Family
string instruments
Description
The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in use. It has four or (less often) five strings tuned in 4ths. Nowadays in many orchestras two or three double basses have five strings (one extra string which is tuned to B or C). In western art music it is best known for its contribution to the orchestra, where it supplies not only the power and weight but the basic rhythmic foundation, and has also been used as a continuo instrument (which is a style that the bass is continuous all during the music. This is applied to show accompaniment). More rarely the bass is heard as a soloist and there were not numerous concertos composed for it because the double bass is not acoustically powerful in large halls. It sounds far, vague and weak when playing solos while a group of double basses could sound bright and expressive. For solo performance it is generally tuned a whole note higher to produce a brighter timbre.
Double basses vary in shape and size more than almost any other instrument. There are two basic designs: one is shaped like a viola da gamba, the other like a violin. In its modern form it is a hybrid, combining elements of both the viola da gamba and the violin families. From the gamba it retains the sloping shoulders, the generally relatively flat back and the string tunings to fourths. The F-shaped sound holes and the scroll come from the violin.
Composers
in Baroque and classical period the double bass used to play the same part as Cello. Independent bass parts are rarely seen in this period except some of Operas. Nowadays players have encouraged composers to write for the solo double bass. Composer such as Kosovsky, Hense, Zimmerman etc. have composed conspicuously for the bass in 20th century.
Players
The players who had an impact on double bass playing could be named as Oscar Zimmerman, Francois Rabbath, Gary Karr and Bertram Turetzky.
Double bass parts
The double bass playing range
Pitches of open strings
Audio Sample
Title: Four short pieces for solo double bass
Artist: Albrecht Maurer
