Contrabass Conversations

In this solo show, we dig into ways to make thumb position more natural and less scary on the double bass.   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...

Fernanda Acosta began her formal music studies at the age of 15 in the Conservatorio de las Rosas. She has had the opportunity to participate in different festivals in Mexico, including OSIM (2016), Encuentro de orquestas en Toluca de Lerdo (2016), Festival internacional de Música de Morelia (FIMM 2016) with the Orchestra of the Swan, FIMM 2017 with Voces 8 and La Galatea, and FIMM 2019 with Andre...

In this deep-dive solo show, Jason explores why double bass extensions are popular for reaching the low notes, their various styles, and advantages vs. disadvantages between 4 string basses with extensions and 5 string basses. 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.   Liste...

Kyle Motl is a bassist, composer, and improviser dedicated to the performance of creative music. His work explores aspects of chaos and complexity through involved rhythmic and spectral transformations while remaining grounded in an embodied approach to performance. Kyle regularly gives solo concerts that expand upon the vast timbral resources of the contrabass.   We talk about how he found his wa...

Today's episode features a performance of Andrés Martin's bass quartet Kitsune with Andrés (bass 1), Barry Green (bass 2), Owen Lee (bass 3), and Jason (bass 4).   To purchase a copy of Kitsune, you can email Andrés at mgandres@gmail.com, and you can learn more about his great music on his website , YouTube , Instagram , and Facebook !   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered t...

Eli Broxham is a bassist in Nashville who recently released Watch Me Learn , the debut album from his band Dallas Ugly .   We talk about his path from classical performance major to multi-style bassist, making the move from Chicago to Nashville and lessons learned along the way, and much more.   Enjoy, and be sure to follow Eli and his work on his website, and check out the latest from Dallas Ugly...

Today's deep-dive is a "highlight reel" from our recent conversation with Luis Celis , the awesome new bassist in the Cincinnati Symphony, sharing tips for improving that will help anyone.   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 Conversatio...

We're chatting with Eleanor Martindale about this summer's RCR Double Bass Camp , which will be coming up August 15-20 in Perpignan, France. We talk about how the camp is organized, the teachers that will be there, and much more. Enjoy, and you can learn more about the RCR Double Bass Camp on their website , Instagram , and Facebook !   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to...

Today's episode is a deep-dive into Nicholas Walker's beautiful solo bass work Chorale.   Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 350+ 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 Inter...

Renée-Paule Gauthier is a violinist, teacher, performance coach, writer, clinician, yogi, wife, mother, aspiring hiker, and personal growth junkie.   She is also the host of the Mind Over Finger podcast , runs the Music Mastery Experience coaching program for musicians, and has recently been certified as a life coach.   We chat about podcasting, playing with professional orchestras, mindset, and m...

Today's deep-dive covers techniques for fixing collapsing left-hand fingers.   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 Intermedia...

Luis Celis recently won an audition for the double bass section of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra .   Luis is originally from Venezuela and studied with Susan Hagen at the Berklee College of Music.   He was also a diversity fellow with the CSO prior to winning the audition with the CSO.   We talk about Luis' musical journey, what his preparation process for the CSO audition was like, and much m...

Joe Policastro played a great set to close out the Cincinnati Bass Bash this April.   This episode features Joe on bass along with Steve Schmidt on piano and James Leslie on drums.     Enjoy, and be sure to follow along with Joe and his trio on their website , Instagram , YouTube , Facebook , and Spotify !   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check o...

Barry Green hit the ground running when he moved back to Cincinnati a few years ago, and I was fortunate to be a part of two recent Ohio events.   This short episode features an interview with Barry and is a great example of his enthusiasm for the double bass and the community surrounding it.   Enjoy!   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out ou...

Today's deep-dive covers ideas for getting more accurate with double bass intonation.   Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 300+ 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 Inter...

Thomas Fiorini recently performed the premiere of the Groslot Concerto for Bass Guitar with the Brussels Philharmonic. This concerto has recently been released on all digital platforms , and Tom has released a fascinating video series documenting the story behind this important new addition to the repertoire.   We talk about the story behind this piece, what it has been like working toward the pre...

Today's deep-dive covers thoughts on bass camps and the benefits they have to local communities.   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 cours...

Richard Duke is the director for the Golden Gate Bass Camp and the San Francisco Winter Bass Bash .   In this episode, we talk about Richard's early years in music, moving from Alaska to California to study at UC-Santa Cruz, our shared time at Northwestern University in the late 1990s, the Bay Area music scene, how Richard got involved with the bass camp, and what it has been like since taking ove...

In this solo show, Jason covers his thoughts about turning 46 and what the last few years have been like. 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 cours...

Johnny Hamil recently released a new podcast called Jamming With Johnny , and we hopped on the line to do a podcast for both of our respective shows. In this episode, we catch up with Johnny, dig into his inspiration for and continued experiences starting and running the Kansas City Bass Workshop , and much more.   Enjoy, and learn more about this summer's KC Bass Workshop here .   Subscribe to th...

This podcast is a deep-dive on the topic of deliberate practice, inspired by this week's YouTube video about the Musical SuperLearning course from Musical U.   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, A...

Jackson Jay Kidder is a bassist, vocalist, and composer based in Chicago.   He recently released his debut EP Standing By and will be celebrating with a live event in April.   We talk about his musical background, his time studying at DePaul University, what it has been like as a working jazz artist, how the pandemic inspired Jackson's singing, and much more.   Enjoy, and be sure to check out Jack...

Nina DeCesare was recently in San Francisco as the guest artist for the 2022 San Francisco Winter Bass Bash .   We talk about her recital, her recent faculty appointment to the Peabody Institute , and much more.   Enjoy. and be sure to follow Nina on her website , Instagram , and YouTube Channel !     Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out our...

Susan Hagen has recently written a book of Warm Ups for double bassists.   It's titled BASSics of Bass and is available in digital form through our sheet music store or in print form by emailing Susan .   We talk about this book and much more.   Enjoy, and be sure to check out Susan on her website , YouTube Channel , and Berklee faculty profile !   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews...

Today's episode is a panel discussion on auditioning and other topics from the 2022 Pittsburgh Double Bass Symposium .   The panelists for this discussion are Brandon McLean , Andrew Kohn , Tracy Rowell , Jeremy Kurtz-Harris , and event organizer Micah Howard .   Enjoy!   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with...