Contrabass Conversations

We're talking today with Daniel Spreadbury and Garrett Hope about what's new in Dorico 4, my music notation app of choice.   For more information and to download a free 30-day trial  of Dorico 4 visit  steinberg.net/dorico .   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...

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! 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 Be...

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...

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 Clas...

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 grea...

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 Conversation...

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-songwr...

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 m...

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 communit...

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 . C...

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 adu...

Today's episode is a look back at 2021 and things to come.   Enjoy, and see you in 2022 for more bass content! 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 co...

Today's episode is a solo show reflecting on major milestones for the podcast over the years.   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 a...

Today's episode is an audio rebroadcast for our 10,000 YouTube subscribers celebration from December 3, 2021.   Enjoy, and thanks to John Grillo , Paul Thompson , Valentina Ciardelli , and Geoff Chalmers for joining me! 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 Cont...

Orin O'Brien has retired from playing after an unparalleled 65-year career combined in the NY Philharmonic and the NYC Ballet.   To celebrate her remarkable career, we're re-releasing this epic two-hour conversation with Orin from 2017. Enjoy, and check out the original show notes for links to the many topics we dig into! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatica...

My Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course with Discover Double Bass featured compositions from seven of the most exciting composers writing for double bass. In this episode, we talk with the composers about writing for double bass and the stories behind the pieces they wrote for this course.   Enjoy, and be sure to check out these seven great composers through these links: Mason Bynes Dani...

Molly Sharp has written a book for bassists titled Making Double Stops Ring: a guided exploration of Just Intonation .   In this episode, we catch up with Molly and her many activities and dive into a discussion of what Just Intonation is and how it can help to level up your intonation abilities.   Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out...

Allan Jay Santos recently started a new podcast titled Touching Greatness .   We talk about the inspiration for this podcast, Allan's work as a coach to entrepreneurs and artists, the many things that have transpired since our first podcast together in 2016 , and much more. Enjoy, and be sure to check out the Touching Greatness podcast and follow Allan on Facebook , Instagram , and his email newsl...

Stephen Tramontozzi has recently released a new album titled Home Bass.   We talk about the concept behind this new album, how this project differed from his first album Walkabout , picking repertoire, his "album a year" project, and much more. Enjoy, and check out this new album from Steve on Spotify , Apple Music , and his website ! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to y...

Peter Seymour is the co-founder of PROJECT Trio and recently joined the double bass faculty of the Longy School of Music of Bard College .   We talk about Peter's approach to bass teaching, how he prepares students for a diverse set of career options, his journey through the music world, his Carnival of the Animals "pandemic project," and much more.   You can also find Peter's past appearances on...

Nicole Melrose is the founder of StringRise and has created the world's first buildable Bass Kit for students .   We talk about the story behind these kits, her video with Kate Jones demonstrating how it works, providing access to the bass for more students, and much more.   Be sure to check out the StringRise website to learn more, and be sure to give them a follow on Instagram , Facebook , and Y...

Cole Davis recently released a solo bass album titled Contrabass .   He won the Ron Carter Bass Competition in 2017 and was named a "Future Jazz Master" by the National Endowment of the Arts in 2018.   We talk about this new album, Cole's journey through the jazz world , his impressive artistic output, and much more.   Cole also has a course titled Innovative Thumb Position Techniques and has many...

Alberto Bocini recently released Mi caro Bottesini with pianist Alessandra Ammara.   We talk about this new album, the history of The Bass Gang , Alberto's plans for a tour with Ottava Imports , and much more. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Alberto's new album on Spotify and Apple Music ! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out our Online Sheet...

Andrew Arceci joins us again on the show, this time to discuss the experience of leading an early music ensemble from the bass, viol, and violone.   We talk about this and much more on this "round two" podcast. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Arcadia Players for more information on Andrew's projects! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out our O...

Michael T. Geib recently recorded two new albums for Onyx Lane : a historically informed recording of Dragonetti's 12 Waltzes for Solo Double Bass and a jazz album titled Not As They Seem.   We talk about what it was like putting these two albums together, what the recording process can teach you about your playing, and much more.   Enjoy, and be sure to check out Michael's website and his Univers...