Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

799: Mary Rannie on writing Life on the G String

Mary Rannie is the principal double bass of the Victoria Symphony in British Columbia, Canada, the double bassist in the Galiano Ensemble, and former bass instructor at the University of Victoria.  She is also the author of Gary Karr: Life on the G String, which chronicles the remarkable career of one of the most influential bassists in history.

We talk about the inspiration for the book, the decade-plus process of collating and outlining, what it was like to actually finish this book, takeaways from the whole experience, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out more about Mary and this great book on her website!

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

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Check out my Beginner’s Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Dorico – Dorico helps you to write music notation, automatically producing printed results of exceptional quality — and plays it back with breathtaking realism. It is easy enough for anyone to learn, yet has hundreds of advanced notations, features, options and sounds to satisfy even the most demanding professionals.  With its streamlined, natural user interface, students and those with less experience in scoring can compose and arrange straight into Dorico, making learning the language of music notation much faster and more intuitive. Editing and making changes — such as instrument, time signature or key — are straightforward, with the notation instantly and correctly adapting to include them, reinforcing the learning outcome.

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Contrabass Conversations production team:

681: Gary Karr and his Influence

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of Gary Karr and his influence:

Check out Gary Karr’s first and second appearances on this podcast, and listen to more “best of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights.

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

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

D’Addario Strings

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

Steve Swan String Bass

Steve Swan String Bass features the West Coast’s largest selection of double basses between Los Angeles and Canada.  Located in Burlingame, just south of San Francisco, their large retail showroom holds about 70 basses on display. Their new basses all feature professional setups and come with a cover at no additional cost. Used and consignment instruments receive any needed repairs and upgrades before getting a display position on the sales floor.

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.

The Bass Violin Shop

The Bass Violin Shop offers the Southeast’s largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

Modacity

Modacity is a practicing app that helps musicians be more effective at practice.  They help you get the results you want, while keeping you encouraged and motivated to stick with it and reach those goals – however big, or small, they may be.  

Kolstein Music

The Samuel Kolstein Violin Shop was founded by Samuel Kolstein in 1943 as a Violin and Bow making establishment in Brooklyn, New York. Now on Long Island, over 60 years later, Kolstein’s has built a proud reputation for quality, craftsmanship and expertise in both the manufacture and repair of a whole range of stringed instruments, and has expanded to a staff of twelve experts in restoration, marketing and production.

A440 Violin Shop

An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440‘s commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

551: Gary Karr new course!

I had the chance to chat recently with Denis Chang, who has produced a new four-part double bass course featuring Gary Karr!  This course rocks.  I’ve been using it for my own playing and with my students with great results.  Here are links and details:

In The Style Of Gary Karr, Vol.1

Lessons

  • Warm-up Exercise 1
  • Warm-up Exercise 2
  • Warm-up Exercise 3
  • Warm-up Exercise 4
  • Holding The Bass
  • Purpose Of Vomit Exercise
  • Fingerings For Vomit Exercise
  • Vomit Exercise
  • Holding The Bow
  • Role Of Fingers In The Bowing Hand
  • Feeling The Bow

Performances:

  • Bach 1a – Prelude
  • Bach 1b – Allemande
  • Bach 1c – Courante
  • Bach 1d – Sarabande
  • Bach 1e – Minuet
  • Bach 1f – Gigue

In The Style Of Gary Karr, Vol.2

Lessons

  • Left Hand Knuckles
  • Using All The Fingers
  • Left Hand Finger Contact Point
  • Left Arm Elbow
  • Standing Naturally
  • Bow Hair
  • String Crossing Preparation
  • Spiccato
  • String Crossing Exercise
  • Preparation For Spiccato
  • Tada Exercise
  • Rosin
  • Findeisen String Crossing
  • Scale Exercise

Performances:

  • Bach 2a – Prelude
  • Bach 2b – Allemande
  • Bach 2c – Courante
  • Bach 2d – Sarabande
  • Bach 2e – Menuet
  • Bach 2f – Gigue

In The Style Of Gary Karr, Vol.3

Lessons

  • Stretching 1
  • Stretching 2
  • Stretching 3
  • Vibrato Exercise
  • Types Of Vibrato
  • Vibrato Contact Point
  • Learning A Piece
  • Phrasing
  • Thoughts On Technique
  • Bow Distribution
  • Shift On Upbow
  • Balance And Bow Speed

Extra – Stretching Routine (Uninterrupted)

Performances:

  • Bach 3a – Prelude
  • Bach 3b – Allemande
  • Bach 3c – Courante
  • Bach 3d – Sarabande
  • Bach 3e – Bourree
  • Bach 3f – Gigue

In The Style Of Gary Karr, Vol.4

Lessons

  • Tuning The Bass
  • Intonation And Overtones
  • Size Of The Bass
  • Practicing
  • Feeling And Vibrations
  • Pushing The Bass Into The Bow
  • Dividing The Pulse
  • Long Pulse
  • Bowing Choices
  • Double Stops Intonation
  • Playing On One String
  • Bow Angle
  • Etudes
  • Relationship To Bach
  • Callouses And Thumb
  • Projection And Amplification
  • Final Thoughts

Performances:

  • Abendlied
  • Amazing Grace
  • Habanera
  • Kol Nidrei
  • Melodie
  • Scherzo
  • Sonnambula
  • Valse Miniature
  • When I Wake

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

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

D’Addario Strings

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

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.

Steve Swan String Bass

Steve Swan String Bass features the West Coast’s largest selection of double basses between Los Angeles and Canada.  Located in Burlingame, just south of San Francisco, their large retail showroom holds about 70 basses on display. Their new basses all feature professional setups and come with a cover at no additional cost. Used and consignment instruments receive any needed repairs and upgrades before getting a display position on the sales floor.

Kolstein Music

The Samuel Kolstein Violin Shop was founded by Samuel Kolstein in 1943 as a Violin and Bow making establishment in Brooklyn, New York. Now on Long Island, over 60 years later, Kolstein’s has built a proud reputation for quality, craftsmanship and expertise in both the manufacture and repair of a whole range of stringed instruments, and has expanded to a staff of twelve experts in restoration, marketing and production.

The Bass Violin Shop

The Bass Violin Shop offers the Southeast’s largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

A440 Violin Shop

An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440‘s commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

458: Gary Karr home

Gary Karr… I mean, what can I say?  He’s the reason that I play bass. That so many people play the bass.  He’s truly one of a kind, and he’s not slowing down anytime soon!

When International Society of Bassists General Manager Madeleine Crouch heard that I would be the guest artist for the 2018 Las Vegas Bass Workshop, she suggested that Gary Karr and I coordinate an “at home with Gary” podcast.  Gary Karr and Harmon Lewis split their time between British Columbia and Las Vegas, and both Gary and Harmon were around that weekend for a visit.

Gary, Harmon, and I spent several hours on a sunny Sunday afternoon chatting about all kinds topics, including:

  • why Gary has never cared for Simandl… and how he ended up being photographed for the International Music Edition!
  • how “soft rosin” became the rosin of choice among bass players
  • the concept of proprioception

…and much more!

I hope you enjoy this inspiring and freewheeling conversation, and be sure to check out my conversation with Gary from the 2017 ISB Convention as well!

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

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

D’Addario Strings

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Helicore strings, which are are designed, engineered, and crafted at the D’Addario string factory in New York and come in orchestral, hybrid, pizzicato, and solo string sets..

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.

A440 Violin Shop

An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440‘s commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

359: Gary Karr on his remarkable journey

I’ve been dreaming about having Gary Karr on Contrabass Conversations ever since starting the show.  We got a chance to sit down and chat during the 2017 International Society of Bassists Convention, and that’s what you’re hearing today.

Gary is the reason that so many of us (myself included) play the bass.  He and I chat about my first experience seeing him perform in Sioux Falls South Dakota.  This had a profound impact on me and is a key reason why I play the bass today.

Gary Karr founded the International Institute for String Bass (IISB) in 1967.  During these early years, he published sixteen issues of Bass Sound Post and two issues of Probas.  He also hosted three international conferences in Madison, Wisconsin.

Seeing Gary at this 50th anniversary convention was a treat for everyone involved.  We saw him in concerts.  He spent time chatting and taking photographs with countless bassists during the week.  Having him at this event was significant for everyone attending.

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