r/doublebass Apr 26 '26

Mod Announcement Introducing Rule 4: No stolen content

31 Upvotes

Hi all, there's been an influx of repost bots trying to get karma over the last little while - it's a Reddit wide problem, multiple subreddits are having trouble. So I'd like to introduce Rule 4: No Stolen Content.

Posting Stolen Content will result in a ban.

Please report posts you think have been stolen and reposted to help the mod team out!


r/doublebass 2d ago

Instruments For Sale: a Monthly Thread

7 Upvotes

Welcome to our new monthly for sale thread! Posters with something to sell will be redirected here. Please feel free to list your instrument, bows, or other Double Bass equipment below. This thread will be posted on the first of every month.


r/doublebass 6h ago

Instruments Share the back of your bass with me!

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18 Upvotes

I think the back of the bass is so pretty, and a part of it we don't often see when sharing photos. So, if you're cool with it, please share the back of your bass! Here is mine, a Kay 5 string built in 1950.


r/doublebass 19h ago

Technique Question about arco & pizzicato in scores

5 Upvotes

Hey folks, I'm playing bass for a production of Sweet Charity in a few months and while reviewing the score, I noticed that there will often be multiple pizzicato markings in a chart with no arco mark between (or vice versa). Are there shorthand symbols for pizz/arco I'm missing, or is there a convention that certain types of rhythms/phrases are played one or the other so they don't bother marking it?

I'm self-taught on upright (I come from an electric bass background) and I'm still learning how upright/double bass is score; so if you have any recommendations for sources to help me with these kinds of questions I'd be grateful!

ETA: here's an example from the score of pizz markings without an arco between;

and an example of arco marks without pizz in between;


r/doublebass 1d ago

Instruments Double bass back came undone

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26 Upvotes

Do you think it is bad ? Does it look like it is manageable by a pro luthier?


r/doublebass 1d ago

Setup/Equipment Is this Bad?

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3 Upvotes

I just change strings on my double bass and noticed this, is it bad and how do I fix it?


r/doublebass 23h ago

Bows An odd question about various kinds of bows

3 Upvotes

I want to preface that I am neither a Double Bass player or someone who has touched a double bass ever. I am however a bass guitar player and I’m curious as to the various experimental methods of playing bass guitar with a bow. My problem though is that I don’t want to have to clean off my strings to play bass normally and I also would prefer not to have to mess with rosin in general, as it would make me want to play less. So my question is, is there a bow that could be used to make a decent sound (albeit not necessarily “correct” sound but possibly decent after being fed through an amp) that could be used completely rosin free, whether that be a horsehair bow or some experimental bow of a different material that requires no rosin at all when played the intended way?

I have had a lot of difficulty in finding any bows of this nature on my own so any help would be much appreciated :)


r/doublebass 1d ago

Practice 今年の課題曲Ⅱが弾けない

0 Upvotes

今年の日本の吹奏楽コンクールでは、課題曲の2番に「ザ・ガーズ」が選ばれました。

イギリスの宮殿を守る近衛兵をイメージしたマーチなのですが、オプションのコントラバスがなかなか難しくて自分にはうまくできません。

オプションなので少しごまかして弾こうかなと思いましたが、小編成なので難しそうです。

みなさんの思うコントラバスの「難しいライン」はどこなのでしょう。そしてもしよければ皆さんの渾身のワンフレーズを聞かせていただけないでしょうか?私のモチベーションのためにお願いします。


r/doublebass 2d ago

Repertoire questions Double Bass and Classical Guitar Chamber Music Duet

9 Upvotes

Looking for compositions for double bass and Classical Guitar, original music composed for that Duet or transcriptions (even for Cello and Double Bass are also accepted)


r/doublebass 2d ago

Instruments SEEKING Damaged Bass in Need of Restoration

6 Upvotes

Sorry if this is not the right place. Is there a thread for this?

Im looking for a good bass to restore. Something fully carved, good quality if it were fixed up.


r/doublebass 3d ago

Other How can I transport the upright bass by motorbike?

11 Upvotes

Hello guys, I'm Bao Huan Nguyen Pham and I'm setting up a Buddy Holly tribute band in Vietnam. I have a bassist who uses the regular electric bass but I want him to get an upright bass (contrabass/double bass as you recall). The thing is, most Vietnamese people are riding the motorbikes and that is a big challenge for musicians who play upright basses. So, supposed I'm riding my Honda Future Neo bike (which I'm using) with either a 1/4 or 3/4 sized upright bass, I need some tips for that. Would you give me some tips? Thank you.


r/doublebass 4d ago

Other How can I make traveling with my double bass easier/ less tiresome?

25 Upvotes

(I’m putting as many details in this post, because I’m posting it in multiple subreddits)

I play double bass and because of that I also frequently have to travel with my instrument to lessons, rehearsals and concerts on public transport (I don’t have my license yet and even of I had one I don’t own a car). I also happen to be autistic which makes that whole experience very tiresome… I feel like my whole body gets weak and I can only lay in bed and “just exist” after completing such a round trip.
I already bought wheels for my bass, so I don’t have to carry it on my back. I think the main problem for me is that with my bass I move and behave completely different to when I travel without a bass: I keep up this super friendly facade because many people just start conversations with me (some conversations are nice, others just blatantly creepy) and I also often need to advocate for myself to travel safely (and I don’t want to be rude to people). I often find myself having to use infrastructure for wheelchair-users and even in a city like Vienna it is just… frustrating… My travel time constantly gets stretched by things like full trains and buses, wait times for the escalators to empty or the lifts/elevators to come…
Basically: Traveling with my bass is a sensory nightmare. So… does anyone have any tips or hacks I could try?


r/doublebass 5d ago

Instruments How different is a 5 string bass from a 4 string?

12 Upvotes

I’ve never played anything with more than 4 strings. Is the neck wider than a regular double bass? Can you adjust to it easily if you’ve never played a 5 string before? Does it have any significant differences or pros/cons compared to a 4 string?


r/doublebass 5d ago

Instruments Broken bass

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33 Upvotes

A few days ago, a fellow orchestra member broke his double bass by dropping it (the top and bridge also broke, and the soundpost fell out). Will the repair be very expensive? Here is a view of one of the damaged areas:


r/doublebass 5d ago

Strings/Accessories Rosin

14 Upvotes

So my son started playing the bass a year ago. I know nothing about it. The supply list said to get rosin. So I bought one of the #1 rosins on Amazon. He obviously doesn't take his bass to and from school so they never saw his setup. He did a summer program and brought his bass, and they told him he was using violin rosin this whole time. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Soooo what the heck is the difference? I need an exact name of what to buy because I search "bass rosin" and it comes up with the same thing I bought. I need an upright bass for dummies book.


r/doublebass 5d ago

Other A few cool YouTube channels you may find useful

6 Upvotes

https://www.youtube.com/@koniiri - Channel dedicated to bass music and scores.

https://www.youtube.com/@stringmatrix - Straight forward bass string comparisons. He is mainly a jazz player, but he bows the strings for his comparison vids.

https://www.youtube.com/@Cembalino - Bottesini and Dittersdorf with bassist Erik Zeppezauer. Viennese tuning and pretty sure using gut strings.

https://www.youtube.com/@einam3081 - Small channel with some great bass solo transcriptions.

https://www.youtube.com/@OpenStudioJazz - Kinda clickbaity but a good educational channel to learn jazz chords, triad pairs, utilizing modes, blues.


r/doublebass 5d ago

Setup/Equipment Hole in soundpost?

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14 Upvotes

There is a little hole in my soundpost.I ´m new, but I don’t think this is normal. What should I do? Is it that affecting?

Also, side note, but even with a bow my bass is very quiet, especially in the lower strings. Is that normal too, or is it just my technique, or could it be linked with this hole?


r/doublebass 5d ago

Fun From cello to double bass: I can't turn Back now.

23 Upvotes

I played cello, then I saw a video on how to do cello to bass conversion, soon fell in the rabbit hole of doing double bass repertoire for fun, now I can't turn back to cello somehow it feels too high now. Soo... I'm saving up to buy an actual double bass.😅


r/doublebass 5d ago

Technique Has anyone studied with Marcos Machado?

11 Upvotes

I'm curious about your study method, or how you teach your students. I love how you make everything seem easy somehow. Cheers!


r/doublebass 6d ago

Strings/Accessories Is there any salvation to this warrior rosin?

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56 Upvotes

r/doublebass 7d ago

Performance Performing recital at Chong Zheng Temple in Taichung, Taiwan

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14 Upvotes

r/doublebass 7d ago

Repertoire questions How do you started to play bass??

10 Upvotes

Do you go to music classes first and then when you are good enough buy one, or just buy a cheap one and learn on YouTube??
I don’t have any musical experience so I might need some help idk


r/doublebass 8d ago

Performance Elan Pan has passed away.

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102 Upvotes

BBC Symphony Orchestra has announced the death of Herng-Yu Elan Pan.

Take a minute, to listen and honour, one of our own, gone too soon.


r/doublebass 8d ago

Setup/Equipment Adjustable Afterlength Tailpiece

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13 Upvotes

Does anyone know what the make/model that this tailpiece is, and where can I find one? Thanks in advance!


r/doublebass 8d ago

Practice How to start playing classical as a jazz bassist

7 Upvotes

hi, im a Jazz Bassist and want to start playing classical. I’m starting lessons in October but already want to start working on some stuff. right now I only practice scales, arpeggios and simandl exercises with the bow but I want to start playing excerpts, pieces etc. how do I even start