Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

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!

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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:

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457: Thorkild Larsen of REMIC

I first became acquainted with REMIC microphones through my good friend Adam Booker. 

Adam did a comprehensive video review of the REMIC bass mics in 2017, and I was mesmerized by how well the acoustic sound of the bass is reproduced.

When Trine from REMIC reached out to me and suggested that company founder Thorkild Larsen and I chat about the technology behind these mics, I immediately said yes.  After all, we “bass geeks” are always curious about new and emerging technologies surrounding our instrument.

This is a fun conversation and a deep dive into the inner workings of mixing a bass. You’ll love it!

Continue Reading …

456: Left Hand Technique with Lauren Pierce

Lauren Pierce has been a guest on the podcast many times in the past. She’s a great friend and is constantly looking for new ways to help bass players learn ket concepts.

Lauren has just come out with a Left Hand Technique course through Discover Double Bass.  Talk about a big concept to tackle!  Lauren has done a magnificent job laying out a logical sequence of major concepts for the left hand.

We talk about being efficient in the left hand, curved fingers, starting at the heel block, avoiding tension, the “Death Grip,” and much more in this fun and energetic conversation!

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

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

Robertson & Sons Violins

For more than four decades, Robertson & Sons has specialized in providing the highest quality stringed instruments and bows to collectors, professional musicians, music educators, and students of all ages. Their modern facility is equipped with three instrument showrooms as well as a beautiful Recital Hall available to our clients to in their search for the perfect instrument and/or bow.

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!

455: How to Learn a Piece

How do we learn a piece?

That’s a question thatI recently put out to the Contrabass Conversations community.  The responses I got back were fascinating.

While we all have a different approach to learning a piece (as you’ll see in this episode!), there are certain recurring approaches that I discovered:

  1. Listening to recordings
  2. Watching videos on YouTube.
  3. Beginning with a “bird’s eye” perspective
  4. Playing along with recordings.
  5. Working in chunks.
  6. Connecting small chunks to form bigger chunks.
  7. Slow practice.
  8. Identifying key notes in phrases.

Continue Reading …

454: Daniel Smith on Bali, pre-med, and auditioning

We are chatting with Daniel Smith on today’s podcast!  Daniel recently joined the San Francisco Symphony as associate principal bass after spending two seasons in the San Diego Symphony double bass section.

About Daniel Smith:

A native to Southern California, bassist Daniel Smith was recently appointed Associate Principal Bass of the San Francisco Symphony after performing for two seasons with the San Diego Symphony.  Mr. Smith graduated from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in 2013 under the tutelage of Timothy Pitts. After four years of pursuing music, as well as a biochemistry minor, Mr. Smith travelled to Bali, Indonesia, where he spent four months volunteering and teaching music at an orphanage known as Bali Life. Two months following his return home, Mr. Smith was appointed Principal Bass of the Santa Barbara Symphony in February of 2014.

Continue Reading …