TheDouble bass

What does a double bass look like?The double bass looks quite similar to the violin, only much bigger! A full sized double bass has a body about 140 centimetres long, and has four or sometimes five strings. It is made of wood and so is usually brown in colour. The main difference between the violin and the double bass, other than size, is that the shoulders of the double bass (the top of the double basses wooded body) are much more sloped and the back can be more curved. This allows the bassist easier access when reaching around to play the instrument. Bassists play either standing up or sitting on a tall stool.

When you look at the double basses in an orchestra you will notice that some have what looks like a rod sticking up from the top of the neck, by the scroll. This is what is called an extension. It adds extra length to the bottom string of the instrument, allowing it play even lower and more grumbling notes than usual !

A bit of double bass historyThe double bass is not only an orchestral instrument; it has had a fascinating history as a key instrument in the development of jazz. From the earliest days of jazz in the 1890s, musicians who played tuba in outdoor jazz bands moved to double bass (often called string bass) when the band moved indoors. Because an unamplified double bass is generally the quietest instrument in a jazz band, many players use the slap style, slapping and pulling the strings so that they make a rhythmic “slap” sound against the fingerboard. The slap style cuts through the sound of a band better than simply plucking the strings, and allows the bass to be more easily heard on recordings. The double bass was also important in the development of bluegrass and rock and roll.

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NZSO Music for Schools - Rachel Hyde ©2011 nzso.co.nz/education

Repertoire that features the double bassThe earliest known concerto for double bass was composed by Haydn in around 1763. The double bass was very popular during the 18th century and many composers wrote double bass concertos, including 18 concerto by the composer Johannes Matthias Sperger. Undoubtedly the most famous double bass piece from this era is Mozart’s concert aria Per questa bella mano, which features an impressive solo double bass part. There are a number of well-known pieces of chamber music that include the double bass, such as Schubert’s Trout Quintet, Dvorak’s String Quintet in G major, and Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. However it wasn’t until the 20th century that the double bass really became known as a solo instrument, with composers including Philip Glass, Elliot Carter, Sofia Gubaidulina and Paul Hindemith all contributing important works.

The double bass has many alternate names such as contrabass, string bass,

upright bass and even bull fiddle. In Hungary the double bass is nicknamed nagy b_g_, which means

‘big crier’ in reference to the instruments large sound.

FUN Fact

Duke Ellington Hurricane Ballroom rhythm section

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percussion

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Viola

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How long is a double bass string? If the body of a double bass is 140 centimetres long, the strings must be at least this long! Get a ball of string or wool and measure out a piece 140 centimetres long. Get two friends to pull it tight and see if it makes a sound when you pluck it.

Do you know what instrument strings are made out of? Use the internet to research all the different materials that are used to make double bass strings.

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Double bass strings

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NZSO Music for Schools - Rachel Hyde ©2011 nzso.co.nz/education

TheDouble bass

The double bass in the orchestraThe main role of the double bass in the orchestra is to sustain the lowest music, the bass part, either on its own or playing with the cellos, bassoons and tuba. As with so many instruments it was Beethoven who began to make more interesting use of the double bass. Before Beethoven the double bass had been invaluable in providing a solid bass line, but was rarely given music of any individuality. In his Symphony No 5 Beethoven makes the double bass sound quite humorous in the scherzo movement, and in the Symphony No 9 the section sounds notably eloquent. When used imaginatively the double bass section can sound mysterious and even menacing. Composers such as Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and Sibelius made particularly original use of the double bass section. 1

40 Centimetres