bar). You don't seem to be pressing the string with the tip of your finger - are you doing something akin to a barre on a guitar? If so, is this a common technique and do you have a video on it that I haven't found yet?
Thanks :)
+Stefan Kanev I'm glad the lessons are helping. Using a bass with an Eb neck heel will change things as you would have 2 positions Eb & E rather than the D,Eb,E you get with a D neck. I do also use the barring technique here...but it would only be if it was getting better results than using the finger tip which is preferable...but sometimes barring your finger like a guitar can get some great results and make it possible to play things like chords which would be much harder work using the finger tips...but in this example either would work. I hope that helps and good luck with your practice, cheers Geoff :-)
I makes me want to puke, how easy he makes it look. It would really help me to see a tutorial where the instructor starts playing with a bad technique, and struggling like me, but gradually tidies up the technique and I can see and hear how, over time the technique and sound improves.
Thanks Tim!