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Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

463: The Mental Game

This year’s Winter Olympics inspired podcast listener Steven Bingham to write in the following topic request:

“If I could suggest a future podcast topic, it would be “performance psychology” with a bassist or other musician who also is a subject matter expert, for example, a university teacher or researcher. Watching the Winter Olympics reminds me of what human beings are capable of achieving when their mind is made up and their body coached up to do it.”

I put this question out on Facebook and got some great responses, so I decided to take these responses and roll them together with some performance psychology-related conversations from these past guests:

  • Dr. Don Greene – Performance Coach
  • Paul Ellison – Rice University
  • Ian Hallas – Lyric Opera of Chicago
  • David Allen Moore – Los Angeles Philharmonic and University of Southern California
  • Andy Raciti – Northwestern University and Milwaukee Symphony
  • Karl Fenner – Atlanta Symphony

These topics were also covered in my Winning the Audition book and podcast series.

Let me know if you have any other tops-specific episodes like this that you’d like to hear!

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

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

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 Kaplan strings, which are are designed, engineered, and crafted at the D’Addario string factory in New York and are great for all kind os styles of music.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

  • Jason Heath, host
  • Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
  • Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
  • Trevor Jones, publication and promotion

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

http://traffic.libsyn.com/contrabassconversations/The20Mental20Game.mp3

382: standing vs. sitting – the double bassist’s dilemma

This episode takes a look at the benefits and drawbacks to seated and standing approaches to playing the double bass.

  • Part 1 – sitting
  • Part 2 – standing
  • Part 3 – transitioning from sitting to standing

We feature highlights from past podcast guests:

  • Dr. Randy Kertz – specialist in musician’s health
  • Max Dimoff – Cleveland Orchestra principal bass and University of Michigan faculty
  • Alex Hanna – Chicago Symphony principal bass and DePaul University faculty
  • Bruce Bransby – Indiana University faculty
  • Greg Sarchet – Lyric Opera of Chicago and Northeastern Illinois faculty
  • Michael Hovnanian – Chicago Symphony
  • David Grossman – New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
  • Paul Ellison – Rice University faculty
  • Ju-Fang Liu – Indianapolis Symphony and Butler University faculty
  • Dennis Whittaker – Houston Grand Opera and University of Houston faculty
  • Szymon Marciniak – soloist and chamber musician
  • David Allen Moore – Los Angeles Philharmonic and University of Southern California faculty
  • Ira Gold – National Symphony and Peabody Conservatory faculty

Resources to check out:

  • Laborie enspin
  • Chromatic Endpin from Emilio Guarino
  • Rob Pin from Rob Anzellotti
  • New Harmony endpins

Check out more “best-of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights.

Continue Reading …

http://traffic.libsyn.com/contrabassconversations/CBC_382_-_Sitting_vs_Standing.mp3

381: developing bow strokes

This episode is a deep-dive into developing bow strokes on the double bass.

  • Part 1 – bow stroke overview
  • Part 2 – developing spiccato
  • Part 3 – bow stroke deep-dive

We feature highlights from past podcast guests on this topic:

  • Matthew McDonald – Berlin Philharmonic
  • Lloyd Goldstein – former member of the Florida Orchestra and a longtime Francois Rabbath student
  • David Allen Moore – LA Phil and USC
  • Ed Barker and Lawrence Wolfe of the Boston Symphony
  • Michael Hovnanian – Chicago Symphony
  • Ira Gold – National Symphony and Peabody Conservatory
  • Lawrence Hurst – former Indiana University bass professor

Recommended resources:

  • Strokin’ by Hal Robinson (order it from Robertson & Sons)
  • Ira Gold’s Orchestral Bowing Workshop

Check out more “best-of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights.

Continue Reading …

http://traffic.libsyn.com/contrabassconversations/CBC_381_-_Bow_Strokes.mp3

358: Orchestra and Opera Excerpts

This is a “best of” episode from three classic Contrabass Conversations episodes. Back in the early days of the podcast, John Grillo and I recorded two episodes that dissected various excerpts. He and I talked through each excerpt and then played a recording of John performing it.

These have been extremely popular resources over the years, but they came out not he podcast ten years ago. With so many episodes of this podcast and so many new listeners to the show, bringing these classic offerings to light is important to me, so I’m planning on doing a few rebroadcasts of this cornerstone content every now and again.

Orchestra Excerpts Covered:

  • Beethoven Symphony No. 9
  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5
  • Brahms Symphony No. 1 and 2
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
  • Mozart Symphony No. 35 and 39
  • Mahler Symphony No. 2
  • Schubert Symphony No. 9
  • Strauss Ein Heldenleben
  • Britten Young Person’s Guide
  • Verdi Otello

Opera Excerpts Covered:

  • Strauss
    • Salome
    • Rosenkavalier
  • Wagner
    • Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
    • Die Walküre
  • Britten
    • Peter Grimes
  • Verdi
    • Otello
    • Rigoletto
    • Falstaff
  • Weber
    • Euryanthe
  • Mozart
    • Magic Flute
    • Marriage of Figaro
  • Beethoven
    • Fidelio
  • Humperdinck
    • Hansel and Gretel

Continue Reading …

http://traffic.libsyn.com/contrabassconversations/CBC_358_-_Orchestra_and_Opera_Excerpt_Explorations.mp3

345: jazz legends on the business of music

This episode features highlights from past jazz bassist guests discussing the business of music.  Follow along with all of our jazz content at contrabassconversations.com/jazz.

Continue Reading …

http://traffic.libsyn.com/contrabassconversations/CBC_345_-_Jazz_Legends.mp3
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