Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: fmm on June 29, 2015, 06:52:49 PM

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: fmm on June 29, 2015, 06:52:49 PM

Pictures from the Twin Cities Bass Camp, including Francois Rabbath:  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/210612.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/210613.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/210614.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/210615.jpg)

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: sonicus on June 29, 2015, 07:07:27 PM

I love it !

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: sonicus on June 29, 2015, 08:15:58 PM

From what I see in these pics French rather then German Arco technique is being taught.  Is this correct ?  
 
Wolf

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: fmm on June 29, 2015, 08:42:52 PM

I hadn't noticed. I believe both kinds of bows are in play.  
These are pictures of the Bass Orchestra and Rabbath master class.  
 
The age range for the camp is about 8 to over 70.  
 
I'm volunteering (helping herd students, tech support for the concerts, and writing a new registration database system).  
 
It's all double basses, so I brought in my Stagg EUB (popular with the campers), my Ashbory (especially popular with the younger students) and my Series I (popular with the teachers).

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: terryc on June 30, 2015, 04:43:22 AM

Being a complete ignoramous to double bass I thought you just dragged the bow thing across the strings and it made a sound. French or German ?? I wouldn't know one from the other !!!

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: pauldo on June 30, 2015, 05:32:23 AM

French and German are two different ways of holding the bow.
 
Here is a 'bassic' explanation:  
The German bow has a large frog (holding place) and essentially you hold it with your palm pointing towards the tip of the bow.  The French bow has a smaller frog and is held in away that your palm is pointed towards the instrument.
 
That looks like an awesome camp!

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: jazzyvee on June 30, 2015, 06:32:50 AM

I'm with you on that Terry, and Pauldo's explanation doesn't make anything clear to me. I just thought one you held the bow with your palm facing the floor and the other was something else. :-)
I checked on you tube.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl1ULlWplqs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl1ULlWplqs)

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: fmm on June 30, 2015, 07:44:49 AM

I will post pics later, but 70 basses playing at once is AWESOME.

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: fmm on June 30, 2015, 07:45:12 AM

I will post pics later, but 70 basses playing at once is AWESOME.

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: terryc on July 01, 2015, 04:29:39 AM

Does holding the bow make such a difference..looks a bit of 'classical snobbishness' if you see what I mean.
I don't think Jimmy Page cared when he dragged it across his Les Paul on 'Whole Lotta Love' from Led Zep II !!

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: pauldo on July 01, 2015, 06:01:28 AM

The physical construction of the bows are different.
My upright came with a French bow, that is what I use, the German style seems to be a more ergonomically correct position.  Some day I will buy a German bow.  
 
Now is not the time . . .  just bought a 33 acre farm.

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: sonicus on July 01, 2015, 06:39:33 AM

Terry ,LOL ! A Bass player might have to bow for hours at a time!
   
Paul ,I have had the same experience as you did and learned with a French Bow . Later I was approached by a teacher who mentioned that I would do better with a German bow because he observed my struggles with fatigue with my French Bow. He actually said that for me it would be a good idea from an ergonomic aspect for me to give the German Bow a try.I was never very happy with my Arco sound , I needed to do lots of work on that. To make Arco/Bowing sound good takes lots and lots of work. I love that sound when I hear someone do it who has put in the work .  
 
     Paul , congratulations regarding that Farm !  
 
Wolf

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: edwardofhuncote on July 01, 2015, 07:16:03 AM

In my experience, bowing an upright bass is one of the most physically demanding musical endeavors yet. If I don't practice with a bow at least a couple hours a week, I quickly lose the muscle memory and stamina required to make anything other than whale songs. After trying both French and German, I landed on French style, but with what was described as an odd grasp. Kinda' matches the rest of my poor technique... =)

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: sonicus on July 01, 2015, 07:39:06 AM

Very  Physically demanding  indeed ; like carrying buckets of cementitious mortar while having to sound wonderful . My arco technique was indeed poor !  Some day I will get another Double Bass and try it again, I sold mine about 6 or so years ago after owning it for about 20 years. Mine was a Bass that I acquired broken in pieces . I had to repair and reattach the neck and repair a large hole on its side. It actually ended up all playing and looking good. I have some 35 mm pictures of that project that I still need to scan to .jpg

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: fmm on July 06, 2015, 05:53:32 AM

Some more pics: Bass Orchestra:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/210817.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/210818.jpg)
  One of the Campers with my Alembic:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/210819.jpg)

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: edwardofhuncote on July 06, 2015, 07:52:23 AM

Now ^there's^ a moment you don't forget... Nice!

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: smokin_dave on July 06, 2015, 06:27:37 PM

When I was in high school after four years gaining top honors gaining first chair after my first freshman semester  straight A's throughout my teacher almost flunked me for holding a German bow like a French bow.
I couldn't help it.Holding the German bow like that felt so much more natural to me.More control.More feeling.
So I caved and didn't flunk out.

Title: Twin Cities Bass Camp
Post by: peoplechipper on July 06, 2015, 07:21:34 PM

That kid kinda looks like their thinking I can play this cool bass and not have to drag that huge doghouse around? COOL!...still 70 of them sawing away must've sounded cool...Tony