Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

1039: Mark Dresser on Tines of Change

Mark Dresser is a Grammy-nominated, internationally renowned bass player, improviser, composer, and interdisciplinary collaborator. At the core of his music is an artistic obsession and commitment to expanding the sonic, musical, and expressive possibilities of the contrabass. He has recorded over one hundred forty CDs, including three solo CDs and a DVD. 

Mark’s latest solo album is Tines of Change, which features luthier Kent McLagan’s innovative bass designs, including a set of metal tines that can be bowed and plucked.  Check out the trailer for Tines of Change here, and bravo to Mark for this fascinating new sonic adventure.

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

Connect with us:

744: Networked Music Performance with Michael Dessen, Mark Dresser, and Jan Stoltenberg

When Gary Karr reached out to me asking about a piece of software named JackTrip, I was determined to learn more about it and share my findings with the bass community.  I soon found myself on the Networked Music Performance Resources page of UV Irvine professor Michael Dessen,  and soon thereafter I found myself on a call with Michael and his longtime collaborator Mark Dresser.

I also found myself going through the excellent JackTrip tutorial laid out on the YouTube Channel of Jan Stoltenberg, a graduate student at Stanford University’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics.  Jan is an enthusiast of spatial audio and has several cool projects that he is working on which are featured here and also on his YouTube Channel.

This episode first features Michael and Mark talking about their experiences with telematic performance, big picture concepts about latency (also explained by Christian McBride in this excellent NPR video), and how this kind of connectivity opens up a whole new world of possibilities.  We then feature my conversation with Jan Stoltenberg about his experiences with JackTrip, spatial audio, and thoughts on the future of telematic performance.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out the JackTrip website for more information about this rapidly evolving open source product!

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

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

Thank you to our sponsors!

Ear Trumpet Labs – They make hand-built mics out of Portland, OR and they have an excellent mic for upright bass called Nadine. The Nadine is a condenser mic with a clear natural sound and incredible feedback rejection. This mic is a completely new design — the head mounts in between the strings above the tailpiece with a rubber grommet, and the body securely straps to the tailpiece with velcro elastic. A 14-inch Mogami cable connects the two parts making it easy to place on any bass. It’s durable and holds up to the demanding needs of the instrument while offering excellent sound quality. Ear Trumpet Labs is offering a free t-shirt just for Contrabass listeners with the purchase of a mic, just visit EarTrumpetLabs.com/contrabass to claim yours and check out the Nadine!

Practizma – The Practizma practice journal is packed with research based strategies to turn your ho-hum practice into extraordinary practice.  Develop your curiosity, discipline, creativity, daring, tenacity and zen.  Take a journey with four elements each week: goal setting, reflection prompt, action challenge, and journal pages to track your practice.  Curious? Download the introductory chapter of the journal for free – this gives you an idea of what it’s all about. 

Modacity – Are you a practice-savvy musician? Get Modacity – the music practice app that organizes, focuses, and tracks your progress.  Recorder… metronome… tone generator… timer… note taking… Do away with the random assortment of music practice apps in your arsenal. Modacity™ combines all the tools you need into one easy to use, music practice tool.  Organize, focus, and reflect on your practice – motivating you to increase retention in less time.  Modacity has a special offer for Contrabass Conversations listeners that includes lifetime access to the app.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

730: Deep Tones for Peace with Mark Dresser and William Parker

On today’s episode, we’re featuring Mark Dresser and William Parker in a discussion about Deep Tones for Peace 2020.  

Here’s a description of the current project, which is a continuation of the Deep Tones for Peace international event in 2009:

Deep Tones for Peace 2020 is a regular streaming of live meditations for peace, healing and transformation. Musicians transmitting deep tones to counterbalance the many systemic injustices woven into the fabric of our society. Deep tones can strengthen the unseen bonds of our diversity as we oppose economic, educational, and environmental inequities fueled by racism, sexism, and greed.

The idea is to play your bass for 5-30 minutes with the intent of musically sending healing vibrations to be felt worldwide. Participation is open to all bassists who wish to join in an ongoing musical transmission of vibrations for peace. Any style or form of music and any level bass player can generate Deep Tones for Peace. The main requirement is the intent and desire to create peace in the world. We truly believe this project will have a positive impact on the balance of life.

If you’d like to get involved, email deeptonesforpeacelive@gmail.com, and check out the archive of all past performances on the Deep Tones for Peace Facebook Group.

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

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

553: Musicality vs Technique

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the role of musicality and technique:

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:

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

426: Mark Dresser on bi-tones, expressivity, and telematic performance

headshot via Jim Carmody

Contact the show: call (415) 952-5643 (Google Voicemail) or email feedback@contrabassconversations.com 

It was a pleasure to sit down with bassist, composer, and University of California San Diego professor Mark Dresser for this wide-ranging conversation about bi-tones, fingerboard amplification, telematic music performance, and much more!Continue Reading …