Tips for the Orchestral Bassist
(retained from my previous website)
1. When preparing to make an entrance don't "jump the gun". If you bring your bow up too soon, you might cause other players to come in early.
2. Save your stand partner. If you detect he/she is about to make a wrong entrance, try to discreetly signal to them: "not yet!"
3. The most important thing for a new player in an orchestra to do is make an effort to match the bowing style of his/her section.
4. In an orchestra, don't use a very wide vibrato. It makes a bass section sound muddy and out of tune.
5. Confucius said: "He who turn page late will get karate chop from stand partner."
6. Learn from others, but don't limit yourself to copying them.
7. Know when you've got the tune. Play out when you've got it, lay back when you don't.
8. When auditioning, try to play only what is "on the page." This means one should not embellish or personalize the parts in any way. All dynamic markings should be followed, and there should be no added glissandi, rhythmic alterations, or rubatos. If every player in a section added their own touches, the sound of the section would be muddled. Soloists can get away with anything, but orchestra players rely on and cherish a mutual discipline.
9. When accompanying a soloist in a concerto, play less whenever the soloist is playing, but try to maintain rhythmic clarity.
10. The tuning harmonics are convenient, but on many basses they tend to be out of tune relative to the open strings. It's therefore a good idea to compare them with an electronic tuner and learn what the tendencies are for your instrument. Trust the tuning of the open strings.
11. When accompanying, most crescendos should be subtle or delayed to avoid covering the soloist. Try not to initiate a crescendo ahead of the section, or the Principal.
12. Try not to choke the sound of the bass by pressing too hard with the bow. Such a tone will also not blend with your colleagues.
13. It's natural to move in performance, as long as it's not tacky. Enjoy the music, but not to the point of annoying your stand partner. When sitting with the Principal, restrain it, or be in sync.
14. Cut off with the bass section; ending a note correctly is as important as starting it. There's nothing more annoying than a laggard.
15. Know when the conductor is likely to make eye contact and be ready. It shows you're paying attention and have good musical instincts.
16. Trust your colleagues with entrances. If you are frequently a measure or so early, defer to your bass buddies and open your ears.
17. Vibrate the short notes. Repeated eighth notes in a Mozart symphony often sound much better with a little vibrato.
18. Practice perfect intonation in scales and musical works. No concessions or excuses!
19. In the opening of Ravel's La Valse the basses are divided three ways. The top part plays a sustained trill from open E to A flat. It's tricky because the bow tends to fling off the string when the string rebounds from the fingerboard. Consider stopping the A flat by pinching it between the thumb and first finger. This way the string is stable and the bow remains in contact with it.
20. Guard against rushing fast passages and dragging in slower ones. These common "sins" often occur with a change in dynamics.
21. Write cues into a bass part to take the guessing out of making precise entrances.
22. The third finger of the left hand can be used in the neck register. But because it is weak, it generally is not well suited there for notes of significant duration or notes that require an expressive vibrato; it's best for passing tones.
23. Play with the appropriate style. For instance, don't play Vanhal like Bottesini, or Mozart like Tchaikowsky. It is a sacrilege to force your personal style onto everything you play.
24. The best teachers teach you how to teach yourself. Only your own brain and willpower can take you where you want to go.
25. Have patience with innovative fingerings. Sometimes, you have to practice them a few weeks before you know if they are “keepers.”
26. A good bass section plays pizzicatos in sync, even so-called delayed pizzicatos. It requires breathing and subdividing - together. Watching the bows of other string players also sometimes helps.
27. Don't lead your stand partner, unless by special arrangement...
28. Use sticky rosin for spiccato playing - not too much and mostly in the lower half of the bow.
29. Guard the tempo! Don’t join the stampede, but play on the beat.
30. Sing music to better understanding phrasing, note lengths, articulation, vibrato, etc. The music must dictate technique, not the other way around.
31. To place certain delicate pizzicatos, it helps to look for indications from the soloist/first stand string players or even the breathing of wind players.
32. Don’t let faulty stage presence detract from your performance. If you have ants in your pants it looks silly, but don't be a zombie either.
33. Learn spiccato from day one - you'll need it each and every day of your orchestral career!
34. Try to be aware of how you breathe when you play. Heavy breathing can be a distraction to the listener and is an indication of excess tension.
35. Consult the score of a piece of music to better understand how the bass part fits in (and for helpful cues/to correct typos).
36. Aim for continuity of "colors" in your playing. Fingerings that are merely convenient do not do justice to the music.
37. Though ultimately futile, striving for perfection is the only path to excellence.
38. Fact: In the "big time," conductors do not give cues. Count like hell!
39. In case I don't say it enough - the NSO bass section is fantastic!
40. Don't be intimidated by open strings - they are your friends in complicated fingering passages and have their own unique, wonderful tone.
41. In hot weather, go light on the rosin. Play a few minutes first and then apply sparingly.
42. The proper tension of the bow is very important for control of tone and spicatto rebound. I find that most players have the hair too loose. Experiment, and keep command over your equipment