My new Double Bass poster is a great resource for every bassist: it’s a fingerboard chart and timeline, and shows the notes on the fingerboard, the notation and positions – in original 1:1 scale. It also features an illustrated timeline of the double bass’ history, important bassists and makers from the 16th to 20th century.
Price: 9,50 € (+ shipping) – order link
Born in Macerata, Italy, in 1956, Scodanibbio came to prominence in the 1980s, premiering works by, among others, Brian Ferneyhough, Iannis Xenakis, Salvatore Sciarrino, Giacinto Scelsi and Gerard Grisey. He also had working relationships with Luigi Nono and Luciano Berio, whose Sequenza XIVb (originally for cello) he reworked for double bass. In 1997 he and Riley collaborated on A Lazy Afternoon among the Crocodiles, a recording that fused improvisational techniques and experiments with tuning, creating an ad hoc narrative piece with overtones of Indian raga.
This video shows Jean-Jacques Augagneur from Lyon (France) making a violin bow. From wood selection, carving, hairing and final adjustments, Augagneur shows and explains all steps of bow making.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKxORtebqYU&w=500]
Kevin Ellington Mingus is working on a documentary film on his grandfather, jazz great Charles Mingus.
The feature-length documentary is the journey of a grandson searching for the truth behind the legend of the grandfather he never knew. Surrounded by controversy for his polemic actions and his unpredictability, the enigmatic figure of his grandfather became a jazz icon. The documentary opens doors to unknown facets of a composer who left one of the largest musical legacies of 20th Century American music. It is the path of his grandson, looking at the life of his grandfather through the eyes of those he touched and inspired, and through the locations where he lived and composed his art. The film rediscovers both, the man and the artist: Charles Mingus.
There are many perspectives of my grandfather that have not had a place in defining his legacy… I am seeking them out to understand him beyond myth, fable or a singular vision of his work. – Kevin Ellington Mingus, Director
Kevin Mingus still needs support to continue this project. If you want to contribute, visit his site at Kickstarter or www.orangethenblue.com
The fifth Double Bass Kaleidoscope, under the leadership of Prof. Silvio Dalla Torre, will take place in March 2012 (11-18). One of its focuses will be the subject of the orchestra audition, which, in view of both practical playing and mental training, will be examined under the guidance of experienced professors.
In addition, an audition competition will be held for the first time. As well as concerts by lecturers and participants, various performances and discussions, there will again be ample opportunity for exciting exchanges of opinion, not least during the evening meetings. For the first time, a national meeting of the Pädagogischen Arbeitsgemeinschaften Kontrabass (Association of Double Bass Teachers, PAK) will precede the Double Bass Kaleidoscope.
Impressions from 2010 at Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO7oTa7umy4
As part of the RNCM’s prestigious Manchester International Violin Competition, the four violin makers William Castle, Helen Michetschläger, Kai-Thomas Roth, and Marc Soubeyran will work together to make a copy of a Guadagnini violin. The making process is broadcasted as live stream: www.ustream.tv/channel/rncm-test
The violin will be set up in full playing condition, but will be varnished subsequently. After varnishing, the violin will become part of the RNCM collection for loan to RNCM students. The finished violin will be played for the first time by one of the Competition’s semi-finalists on the final day of the Competition. As part of this special event, the makers will be available to answer questions about the process.
“Double Basseast” its the title of bassist Hagai Bilitzky’s weblog. He is a specialist in classical arabic and middle east music, and has written a method odor double bass and middle eastern music – “A Perfect Match ”
The “eastern positions” for the double bass are a way to execute the micro tonality, or ‘quarter tones’*, that are in use in Middle Eastern music’s modal frameworks, making it possible to play the double bass in an ensemble and also to bring the double bass into prominence as a solo instrument in this genre.
Do you need lead sheets of jazz standards? http://www.jazzstudies.us/ offers 1200 jazz charts – just the chords and no melody, but: you can transpose all tunes to any key you need with just one click.
JazzCapacitor is a YouTube Channel that features tons of transcribed music – mostly double bass solos of legends like Ray Brown, Scott LaFaro, Charles Mingus, Ron Carter and Eddie Gomez, but also of contemporary greats like Scott Colley and Christian McBride.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deY1S5wUPYE]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XIn6eozd6KY#!]
Looking for a christmas gift? At the etsy store Guitar string jewelry, you will find some nice ideas how to re-use your old electric bass strings for self-made jewelry.