Quote:
Originally Posted by Calvin Marks
A good rule of thumb I've found is if you can play with your thumb at the heel of the neck, D-1st finger, Eb-2nd finger, E-3rd finger, 4-4th finger...Ie. The Mahler Solo is played with full finger extensions, or if you have tiny hands/massive string length, you can use a small thumb pivot behind the neck. Also...Having the ability WITHOUT pivoting your thumb at all, to play four finger technique starting on D, Eb and E is imperative.
I prefer an Eb neck because I like to have my thumb behind my 2nd finger. Most Viennese basses and students of the Streicher technique will use a bass with an Eb neck.
An Eb neck keeps your hand position consistent all the way up the string. I always play with my thumb behind my 2nd finger. If I want to play a D on the G string all I have to think about is thumb in the crook and the first finger behind it, just like it would be if I were playing in half position...
Then again, I don't even know if this is called an Eb neck or not...This is confusing!
Eb neck - Thumb in crook, 2nd finger across from thumb on Eb, 1st finger behind thumb on D.
D neck...Then what's a D neck?
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What's a D? Which century? To me the Neck SHOULD be one way, Eb at the heel, D with 2nd finger, period. The you can play the 4th finger across all 4 strings easily with the 1st still in place. With the modern D it's a strain especially on the E and A strings. Descending passages always makes it more noticeable climbing down from TP to reg. pos.
Mahler is played as it is played, no one way. I play D-1, pivot to E-2 and F-4 for the first 3 notes. I rarely use the 3rd finger. I find pivoting to be easier and more accurate than trying to stretch my fingers in an unnatural position. Intonation is my concern, not convenience.