Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

1131: 8 Weeks to the Jam Session – First Notes to Walking Like a Pro with Matt Rybicki

Matt Rybicki is a jazz bassist, author, and educator who helps bassists of all levels master jazz bass. Through his online courses and YouTube channel, Matt makes jazz bass education accessible to students worldwide.

His new course, 8 Weeks to the Jam Session: First Notes to Walking Like a Pro, takes beginners from their first notes to confidently walking bass lines at jam sessions.

Check out the new course here and explore Matt’s past podcast appearances.

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Theme music by Eric Hochberg

1130: Bass is for everyone! Deep-Dive with Gaelen McCormick and Michael Geib

Join us for a conversation with two frequent podcast guests, Gaelen McCormick and Michael Geib, as they discuss their recent article Bass Is for Everyone!, published in the American String Teacher journal.

Gaelen is the Director of the Eastman Performing Arts Medicine Center and a passionate advocate for inclusive bass pedagogy. Michael teaches at the University of Central Oklahoma as a bass educator and is also President-Elect of his local ASTA chapter.

Enjoy, and check out this cool article here!

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When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Theme music by Eric Hochberg

1128: Hannah Marks on Finding Her Voice

Hannah Marks is a bassist, composer, and educator living in New York City. She has performed at festivals including the Detroit Jazz Festival, Hyde Park Jazz Festival, and Kennedy Center, and currently leads an acoustic jazz quartet featuring NYC’s most in-demand musicians. Hannah teaches at prestigious programs including Interlochen, Stanford Dance Workshop, and Jazz Camp West.

In this episode, Hannah shares insights about her versatile playing style, her evolution from rock guitar to jazz bass, and what it’s like to balance classical training with a thriving jazz career. Enjoy and be sure to connect with Hannah and her cool projects on her website.

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When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

1125: From Double Bass to Viola – Navigating Musicianship with Stephanie Patterson

In this inspiring episode, Stephanie Patterson returns to share a deeply personal journey of resilience and adaptation. After experiencing serious health challenges that made it impossible to continue playing the double bass, Stephanie made the courageous decision to return to the viola—an instrument she hadn’t played in over 50 years. 

This conversation explores the physical demands of playing large instruments, the importance of fitness for musicians, and how community orchestras provide invaluable support during life’s unexpected transitions.

Enjoy and check out Stephanie’s past podcast appearances here.

Connect with DBHQ

Gear used to record this podcast

When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass – From Grammy Award winners and Philharmonic players like Max Zeugner of the New York Philharmonic, each Upton Bass is crafted with precision in Connecticut, USA, and built to last for generations.  Discover your perfect bass with Upton Bass today!

1124: The Journey of Creating a Bass Concerto with Jim Beckel and JuFang Liu

In this episode, we dive deep into the creation of Memoirs in Time, a groundbreaking new bass concerto, with composer Jim Beckel and Indianapolis Symphony Principal Bassist JuFang Liu. This commission represents a significant addition to the bass repertoire and showcases the incredible versatility of the double bass.

Watch the world premiere performance with full orchestra of “Memoirs in Time: Concerto for Bass and Orchestra” featuring JuFang Liu and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and check out this behind-the-scenes video on the creation of this piece.

For those interested in performing this work, a piano reduction is also available on YouTube and can be purchased online here.

Connect with DBHQ

Gear used to record this podcast

When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass – From Grammy Award winners and Philharmonic players like Max Zeugner of the New York Philharmonic, each Upton Bass is crafted with precision in Connecticut, USA, and built to last for generations.  Discover your perfect bass with Upton Bass today!