Joining the registers.

[Charles Federle]

I think it is fine that you have two playing positions each with their own comfort zone. The key is increasing the gray area between the point of no return. This makes it so you can choose your body position based on the context of the piece. If you are going up for one or two high notes and have to change how you hold the instrument this is making you do alot more work then is needed (the same is true if you are playing up high and need to grab a few low notes).

There are a few exercises that can help you expand the gray area. Something similar to shifting drills (also known as vomit drills) can help you become more comfortable playing out of your comfort zone, and expand the gray area in your holding of the instrument.

[Johnny Layton]

Originally Posted by Charles Federle

...vomit drills...

I was taught to do this early on when I was doing lessons and sometimes I think it was the most important and useful lesson I ever had.

[stan haskins]

Yeah, Richard - vomits. through two octaves on each string.

Having seen videos of your playing, I think you're right to be concerned about this issue. Try "popping" the bass forward with your tummy when you're coming back from high positions. Try to also leave some space between your left arm and the shoulder of the bass, even when you're playing very high. I think you're "hugging" the bass too much, and "leaning on it" instead of balancing it.

You're good at playing across strings in the upper positions, now try to work in arpeggios and other bigger leaps (vomits, again) up and down one string. Try to minimize the huge difference between upper and lower positions.

My current teacher is encouraging his students to treat the entire range of the bass as "one position" instead of breaking it into "high/low/middle". I like this idea.

Please take this in the spirit it's given. I enjoy your playing and am just offering advice - you can take it or leave it.

[Richard Prowse]

Thanks Stan for the thoughts - nice to see you posting again.
I certainly like the one position idea and the balancing thing.