Contrabass Conversations

Today's deep-dive is an audio riff on how I approach learning a new piece. It was inspired by this week's YouTube video. Enjoy!

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Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass String Instrument Company - Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long "Karr neck" has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

Dorico - Dorico 4 is here to supercharge your workflow. Steinberg's latest major version of music notation and composition software for macOS & Windows is packed with powerful new features that are designed to accelerate your workflow and make it quicker and easier than ever to go from inspiration to finished product. If you're a composer, arranger or orchestrator, you'll be delighted by the sophisticated new tools on offer – and there are improvements across the whole application, whatever your focus. For more information and to download a free 30-day trial of Dorico 4 visit steinberg.net/dorico.

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg

We're talking today with four alumni of Wabass: Christian Gray, Braizhan Jones, Brittany Conrad, and Louis Levitt.

Wabass is a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa.

Get your application in by Feb. 15, and I hope to see you there!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass String Instrument Company - Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long "Karr neck" has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

Dorico - Dorico 4 is here to supercharge your workflow. Steinberg's latest major version of music notation and composition software for macOS & Windows is packed with powerful new features that are designed to accelerate your workflow and make it quicker and easier than ever to go from inspiration to finished product. If you're a composer, arranger or orchestrator, you'll be delighted by the sophisticated new tools on offer – and there are improvements across the whole application, whatever your focus. For more information and to download a free 30-day trial of Dorico 4 visit steinberg.net/dorico.

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Today's deep-dive takes a look at how to stay healthy on the bass and is a longer riff on this week's YouTube video—enjoy!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Joe Rosato Jr. is an Emmy Award-winning video journalist with NBC Bay Area News. He is also a bassist, songwriter, San Francisco resident… and Vespa rider!

Joe and I talk about how he got into journalism, tools, and techniques for telling compelling stories, the endless amount of stories that San Francisco and the Bay Area provide, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Joe and his great work on Twitter, the NBC Bay Area website, and learn about Joe and his music making on his website!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Today's deep-dive riffs on the topic of German and French bow, and advantages and disadvantages of both.

Enjoy, and check out the accompanying YouTube video for a more caffeinated and shorter version!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Ali Cook is a bassist, singer, and songwriter currently located in Austin, Texas.

She has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Washington Ballet, Tanglewood, Spoleto Festival USA, the Alabama Symphony, and at the Salzburger Festspiele. Ali is currently teaching in Austin and building her career as an independent singer-songwriter.

We talk about her path into music, what it was like being a long-term substitute player in top-level orchestras, creativity and how it works (or doesn't!) in an orchestral setting, taking the plunge and moving to Austin to pursue new directions, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Ali's website, her singer-songwriter website Ali and the Wild Geese, and you can also help her raise funds for her debut album!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Today's solo show is a deeper dive into this week's video topic of marking the fingerboard and the resulting benefits and pitfalls. Enjoy!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Kai Jack is the founder of The Mediterranean Double Bass Forum, which is a community-driven organization by and for double bassists designed to empower, inspire and connect double bassists of all ages and levels, particularly in countries around the Mediterranean Sea.

We talk about Kai's musical journey, his inspiration to start this organization, the impact that they've had so far, bass community organizing in general, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to follow The Mediterranean Double Bass Forum on Facebook and Instagram!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Today's solo show is a deeper dive into this week's video topic of bass fingering "rules." Enjoy, and you can download a PDF of these rules here.

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• • Jason Heath, host
  • Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
  • Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
  • Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
  • theme music by Eric Hochberg

Inez Wyrick, one of our young bassist pedagogy pioneers, passed away at the end of 2021. In this episode, we rebroadcast our interview with her from 2016 and reflect on her impact on countless bassists across the globe.

About Inez (from Tribute Archive):

She began performing music in the 8th grade with her father, and taught music, and served as a psychic consultant for the entirety of her adult life, never fully retiring. She served on the Board of Directors for the International Society of Bassists who awarded her the "Young Bass Ambassador" award in 2001, and which, starting in 2022, is named the Under 14 Solo Prize the "Inez Wyrick Prize," in her honor.

She was also Co-founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Bass Coalition Summer Workshop. In addition to teaching music privately, she also served on the faculties of Shenandoah Conservatory, Indiana University's String Academy, Amarillo College, Odessa College, and Texas Tech University's Orchestra Camp. She founded the Amarillo Bass Base, the first organization of its kind for young bassists, and members of her family of students over the years teach and hold professional positions in ensembles, music businesses, and educational institutions worldwide.

An active lecturer, clinician, and adjudicator, Inez appeared regularly at the Richard Davis Bass Conference, Golden Gate Bass Camp, and International Society of Bassists conventions. She has had over 500 arrangements/compositions published for Double Bass Ensemble.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to either the ISB or Bass Coalition:

• ISB Young Bassists Educational Program
• Bass Coalition Summer Workshop

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute. Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa. Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

• Jason Heath, host
• Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
• Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
• Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
• theme music by Eric Hochberg