Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Moote
How's the storm going Ken? Have you decided whether you'll do it on the 5 string or the ext? Nobody in my section had an extension so we just played up the octave (or faked notes altogether in the most "stormy" bits, with the grace of our conductor - a former cellist). I really didn't enjoy that and I don't think it sounded as good as it could if we were at least faking our way through it in the correct register. I like the instruction we were given though: "At home, practice playing all the notes accurately. When you come here, just worry about playing in time and at the correct dynamic." At least people acknowledge that some of that movement is unplayable.
I've got my Spiro low C here so I'll let you know how that performs in a couple weeks (per the low B thread in the strings section).
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I have my 5er at home tuned to Low C, not B and that makes a difference in two ways. One, the tension is better and two, saves me a shift here and there. In my office I am using an Ext. and getting better everyday. I spoke with a friend in the Philly orch and he showed it to me slow an octave up on a regular 4. It is obvious to me that you must learn the parts in both octaves and at a slow tempo or you will never be able to play it well. He mentioned that some of the players can play every note accurately on the Ext while some, not as accurate.
The 4string speaks better on the Low C than does the thicker B/C string on a 5er. Also, with so much to play on the regular 4 strings, I just might spend my time improving me fast Ext run skills and do it on the 4/Ext Bass and skip the 5er until I get something that a 4 just can't do at all.
A little faking at those speeds seems to be quite normal. I asked another Orch player to show me how he plays a part in the 5th that starts on the a-f, e-f-e-d-C/low and when he did it, he 'ghosted' the 'D' note. When I did it two years ago, I stretched my best and was at worst a little sharp on the D/ext. The Bass I used was big, 42 1/2" string length and that was another hurdle as well.
I guess if the major Orch's. in USA play mainly 4s w/ext and play all the works, it's good enough for me. I will however continue to try playing it on both the 4 and 5 string Bass. One day I even re-tuned two of my Basses in 5ths and that barely lasted till lunch time..lol