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Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

897: Tom Fiorini on electric bass concertos

Thomas Fiorini recently performed the premiere of the Groslot Concerto for Bass Guitar with the Brussels Philharmonic. This concerto has recently been released on all digital platforms, and Tom has released a fascinating video series documenting the story behind this important new addition to the repertoire.

We talk about the story behind this piece, what it has been like working toward the premiere, similarities and differences in the mindset and physical skills needed for electric bass and double bass, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to follow along with Tom on his website, Facebook, and YouTube!

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

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

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

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

Thank you to our sponsors!

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.

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  • theme music by Eric Hochberg
https://traffic.libsyn.com/contrabassconversations/Thmas_Fiorini_round_2.mp3

766: Thomas Fiorini on orchestral playing

Thomas Fiorini is a member of the bass section of the Brussels Philharmonic and is an active performer in many genres.Equally at home on the bass guitar, he has performed with acts such as Rob Thomas, Gap Mangione, Bjork, Dave Samuels, Gregg Allman and top Belgian singers like Sarah Bettens, Stan Van Samang, Natalia, Niels Destadsbader, Belle Perez, Jean Bosco Safari, Boogie Boy, Wim Leys and N8N.

Thomas is an alumnus of The Berklee College of Music and has received his Bachelor’s Degree from Mannes College of Music and Master’s Degree from The Lemmensinstituut.

We talk about all kinds of topics, like playing together as a bass section, Tom’s path through the music world, his decision to move to Europe and what that experience has been like over the years, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Thomas on Facebook, YouTube, and his website!

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

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 80+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

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!

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.

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. 

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Contrabass Conversations production team:

  • Jason Heath, host
  • Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
  • Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
  • Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
  • Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
  • theme music by Eric Hochberg
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/contrabassconversations/766_-_Thomas_Fiorini_-_1_10_21_9.00_AM.mp3
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