Contrabass Conversations

We'd love to have you contribute to our new website Double Bass HQ !   This podcast outlines some ideas for how you can get involved.   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Connect with us: all things double bass double bass merch double bass sheet music   Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle . Check out my...

Gloria Jones Allgood joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at age 20 in 1984, just before completing her Bachelor's Degree in Double Bass Performance at The University of Michigan.   Born into a musical family in Greenville, SC, she studied violin and piano until age 12 when she started studying the bass. She was a member of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra for five years before college, soloing...

Jason Heath, Trevor Jones , and Merrill Richmond chat about the idea for Double Bass HQ , working with our developer Wonderly , and the journey from idea to launch.   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Connect with us: all things double bass double bass merch double bass sheet music   Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Andr...

Richard Andersson is a Danish/Faroese/Icelandic bass player and composer based in Copenhagen, Denmark.   He has gained great recognition for his work as a composer and bass player in the modern jazz field and has released several albums as a bandleader with Danish and international musicians.   We talk about his musical background, studies in New York City, what it's like being a jazz musician in...

This solo show digs into various brands of rosin and the pros and cons of each.   Enjoy, and check out video reviews of several brands of rosin here .   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Connect with us: all things double bass double bass merch double bass sheet music   Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindl...

Sienna George is a bassist and wood carver currently living in New York City.   She is also the founder of Sienna Geo Woodwork , which specializes in handcrafted wooden double bass mutes and other musical accessories. We chat about her musical upbringing, discovering the double bass, her studies at the Manhattan School of Music with Orin O'Brien , and much more. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Sie...

This episode covers techniques for developing faster pizzicato on the double bass.   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 Inte...

The Ultimate Music Business Summit 's mission is simple—to help you take control of your music business and get a variety of valuable strategies for increasing your income and growing your impact.   Today, we chat with event coordinators  Dr. Garrett Hope and  Arthur Breur  about the story behind the summit and what to expect in 2023.    The event is taking place January 5-7, 2023, and you can lea...

This episode covers the "rules" of good bass fingering and how and when to apply or break them.   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 cour...

Valentina Ciardelli has just released Ruutsu , the first CD ever recorded for contemporary double bass and harp chamber duo ensemble in the EU. Ruutsu (which means roots in Japanese), is an album dedicated to the deep connection and mutual influence between Japanese and Western Europe music culture.   Anna and Valentina present a cultural contribution and a turning point in contemporary chamber mu...

This episode covers why we use tenor and treble clef on the double bass and tips for learning them.   It's a companion piece to 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, Andro...

Mark Roman is a recording artist, songwriter and bassist originally from Woodstock, New York.   A second-generation American, he came up with a wide range of musical influences, including classical training at Juilliard pre-college.   Mark has recently released 'Seasonal Allegories,' his first release as a string bassist & songwriter.   We talk about this and much more. Enjoy, and be sure to follo...

obituary courtesy of the International Society of Bassists : The ISB is sad to learn of the passing yesterday of bassist, composer, educator and recording artist Kelly Sill. He was 70 years old. Kelly was a beloved mainstay of the Chicago jazz scene for more than 35 years. Born in Fargo, North Dakota, he grew up in the Chicago area. After receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Illi...

University of Texas at Austin double bass professor Joel Braun just released a solo album.   Titled Unaccompanied, it contains his own transcription of the Bach Flute Partita, premiere recordings of works by Lera Auerbach, Caleb Burhans and Olga Magidenko, and his own composition "Awake," which received an honorable mention from the ISB David Walter composition competition.     We talk about the s...

This episode covers various techniques to develop more expressive phrasing on the bass and is a companion piece to next week's YouTube video.   Enjoy and don't forget to download the Phrasing Workbook I put together for you.   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...

Mark Gollihur is the owner of Gollihur Music , which has been serving the double bass community online since 1997. We chat with Mark about his father Bob's passing, how Bob built the company, the satisfactions and challenges of the business, and much more.   Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 400+ wi...

obituary courtesy of the International Society of Bassists : Wolfgang Güttler, whose decades-long career as a performer, recording artist and educator garnered numerous awards, including the Concours de Genève, died on September 18, 2022. He was 77 years old.   Born in Brasov, Romania, he was solo bassist with the SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg, and tutti double bass with the Berl...

Today's episode is the first in a series of chats with double bass legend Don Prell. Born in 1929, Don went on the road with the Frank Ortega Band, played with people like Buddy Rich and Chet Baker, and was in the original Bud Shank Quartet. He played for the San Francisco Symphony for 30 years and, after retirement, formed his own group called the Sea Bop Ensemble, which played at various San Fra...

This episode covers "accelerating scales" and why they are a core comment of my daily double bass practice.   Enjoy, and check out the accompanying YouTube video 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,...

Debbie Lyle is the Executive Director of The Foundation for the Advancement of String Education (FASE) , a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that promotes the philosophy and pedagogy of Dr. George Bornoff by providing financial support for the development of string education and teacher training.   We talk about the recent National Bornoff Summer Workshop and my experience as bass faculty there, t...

This episode digs into how harmonics work on the double bass and was inspired by Chris West's book A Guide to Double Bass Harmonics .   Enjoy, and c heck out my accompanying YouTube video 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...

Ethan Philion is an award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader based in Chicago. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and DePaul University, he has performed with Rufus Reid, Greg Ward, Dana Hall, and many other artists.   Ethan also won the International Society of Bassists Jazz Competition in 2019 and was selected to Chicago's Luminarts Jazz Fellowship in 2020.   Ethan recently released an al...

This episode digs into ways of organizing practice sessions when time is limited.   It was inspired by this week's YouTube video , and you can download the 20, 45, and 90 minute routines 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 w...

Holly Reinhardt is a student of David Heyes at Wells Cathedral School and the creator of BassNotes , a site featuring interviews with prominent people in the double bass community.   We talk about Holly's inspiration for the site, what it's like going to school and studying bass in the UK, her plans and hopes for the future, and much more.   Enjoy!   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interview...

This solo episode covers what part of the thumb to use while in thumb position and is inspired by this week's YouTube video .   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 Beginne...