tag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:/blogs/blog?p=2Blog2022-01-22T08:13:32-05:00Steven Fox-Music Lessonsfalsetag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766552018-03-21T20:00:00-04:002021-03-03T02:12:36-05:00How To Play A Chromatic Scale On The Bass Guitar<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">To start a chromatic scale is a musical scale containing twelve pitches all a semitone or half step apart.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Thus in theory there is only one chromatic scale.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The starting note(and ending note) are the only “variable”.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I have divided my approaches to the chromatic scale based on where on the instrument we are starting. The “upper” G&D strings or the “lower” A&E strings.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Each of these have two finger patterns that I find to be the most effective and intuitive.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>All while trying to keep the left hand shifting to a minimum. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">Lower Strings</span></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">For the lower strings on the bass you can approach the Chromatic Scale two ways. Either a major scale based finger pattern starting with the second or middle finger or the minor based finger pattern starting with the first or index finger.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In either case you will shift back two times to get the additional notes needed to complete the scale.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have included fingerings in the diagrams below.</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/aaa35ea8d2a3317a1ba572ff541733303f055072/original/lower-strings-chromatic-scale.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjcyeDI3MyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Chromatic Scale for lower Strings of bass guitar" height="273" width="672" /></span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">Upper Strings</span></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">For chromatic scales starting on the upper strings of electric bass again we have two approach’s, this time the main difference is which string you will stay on the longest, the G or the D string.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Both of these start with the first or index finger.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The diagrams below again give you my suggested fingerings.</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p2"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/16a11960d2b9c82d83c2fca5a24edb27354d852b/original/upper-chromatic-scale.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjcyeDMyOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Chromatic Scale for upper Strings of bass guitar" height="328" width="672" /></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">There are of course endless ways you could play a chromatic scale on the bass. I feel that these fingerings represent the most straight forward approach.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Along with being easily remembered since they use familiar scale based patterns already in our muscle memory.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If you have any questions about the information above please feel free to shoot me an email.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As always Happy Bass Playing!</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614)262-9586 </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766542017-12-12T19:00:00-05:002020-01-16T19:46:42-05:00Buying Your First Double Bass<p class="p1"><span class="s1">When people first contact me about starting double bass lesson the immediate question is where should I get an instrument?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Should I buy or rent?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>For the person just starting out I always recommend renting a bass before you spend $2000 or more on an instrument.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Some places even offer a rent to own option where the money used on the rental can be applied to an upgraded instrument.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">So lets say you have rented an instrument you love playing the double bass and you want to find an instrument that is your own.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The most important pieces of advice I have for you are. 1. Go to a shop the specialize's in Double bass. If one is not near by then a reputable violin shop in your area will do.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Either way you will be trying instruments that have been properly set up which is key to trying out instruments. 2.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Have patience.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You do not have to buy a bass at the first place you visit and nor should you feel pressured to.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I visited the same shop a year or so apart and first there were basses I like but nothing that truly grabbed my attention.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>When I returned a year later I found the double bass that I still play to this day.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The next step is focusing on an instrument that fits your needs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A bass that is a great classical instrument that can be the anchor of a bass section in a symphony may not be a great jazz or bluegrass instrument.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Also don’t focus on a brand of bass that doesn’t really apply all that much in the bass world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You will hear talk about how different countries bass builders have certain sounds and this does tend to be true.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>With Italian basses being big and dark, French basses more focused and with a brighter sound and German basses somewhere in the middle of the two.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Please again go into buying an instrument with no disposition, always being open to every uniqueness of each individual bass.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Play the same piece’s of music on each bass.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Start with some octave scales so you get an idea of how the instrument sounds through out it full range and how feels shifting into various positions on the bass.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Next play a song or two that you have committed to memory.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I like to play a nice “pretty” song as well as a fast more aggressive one.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You will hopefully start to get a feel of the range of emotion that each particular instrument creates. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Do this with all the basses in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>your price range, if you start to find one or two that you like come back to them as you explore the rest of the basses and play a few different things on them.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">One very useful thing is to have a fellow bass player or two come with you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>That way you can step in front of the instrument. Seeing how the instrument projects and what its tone is like from “behind the Box”.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Another reason for having a friend along is they might notice something good or bad about the instrument that you might have missed. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If you don’t have anyone to take with you, once you have narrowed your choices down to a few basses the salesperson should be able to play the instrument for you. But we all know a friend is always better.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Once you have found a double bass you want to take home, most stores offer a weeks trial period with a down payment via a credit card or check.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This gives you the opportunity to take the bass and play it in your band or orchestra for your friends and teachers and really decide if it is the one for you.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I hope this article gives you a brief insight in to purchasing a Double Bass. <span class="s1"> </span>I wish you luck finding the instrument that will bring you and your audience musical joy.<span class="s1"> </span>If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.<span class="s1"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><span class="s1">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</span></span></p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766532017-10-05T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:46:53-05:00Holding and Owning A Groove the art of Bass Zen Mastery<p class="p1">In this bass lesson I want to focus on something that is one of the fundamental roles of the bass player, holding and owning a groove or part. What I mean by this is the ability to hold tight to the groove/bass line you have created no matter what sort of cacophony might be going on around you. We often as bass players feel as though we need to do something more to our bass parts as the song progresses. It needs a more notes or to vary the rhythm but more times then not the music is best served by sticking to the K.I.S.S. method. Keep It Simple Stupid</p>
<p class="p1">In a way playing bass like this is like working on achieving Zen mastery. Think of approaching a song with the base idea that I want to be play the core essence of what the bass line for the song truly needs. How does my baseline support the melody and lyrics(if there are present). Always thinking of ways to compliment what else is happening in a song not trying to over shadow it. </p>
<p class="p1">Now this is something that is difficult to teach in a blog or a lesson it is something one must ask themselves as they are playing in a group setting. If you are at rehearsal take the part that you are playing and see if you can distill it down to the bare minimum of notes to have the song work as a piece of art. Now this might not be what you should play in a live situation but it will it will give you insight into what’s the important backbone of your part. I am not saying that your bass line shouldn’t have ornate sections to them just make sure they are being place in a song where they are moving the song forward and not distracting from it. </p>
<p class="p1">I look forward to expanding on this concept of bass zen and hearing your thoughts and examples of when you have achieved it. Happy bass playing.</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614)262-9586 </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766522017-05-03T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:51:00-05:00Box Shape For Bass Guitar Lesson<p class="p1">In this bass guitar lesson we are going to take a look at the “Box Shape”. This is a left hand position that is very useful in when developing a bass line’s that have a “groove” or “hook” feel to them. Prime examples of this shape are the verse to The Temptations Get Ready, The Beatles Taxman and the blues classic Messin’ With The Kid.</p>
<p class="p1">I approach the box shape two ways one major and one minor we shall first look at the Major. Both the major and minor box shapes can be started on the A or E String. For both of these patterns I use my 1st (index) and 4th (pinky) finger. Though some of you might find using your 3rd (ring) finger easier. I find that especially in lower positions using the pinky creates a more comfortable playing position. </p>
<p class="p1">In the major box shape notated below we are outlining the notes of a dominant chord omitting the 3rd. Root, Fifth, Flat Seventh and the Octave</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/8a876bd64940035dace9c366b221426eab6b89d3/original/major-box-shape-bass-guitar.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDE0NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Music Notation and Tab for Box Shape" height="145" width="600" /></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">In the minor box shape notated below the notes change depending on which string you are playing on. If we are starting on the E string we are covering the Root, Flat Third, Flat Sixth and Flat Seventh. There is also the option to add the Flat Seventh below the Root. Which always a money note. If we are starting on the A string your we have the Root, the Fifth and Flat Seventh below the root and the Flat Third and Perfect Fourth above. While it might seem odd to have the perfect fourth here, I find it helps add a nice tension over minor chords and gets us out of the rut of sticking to root fifth or root third motion.</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/0e08eca95495b312238214280d9fdec733e3d76a/original/minor-box-shape-for-bass-guitar.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDEzNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Music Notation and Tab for Box Shape for Bass" height="136" width="600" /></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Once you have both of these shapes under your finger tips explore the endless possibilities that they represent. Remember you can use as a stationary section as in the Get Ready Example or move the same pattern you create around to cover the chord changes as in Taxman and Messin’ With The Kid. If you have any questions or are interested in taking bass lessons please get a hold of me. Happy Bass Playing!</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614)262-9586 </p></div></div></div>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766512017-02-28T19:00:00-05:002021-04-21T12:28:13-04:00Tips for Practicing With A Metronome<p class="p1">In this music lesson we are gonna to look at a musicians favorite and most hated friend the Metronome. There will more than likely be points when you will want to throw said metronome against the wall but remember rhythmic timing is the black and white, right or wrong of music.</p>
<p class="p2">There are some music educators who are against the use of metronome and argue that we all have innate since of timing but unfortunately this is not true. When I was in college my African drumming instructor from Ghana Dr. Daniel Avorbedogr told me the following story. In village is Gahanna everyone is giving the opportunity to be part of the tribal drumming circle from a very young age. However it quickly becomes apparent which children can't keep time and are giving another craft to hone their skills on.</p>
<p class="p2">Now it’s not to say one can’t learn to keep a beat(steady rhythm) but for some this will be prove to be a monumental task.</p>
<h2 class="p2">Lesson One</h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The first thing one should do when practicing with the metronome is start with it clicking on every beat. For some it helps to have a different tone to happen on the down beat(beat one) of every measure. Practice everything using the metronome: scales, rhythmic exercises, etudes, walking bass lines, mandolin chop chords , etc. </span></p>
<p class="p2">Play things at varying tempos never starting to fast. Always working towards in end BPM(beats per minute). I like to increase the tempo five to ten clicks a pass as I am working something up to speed. The goal being progression towards the final tempo, always keep track of the tempo you achieved in that particular practice session. The next practice you should start a little slower than where you finished during your last practice session. Work on passing the previous tempo you wrote down.</p>
<p class="p2">Conversely we as a society are always trying to do things faster but playing music slow can be quite a difficult task. Slow your scales down and really concentrate on your subdivision between notes. The best way to tell that you are truly playing in time with the metronome is that it disappears with what ever you are playing. The same holds true if you ever have to play with a click track( which is just a fancy term for a metronome) in a recording situation.</p>
<h2 class="p2">Lesson Two</h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">After you have become comfortable playing with the metronome on all four beats it is time to change it up. We now want to set our metronome to only play on beats two and four of a measure (assuming we are playing in 4/4 time). This is something I use a lot in my bass lessons and own practice to really lock in the two and four accents of jazz walking bass lines. It is also beneficial to mandolin players when practicing their chop chords. Helping to really lock in the snare drum aspect of you're playing.</span></p>
<p class="p2">The most difficult part of practicing with the metronome on two and four is you must really own where beat one is. It is like jumping onto a moving vehicle if you are aim is not correct you are going to stumble right out the gate. So make sure that you let the metronome cycle through a few measures before you jump in.</p>
<h2 class="p2">Lesson Three</h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">So one last bit of info to help in your performances. Often times in performance situations with adrenaline kicking in we will count off a song at the wrong tempo be it to fast or to slow. The best way I have found to guarantee a pretty accurate consistent tempo for a song is to come up with a saying or slogan that you can only say clearly at your intended tempo. Be it “fried fish” or “burnt toast” or what ever it may be this is a highly effective way at guaranteeing a tempo.</span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">Conclusion </span></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I hope this lesson has been of some insight into how to approach the use of the metronome. If you have any question please feel free to send me an email or asked your music teacher. Keep up the good practice and happy music playing to you all.</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><span class="s1">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614)262-9586</span></span></p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766502016-12-01T19:00:00-05:002020-01-16T19:51:27-05:00Scales on One String For the Double Bass Lesson<p class="p1">In this <strong>double bass lesson</strong> we are going to look at playing our major and harmonic minor scales on one string of the double bass. As bassist’s we spend a lot of time practicing our scales with a multitude of fingerings across multiple strings.Skipping over the basic step of simply playing the G major scale up and down the G string. This is beneficial in several ways. It helps us physically see the distance of the intervals that make up the scale. These etudes are also a great work out for our shifting and intonation. Something all of us double bass players must constantly practice.</p>
<p class="p2">In this first example we establish the set fingering for the two octave major and minor scale that be applied to all four strings. I would suggest working on each individual octave at a time before combining the two.</p>
<p class="p2"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/0d5eac8191735f6bddce2c32b5b91cdda33d206b/original/double-bass-open-string-scale.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDE5MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Single String major scale for Double Bass in standard music notation" height="190" width="600" /></p>
<p class="p2">Once you are comfortable playing the scale up and down the string and your intonation is fairly good the next step is to add a drone note to the scale. In this case we will be using the adjacent lower string which will be the fifth of the scale. (Obviously we cannot do so on the E string) The great part about this exercise is hearing how the various notes of the scale interact with the drone. Embrace the tonal dissonance of some of the notes.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p2"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/c292e563eaff3d1d86c74f55b6b3218cde649734/original/single-string-double-bass-scale-with-drone-note.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDkwIl0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Single String major scale for Double Bass in standard music notation with Drone Note" height="90" width="600" /> </p>
<p class="p2">Now to take this drone concept a step farther. We will play eighth note patterns alternating between the scale tones and the drone notes. One can gain some great solo ideas from this exercise. </p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/48644493999646937bb3e038dfa5b3bf3ea8d38a/original/single-string-scale-with-bow-patterns.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDMxOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Single String major scale for Double Bass in standard music notation with bowing pattern" height="318" width="600" /></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">Finally the last thing I like to do with the drone is turn it into the root note of our scale. So will start on the 5th note of the scale on the higher string. Again this a great opportunity to work on our intonation and concept of consonance and dissonance</p>
<p class="p2"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/eea661a8c56b79f09fed1a9afe25816d9eed0b37/original/single-string-scale-starting-on-5th-for-double-bass.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDk1Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Single String major scale for Double Bass in standard music notation starting on 5th scale degree" height="95" width="600" /></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p2">I hope these etude’s show you a new way to approach practicing your scales on the double bass. As always take these ideas into your bass lessons and see if your teacher has even more concepts on how to expand these ideas. Below is PDF that you can print out of the above etudes </p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p2"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/551190/double-bass-single-string-scale.pdf">Double_Bass_single_string_scale.pdf</a></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p2">Happy Bass Playing!</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766492016-10-08T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:47:59-05:00Getting The Most out of your Music Lessons and Practice Time<p class="p1">As both a teacher and student I have had both successful and disappointing lessons. In this article we will look at ways to improve both your practice habits and time management. By applying some if not all of these ideas you will not only achieve great strides in your own playing but will invigorate both your teacher and your self’s musical adventure.</p>
<p class="p1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/b5ce625d406568510ef3f52830124e05fadbf15e/original/music-lessons-columbus-ohio.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Tabulature on Music Stand" height="400" style="vertical-align: middle;" width="600" /></p>
<h3 class="p1">Adequate Practice Time</h3>
<p class="p1">First and foremost if you do not practice you will not improve. Your greatest musical hero’s spent countless hours holed up in practice playing there bass or mandolin instead of countless other life pursuits. I am not saying you must abandon all other aspects of your life for your music but you need to be realistic about how much time it is going to take to improve/learn a song, etc. Each one of us will learn certain things at different paces so do not get down on your self if some things come at a slower pace. At the bare minimum you should strive to practice your instrument at least 15 minutes a day.</p>
<p class="p2">Whatever you do don’t try to squeeze in a week worth of practice time into the day before or the day of your music lesson. Your teacher will be able to tell they more than likely did same thing once or twice when they were students.</p>
<h3 class="p1">How You Practice</h3>
<p class="p1">This is a point that really needs to be hammered home. Nothing will be gained by glancing over a piece of music slugging through it to the end. While you should play through the piece at least once it is critical to diagnosis your problems areas and pull those out of context. Then practice those areas until you can play them correctly 10 times in a row without fail. After which put the problem area back in the larger context of the piece.</p>
<p class="p2">I start each of my practice session by playing through all 12 major and minor scales. I feel that this not only a great warm up for my arms and ears but these scales are the basic building blocks of all the music we will be playing. I make a point to explore different fingerings while I am going through these scales always trying to avoid complacency.</p>
<p>The next portion of my practice routine is spent focusing on material that is new or will be performed soon, again focusing on the problem areas. This time is spent not only practicing difficult passages but also getting music to memory. I also spend a portion of this timing refining technique working on etude's that push me outside of my comfort zone.</p>
<p>The final portion of my practice I like to focus on pieces I want to keep “under my fingers” i.e. pieces that I often perform that might be technically challenging or have a melody I need to keep in my ear.</p>
<p class="p1">I hope this article gives you some insight on ways of improving you bass guitar, double bass and mandolin practice. Remember do always find the joy in music and that through your practice and music lessons you will continually develop the tools in which to fully express yourself.</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766482015-10-04T20:00:00-04:002021-04-22T08:51:02-04:00Three Parts of a Beat and Today’s Tempo<p class="p1">Two of the most important <strong>musical lessons</strong> I ever learned came from my college orchestra professor Marshall Haddock. He is a fiery conductor whom all of his former students have fantastic stories to share. This musical lesson can be applied to whatever instrument you play be it bass, mandolin or sackbut. </p>
<p class="p1">Professor Haddock was the first to really point out to me that you can play on the beat three different ways and each has a musical and emotional affect on the music and listener.</p>
<h2 class="p1">Three Parts of A Beat</h2>
<ol> <li>On the Beat-Here one is playing in the dead center of the note. Perfect example being the typical sound of a marching band.</li> <li>On Top of The Beat-Here one is playing on the front of the note. This give the since of the music being propelled forward in time. This a very common to here in both Bluegrass and straight head jazz where the melody’s our propelling quickly through time. </li> <li>Back Of the Beat-This gives music a churning quality like you are pulling taffy with each musical note. Here especially subdivision is paramount to keeping the groove/feel locked in with the other musicians.</li>
</ol>
<p class="p1">Now an Important caveat is that any given song you might apply all three “feels”. Two common examples would be the verse of song being on the beat while the chorus is on top of the beat or if the songs is on the back of the beat the solo section will often change to one of the other feels to provide contrast to the listener.</p>
<p class="p1">So what does this mean for the student? When you are practicing with a metronome play a song in all three manors be it you playing the melody, chords, walking bass line , etc. Hear how the song feels different when you apply this concept. When our playing with other musicians or out listen to show concentrate on what part of the beat the emphasizing on a given song.</p>
<p class="p1">This lesson should be of particular importance to all you bass players be it electric or double. One of our main job’s in an ensemble is to provide the proper feel for the piece and time. By applying this concept of where we are placing the emphasis of the beat you will take the first step in truly owning the feel of a song.</p>
<h2 class="p1">Today’s Tempo</h2>
<p class="p1">The other concept Professor Haddock was keen on teaching in rehearsal was the idea of “Today’s Tempo”. Haddock would purposefully change the tempo of given section or entire movement of symphony. His goal was to show that we must always be using our ears, eye’s and mind to sense what the actual tempo of today is. Not to fall into the habit of reverting to what we think the tempo should be. The more music you play you will learn that often times a song will be counted in either to fast or two slow but you must be able to adapt to play in today’s correct tempo. Even though the song should be the “correct” tempo it your job as the musician to make the song happen no matter what.</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766472015-09-03T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:51:43-05:00What Should My Left Hand Look Like When Playing The Double Bass<p class="p1">One of the biggest hurdles a new Double Bass Student must address in lessons, is the proper hand shape of the left hand. Having the proper hand shape is important for ease of playing but equally importantly intonation. In this article we discuss steps to and techniques to help you achieve an accurate left hand.</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<h2 class="p2">Hand Shape and Thumb Location</h2>
<p class="p2">Let’s start with our basic hand shape and thumb positioning. I instruct my students to make the letter C with their Left Hand and then slide the C onto the neck of the bass. Then work your thumb down towards the floor slightly so it ends up behind your second(middle) finger. We do not want our thumb pointed toward the sky. The other visualization that I find helpful to use is holding a pint glass your thumb warps around the cup. However make sure you are not wrapping your thumb around the bass neck and touching the strings.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/7af16d49b400d93dee515426800f08aca5ac514f/original/left-hand-bass-shape.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTUweDIyOSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Use of a pint glass to achieve proper hand shape for the double bass" height="229" width="150" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/509a6d48716c14d1ce7fd4d8906dfd11b80c0ccc/original/left-hand-thumb-postion-double-bass.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTc4eDIyOSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Left Hand Thumb Position on Double Bass" height="229" width="178" /></p>
<h2 class="p2"> </h2>
<h2 class="p2">Finger Location</h2>
<p class="p2">The next thing we want to look at is our finger position. Your fingers should be perpendicular to the strings not pointed down towards the floor. If they are pointed towards the floor you will have a very hard time playing in tune because you will for ever be shifting back and forth between notes for intonation. Instead of playing within a set position. There should be an equidistance between the fingers 1-2 and 2-4. Remember as you shift higher up the instrument(towards the floor) your hand frame will shrink and as you go lower your fingers will spread farther apart.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/c4b7c304e2b9ec06e61cb85047a3c9ffdbc84e4b/original/double-bass-left-hand-frame.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTUweDIyMiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Left Hand Frame for Double Bass" height="222" width="150" /></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p2">You might be asking yourself what does he mean by “position”? Most upright bass methods divide the fingerboard into numbered positions. So for most bassists they are covering 3 half steps at each hand position up until you reach the octave(or 12 fret for you electric bass players). Different schools have their own names for each “position” the most common used is Half position, 1st position etc. Half Position would be your first(index)finger on the ‘F’ note on the ‘E’ String, 1st Position would be your first(index)finger on the ‘F#’ note on the ‘E’ String and so on.</p>
<h2 class="p2">Shifting</h2>
<p class="p2">When you shift i.e. move your hand up or down the instrument you want to make sure you bring the thumb with as you shift. So your whole hand is moving as a unit. As you get more comfortable playing the double bass you can start to add what are called “PIVOTS” to your technique. You will pivot using your thumb as an anchor backwards or forwards in order to play a note Half step higher or lower that is not in your current position. We never want to stretch are hand/fingers to reach a note. That unnecessary stretching can lead to injury. The general rule of thumb is to play at least two notes in any given position during a passage.</p>
<p class="p2">I hope this give you some insight in to what your Left Hand should look like when playing the upright bass. Remember to slow down time take your time and focus on the technique. Scales and arpeggios are great opportunities to focus on these concepts. A mirror in the practice room also offers great insights into your playing. If you have any questions about the above techniques please feel to contact me via this website. Good Luck and Happy Bass Playing!</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586 </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766462015-08-02T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:50:18-05:00How To Hold The Double Bass<p class="p1">The first lesson one must learn when playing the Double Bass is how to hold and stand with the instrument. You will see people holding the bass in all sorts of crazy and wild ways. While we are all different shaped beings there are some stead fast rules that will make holding the bass a comfort and not an odyssey.</p>
<p class="p1">I approach holding the Upright Bass the same way you would climb up a ladder. There will always be three points of contact that are keeping the instrument upright and in position. </p>
<p class="p1">The purpose of these three points of contact is to eliminate our want to hold the bass up with our left hand. If you hold the bass using our left hand we place unwarranted pressure on the thumb. Using this method you will free your left hand and arm to move freely up and down the neck of the instrument.</p>
<h2 class="p3" style="text-align: center;">Three Points Of Contact</h2>
<ol> <li>The endpin is our first and easiest point of contact. Though make sure that you have it at the proper height. The ‘F’ note on the E’ String of the bass should be at about the top of your ear.</li> <li> Your left knee and end of your femur(upper leg) will be touching the back of the bass below the bottom of the C bout on the E string side of the instrument. Your knee is the key to keeping the bass from falling forward or backwards. The knee should feel as though it is “locked in” with the lower bout.</li> <li>The back edge of the bass above the C bout will be resting against your stomach or pelvis.</li>
</ol>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;">In the Pictures below you see the side of my knee on the bass.</p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;">As well as the two points of contact at the knee and on the stomach </p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/999b34e7c9911578f39a61a5ec98853a0377a248/original/knee-placement-double-bass-stance.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTUweDM5NCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Knee Placement for Holding the Double Bass" height="394" style="vertical-align: top;" width="150" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/692f7a73b84c944550f6fc3b9f1de0f7d9ee9b02/original/two-points-of-contact-with-bass.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAweDM5MyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Two Points of Contact for Holding the Bass upper C bout on stomach lower C bout with knee" height="393" width="200" /></p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<h2 class="p3" style="text-align: center;">Additional Advice </h2>
<ul> <li>Your feet should be positioned in a slightly separated “L” shape. Your feet should not be spaced too far apart. The feet should be securely on the ground(no heels hovering in the air)</li>
</ul>
<ul> <li>Ones knees should also be slightly bent not “locked”.</li>
</ul>
<ul> <li>The bass is also at an angle leaning in towards you. Not straight up and down. Your mantra being “Bring the bass to you, don’t bring you to the bass.”</li>
</ul>
<ul> <li>Make sure your shoulders are free of tension as well. Something we should all remind ourselves through out our playing.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p class="p2"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/adafe9415300d7c4df39a820f53ecc3e089b92b4/original/feet-stance-for-double-bass.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzAweDE2NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Proper Foot Stance For Holding the Double Bass" height="165" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;">Proper Foot Angle and Spacing</p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p class="p1">This method does take some practice for most folks. You are on the right track if the bass is falling forward instead of backwards. Eventually you will get to the point were you can let go of the bass with both hands and the instrument does not move.</p>
<p class="p1">Again this method should be viewed as a starting point of holding the bass. In are playing we all will move to the music. By using this approach you will always have a safe place to start from. </p>
<p class="p1">I hope this lesson gives you some insight into holding the Double Bass. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me. If you are in doubt about your stance don’t hesitate to contact a music teacher in your area. They will be able to quickly correct any negative posture habits that you might have developed.</p>
<p class="p1">Happy Bass Playing</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/4f7e22ff002d37dc9e8cba141fd91207115bfa4b/original/look-ma-no-hands-holding-the-bass.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjUweDQ1MiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Holding the Double Bass Upright with out the aid of our hands" height="452" width="250" /> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Look Ma No Hands!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586 </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766452015-07-01T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:50:37-05:00Floating Thumb Technique For the Electric Bass<p class="p1"><span class="s1">In this bass guitar lesson we will discuss the Floating Thumb, a technique that one must master to become a proficient player of the instrument. This technique serves two purposes. First it gives our right hand a neutral starting posture meaning we are not over extending the thumb joints. The second it provides a built in mute for our E and A strings. The more you play the bass the more you will realize that half the battle is making sure unwanted strings are not sympathetically vibrating. </span></p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/d6f0e377a5ee2fa6709021a86c1d3cd48e80d200/original/floating-thumb-bass-guitar.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAweDI0NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Example of what the Floating Thumb technique should look like" height="245" width="200" /> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">In it’s basic form it simply involves anchoring the Right Hand Thumb on the E string of the bass. The typical starting point is on top the pickup closest to the neck of the instrument. When one wants to play on the E string simply rest your finger about a centimeter away from the string on the pickup itself. Conversely if you are only playing a note or two on the E string you can hover the thumb in the air for a brief moment before returning to the original muting position. Experiment with both ways of playing the E string to the point where both options becomes second nature.</span></p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/e50cdbbf578c5223a214a48ca3ed2454c751cc8a/original/floating-thumb-bass-lesson.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjI1eDI0NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Floating Thumb Technique for Bass front view" height="245" width="225" /> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Once one becomes comfortable with resting the thumb on the E string of the bass, our next progression is to rest the thumb in between the E & A String touching(muting) both strings. With the tip of the thumb muting the A string and the side of the knuckle of the thumb muting the E string. I personally do not advocate use of the thumb to mute the D or G strings. In doing so you typically leave the E & A string open to unwanted vibrations. Use your left hand as your first source for muting the G&D strings. One can also mute the D and A strings using your right hand fingers. The act of pulling through the G&D strings into the next adjacent strings will act as yet another source of muting pleasure.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I hope this gives you some insight into the Floating Thumb if you have any questions please feel free to send me a message via my contact page. Good Luck and Happy Playing.</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</span></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"> </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766442015-05-11T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:53:09-05:00More Than One Way To Pluck A Double Bass<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Recently I have been in the recording studio laying down double bass tracks for a number of local area artist’s and have had the chance to fully utilize all the various ways to pluck or pizz. a bass. Varying our right hand attack and position is a segment of bass playing that is often over looked. In this article we will discuss the two most commons forms of pizzicato as well as variations on these forms to add different attacks and timbre’s to our playing. Remember your sound comes from the motion and inertia of your entire arm when plucking the bass. If you feel as though you are just using your finger to create sound concentrate on being aware of your wrist and forearm as well.</span></p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1">Right Hand Placement</span></h2>
<p class="p2"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/79369bc333652d6c1b1c127186c16fb5255f6ec6/original/bass-pizz-thumb-postion.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6Mzc3eDI5MSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Thumb Placement for Double Bass Pizzicato " height="291" width="377" /></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">In general you place your right hand about 3-4 inches from the end of the fingerboard. If you use the bow DO NOT PLUCK WHERE YOU BOW! Finger oil plus rosin goos up your strings. As you left hand moves up the instrument your right hand should follow suit.</span></p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1">“Orchestral Pizzicato”</span></h2>
<h2 class="p2"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/d385ea2ec57e3affe07f4cc8926cf5ec9ecbdc87/original/classical-upright-bass-pizz-with-bow.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzQyeDE5NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Classical Pizzicato For the Double Bass" height="197" width="342" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/1bc20c1716831cae87b48f026b33f9af1b653018/original/classical-double-bass-pizz.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjUyeDIwNyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Upright Bass Classical Pizzicato " height="207" width="252" /></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">This pizzicato technique has the fingers perpendicular to the strings with the thumb positioned on the side of the board. I refer to it as Orchestral Pizz. because it is the natural position of the fingers when one is also holding a bass bow. In this technique the point of attack is the tips of the fingers. The starting point would be just a little behind where your finger nail starts(but on the pad side of finger). In this technique both the index and middle finger are utilized. Though some players might use only one however two is highly encouraged. Because we are utilizing less surface area of our finger this form of pizzicato is best suited for delicate and faster passages since we will not be able to get quite the blooming notes as the Jazz Form.</span></p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1">“Jazz Pizzicato”</span></h2>
<p class="p2"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/678e3c5b68e8b92f894ef0ebda13d6994f514be3/original/jazz-upright-bass-pizz.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6Mzk3eDQxNyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Double Bass Jazz Pizzicato " height="417" width="397" /></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">This version of pizzicato involves our fingers being parallel to the bass string with the thumb on the back edge of the fingerboard but not to far underneath. The point of attack moves away from the tip of the finger to the entire first joint of the finger starting about in the middle of the pad. In this technique you are pulling through the string into the next adjacent string. Again typically both index and middle are used in this technique. Sometimes to add uniformity to tone one finger might be used(especially if you are playing the same pitch multiple times in a row) This method of pizz. will give you a big sound i.e. volume along with an attack at the beginning of the note that will help drive any ensemble you might be playing the upright bass in. </span></p>
<h2 class="p5"><span class="s1">Variations </span></h2>
<h3 class="p3"><span class="s1">Pillow of Sound</span></h3>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">The method I use to create a big round sound without any attack on it involves using the Jazz Pizz. technique but instead of following through into the next string I pluck through the string and up and out over the next adjacent string. Because of the extra distant the hand must travel it is not an effective method for up tempo tunes.</span></p>
<h3 class="p3"><span class="s1">Plucking Ovals</span></h3>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">For faster tunes I tend to pluck the string in relatively the same spot across all the strings. However for medium tempo tunes I often pluck in an oval shape with the Root note coming at the bottom of the oval and the Fifth(or passing tone) at the top. I feel the downward momentum of my hand and arm can add to the gravitas of the root note without necessarily adding an accent to the note.</span></p>
<h3 class="p3"><span class="s1">Hand Slap Vs. String Slaps</span></h3>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">There are two main ways to “SLAP” a double bass. The first and one I use most often involves using the hand in a downward motion to slap the strings against the fingerboard. The second involves pulling the string upward and releasing it causing it to slap back against the board.</span></p>
<p class="p3"> </p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</span></p>
<p class="p3"> </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766432015-04-15T20:00:00-04:002022-01-22T08:13:32-05:00Tips For Purchasing Your First Mandolin<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Tips For Purchasing Your First Mandolin</strong></span></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">Through out my years of teaching I have been constantly distraught at the quality of beginner mandolins that have walked through my door for students first lesson. This is no fault of the student but a problem that plagues the music retail industry. For what ever reason be its size and more complex construction finding a quality starter mandolin can be a frustrating task. It is my goal in this blog to offer up some things to look for when shopping for a mandolin.</span></p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1"><strong>A Style vs. F Style</strong></span></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">The first thing one must decide on is what type of mandolin they are looking for. The two most common one’s are the “A” or Acorn Style and the “F” or Florentine Style. The mandolin you see most professional musicians playing is the F style mandolin. The draw back with the F style is that because of the scroll and points on the body you are looking at a more expensive mandolin and not necessarily a better sounding one. If you look at the basic shape of the F mandolin it is nothing more than an A style with body ornaments added to the sides.</span></p>
<p class="p2"> This is why I highly recommend that you start with an A style mandolin. In general you will get more bang for your buck i.e. a better sounding instrument. Once you have some miles under your fingers you can always trade up to the F style.</p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1"><strong>Round Hole vs F Holes</strong></span></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">The next major structural component to consider is whether you want a mandolin with a Round Hole or one with F Holes. The answer lies in what type of music you are looking to perform. If you want to play bluegrass music the F hole is probably the instrument you will want to be looking for. They provide the trade mark percussive “chop” that you hear on recordings. If you are looking at playing Irish or Classical music the oval hole will provide a more “rounded” sound with more overtones i.e. a more complex sound. This all being said by all means try both types for your ears will tell you what sound works best for you.</span></p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1"><strong>Flat Top vs Carved Top</strong></span></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">Another factor that will effect the price of the mandolin is whether it has a carved or flat top. Flat top is exactly how it sounds while the carved top has an arch. The carved top instrument will typically be more money due to the increased time involved in making the top.</span></p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1"><strong>Playability</strong></span></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">The next thing to look at no matter what type of mandolin you are playing the most important thing is how easy is it to play. The easiest thing to look for is how high our the strings off the fret board particularly near the 12 fret of the instrument. If they are extremely high off the fret board next look to see if there is any room to lower the strings on the mandolins adjustable bridge. As well as seeing if the bridge is in the correct location which is typically right around 14 inches from the back of the nut to the front of the bridge. If the bridge is in the correct position and cannot be adjusted any lower you need to move on to the next instrument. </span></p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1"><strong>Brands To Look For</strong></span></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">The two brands that seem to be the most reliable on the market for entry level instruments are Kentucky and Eastman. Eastman being my beginner mandolin of choice because of their overall quality and price point. On top of that Eastman also offers both oval and F hole mandolins at all levels of their line of instruments</span></p>
<h2 class="p4"><span class="s1"><strong>Have Your new Mandolin Looked At By A Professional</strong></span></h2>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">Once you have purchased your mandolin you should take it to either a professional luthier or your <strong>mandolin teacher</strong> to make sure you have purchased and instrument that will aid and not hinder you learning.</span></p>
<p class="p3"> </p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><span class="s1">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614)262-9586</span></span></p>
<p class="p3" style="text-align: center;"> </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766422015-03-11T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:52:23-05:00Tips For Choosing Mandolin Picks<p class="p1">One of the first things I discuss in my mandolin lessons with students is what type of pick to use. There are hundreds of different picks to choose from. While what works for some might not work for others, if we arm ourselves with some basic information you will be able to purchase picks with more confidence. In this blog we will look at the three main variables in picks: size/shape, thickness and material. I will also discuss some popular brand picks amongst mandolinist. </p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/bdcb7dfe6ffb4fcff24c17d2abfdb91d657347f1/original/mandolin-picks.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDUweDMzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="338" width="450" /></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>Size/Shape</strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><strong>Teardrop</strong>-(upper left)The teardrop shaped pick is a widely popular pick amongst guitar players both electric and acoustic. You will be able to find this type of pick at any music store. It is not extremely popular for the mandolin but due to there wide availability and inexpensive cost you should give them a try.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Rounded</strong>-(upper middle)The rounded corner pick is very popular amongst mandolin players. The pick pictured is also sold as the Dawg pick after David Grisman. Some believe this style pick aides in tremolo playing. If you find that the tip of the teardrop or tri corner pick feels like it is getting “stuck” in the string while you play you should give this type of pick a try.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Tri Corner Pick</strong>-(upper right & bottom left & right) These are extremely popular picks amongst mandolinist and as you can tell the type I prefer. These picks are larger in size compared to the Teardrop and Rounded so for some they are easier to grip. You can also find variations of these picks with one to three rounded corners which gives you rounded and Tri Corner all in one.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Other</strong>-Beyond these three basic styles you will find variations or combinations of the above types. If you look at the pick at the bottom middle position of the picture you can see it is a hybrid of the rounded pick.</p>
<p class="p1">Amongst these various shapes you will find variations in size amongst each shape from company to company. If you compare the three tri corner picks size to the quarter you see that each brand has a slight variation. Bluechip Picks(discussed later) has the same shaped pick in small, medium, and large sizes. </p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>Thickness</strong></h2>
<p class="p1">One can find picks ranging in size from the thinnest at .50mm to the thickest at 4mm. The majority of mandolinist I know use a pick some where between 1mm and 2.5mm. To thin of a pick and the material will bend while you are trying to play passages causing inaccuracy in your right hand. To thick of a pick can slow your right hand down due to the added weight and thickness your hand is having to move through the string. My personal preference is a pick between 1mm-1.25mm.</p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>Material</strong></h2>
<p class="p1">Originally guitar and mandolin picks were made of tortoise shell. The process for collecting such material is horrible for the animal and has since been for the most part eliminated. The majority of picks on the market today are made out of different types of plastics. However one can find picks made of wood, bone, stone, metal and proprietary material. Though one should be weary of wood and bone picks with the mandolin due to the double strings you will be surprised how quickly you will be able to where down these types of picks.</p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>Popular Brands</strong></h2>
<p class="p1">The following are some popular manufactures of picks, the main difference between them is the proprietary material they use to construct the picks. Which gives each brand a distinct sound as well as feel in the hand and across the string. </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Wegen</strong>-Upper right in the photo. These picks are available in various thickness and all the shapes discussed above. The holes in the pick help some people keep a grip of the pick. This is a very hard material. I had a friend who lost one of these picks and found it months later inside his oven and the pick was fine.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Bluechip Picks</strong>-Bottom left and bottom middle in the photo. These are an extremely popular pick amongst mandolinist. Again they come in all the shapes discussed above. Their number system for thickness is unique to these picks but well explained on there website. One can also order custom thickness’s as well. Though these picks are pricey $35 a piece they will last for a long time. I have only ever had to replace one that I somehow managed to lose and trust me I learned my lesson.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Djangojazz Picks</strong>-Bottom Right in the photo. This brand out of Europe is a newcomer on the bluegrass scene though popular amongst Gypsy Guitarist. Again they offer all the shapes mentioned above. The one caveat is the thinnest pick they can make is 1.25mm due to the nature of the material they use. They offer picks in the tortoise, bone and ivory replica as well as cotton fibre material which is what is pictured and would recommend.</p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>In Conclusion</strong></h2>
<p class="p1">So now hopefully you have better understanding of the various picks that are available. I encourage my students to go out and buy some different shapes and thickness(even of the same pick) of some of the more affordable picks to get a feel for what works best for them. Once you find a pick that you feel comfortable with you can always upgrade to a “luxury pick”. Though you don’t have to. Most claim that the tone and longevity of these pick’s are worth the cost. I personally go through phases of which pick I am enjoying on any giving day, though most of my favorite picks are the same thickness and relatively the same size the. Good luck on your pick quest and happy pickin’</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766412015-03-05T19:00:00-05:002020-01-16T19:54:42-05:00What To Except in You Beginner Bass Lessons<p class="p1">It is important to start off playing the bass or any musical instrument on the right foot. Bad habits can develop quickly from improper left/right hand technique or misconceptions of musical concepts. It is far easier to learn correct technique from the get go then having to break bad habits.</p>
<p class="p2">So what should you expect from your first lessons on the bass? When I start with a new student the first thing we will cover will be all the parts of the instrument. From the headstock to the bridge we discuss the terminology and purpose of the various parts of the bass. Next we will focus on exercises for both the left and right hand, with a focus on achieving the desired hand placement/position. Once we have both hands starting to work in unison we will begin a basic song at same time continuing to focus on proper technique. Once we have a few songs under our belt I always encourage my students to bring in a song that inspires them to want to play the bass.</p>
<h3 class="p2"><strong>Setting goals and practice routine</strong></h3>
<p class="p1">As you start your lessons we will discuss what is the end goal of these lessons. It maybe to be able to play with friends, start a band or playing the bass is just something you always wanted to do. Whatever your end goals is establishing waypoints for the coming months or year not only gives you something to strive for, but more importantly will provide you a path to look back on to see how far you have progressed in the learning process.</p>
<p class="p2">The most important part of achieving these goals is having a great practice routine. This will very from student to student based on individual needs but will break down into the following category’s:</p>
<h3 class="p2"><strong>Warm Up-</strong></h3>
<p class="p1">This can include playing through your scales or any other etudes your teacher has giving you. It is an excellent time to go SLOW!(a mantra of Music Teachers) I personally concentrate on a skill for left hand and a skill for my right hand in this phase of my practicing.</p>
<h3 class="p2"><strong>New Exercises/Songs-</strong></h3>
<p class="p1">After you have warmed up it is time to enter the nitty gritty portion of your practicing. It is during this portion where you will concentrate on certain aspects of the piece you are practicing, be it intonation, mastering a difficult left hand passage, or correctly playing a complex rhythm. </p>
<p class="p2">You need to break down the song into manageable sections so as to not get over whelmed by the whole piece(see the trees through the forest grasshopper). Mastering a section of song is far more useful then playing through the entire song just to say you got through it even though you made multiple mistakes along the way. Once you can navigate the difficult passages then put the song back to together and see if you can play through it in its entirety. This may take multiple practice sections. </p>
<p class="p2">It is during this period when playing with a metronome is very important. Keep track of your tempos, always starting below the end goal a gradually working you way up to it by 5-10 bpm intervals.</p>
<h3 class="p2"><strong>Review of Old Material-</strong></h3>
<p class="p1">I liken this to keeping tunes in your fingers or mind it does not to be every tune you know but songs that you enjoy the bass part to. This is another excellent opportunity to work on technique while not having to worry about learning the song. It is during this portion of your practice session where you can work on the groove or feel of the piece. Are you able to internalize the rhythmic feel?</p>
<h3 class="p2"><strong>One Final Note</strong></h3>
<p class="p1">Try to always come to your lesson armed with questions for your teacher. Write down anything through out the week that you are not sure of or want to know the answer to/more about. These questions will help your music teacher steer the your lessons into topic’s that are of interest to you.</p>
<h3 class="p2">Please follow the link for more information about <a data-imported="1" data-link-type="page" href="/bass-guitar-lessons">Bass Lessons</a>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766402015-01-27T19:00:00-05:002020-01-16T19:55:29-05:00Guide to Double Bass Pickups<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">My students often ask me in there double bass lessons which pickup should I get for my bass. They have read reviews that this one or that one are the way to go and what would I recommend. </span></h2>
<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">My response is always three fold.</span></h2>
<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">1. How much do you want to spend?</span></h2>
<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">2. How loud do you want to be able to play?</span></h2>
<h2 class="p2"><span class="s1">3. Every bass and person's ears and hands are different. So a pickup that works for others may not work for you.</span></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Below are the observations I have made through my experience finding the right pickup to suite my needs for a particular project.</span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><span class="s1">K&K Bass Max</span></h3>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">This piezo pickup for the upright fits in the wing of the bridge on the E string side. It is relatively inexpensive compared to other models that will be discussed here. It can also be plugged straight into an amp without the need of an additional preamp. I have achieved fairly loud volumes with this pickup on my upright and it reproduces a fairly accurate sound of your instrument for both pizzicato and arco playing. It is easy to install and remove so it does not have to be a permanent fixture on your bass. I currently use this pickup as a back up for my main double bass. As well as using it on my Azola Electric Upright Bass. </span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><span class="s1">Fishman Full Circle</span></h3>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">This piezo pickup is encased in a aluminum bridge adjuster that needs to be installed by a professional luthier. It is a very popular pickup amongst players in all genres. You can get very loud with this one and again does not require any additional preamp. I have had this pickup on my Kay upright for years and it has never failed me. One gets a great full bodied pizz sound with this pickup. The arco volume is great and really cuts through a band however it is a very one dimensional sound and lacks the subtle nuances that bow can inflect. </span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><span class="s1">Gage Realist Pickup</span></h3>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">This piezo differs from the Full Circle and the Bassmax in that it is placed between the body of the bass and the foot of the bridge on the 'E' string side. This is said to impart more of the body sound of the instrument as opposed to being heavy on the string sound with the other two pickups. This pickup is favorite amongst Jazz and some Bluegrass bass players. Again you do not need an additional preamp. However in my experience this pickup should only be used on low to medium volume gigs. I was never able to get this pickup to function on my 7/8's bass both the wood or the copper version. Perhaps it was due to it's large size I was never able to achieve a decent volume before feedback.</span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><span class="s1">Schertler Stat B</span></h3>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">This pick up is actually an elctro static microphone that is encased in a piece of cork that the user shapes to fit into the oval holes located on your bridge. I love this pickup it is what I currently use on my 7/8 5 string double bass. This pickup has the best arco sound of any pickup I have ever tried and "sounds like my bass only louder" rings true here. There are however a couple of down sides to this pickup. The first is price. This pickup is not cheap and you need a preamp for it as well which is not cheap either. I lucked upon a used one and I am glad I did. The second thing is I takes some trial and error to get the right placement for this pickup. Not only do you need to have the cork shaped to oval hole correctly, you need to experiment with how tight the pickup sits in the hole. To tight can damage the pickup and to loose the sound is abysmal and prone to feedback.</span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><span class="s1">Krivo Magnetic Pickup</span></h3>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I just recently added this to my arsenal. It mounts to the end of fingerboard using velcro. This is for when you need to get really loud. My plan is to mix my piezo signal with Krivo for in group that plays very loud. I shall report my findings here soon.</span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><span class="s1">Fdeck HPF</span></h3>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I highly recommend to all my students to buy this piece of equipment. It provides three tools that every double bass player needs at one point or another when they are performing amplified. They are: a correct impedance input for use with piezo pickups, a phase reverse switch (which is essential in fighting feedback) and a High Pass Filter(HPF) that is used to remove to much boominess from your double bass.</span></p>
<h2 class="p2">While there are countless other pickups on the market I hope that this brief over view of some of the most popular and my favorite give you some insight into these pickups. When in doubt consult your bass teacher during a lesson, they may very while have one of these pickups sitting in a drawer waiting for you to take for a test spin.</h2>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766392015-01-14T19:00:00-05:002020-01-16T19:56:00-05:00Jams/Open Mic's In Columbus, OH<p class="p1">So you have some bass lessons, mandolin lessons or ukulele lessons under your belt, and you are beginning to feel confident in your ability to play. The next step is finding people to play music with in your area. Family and friends who play instruments should be the first stop for people and a low pressure situation where it is ok to make a few mistakes. Beyond jamming with your friends there are lots of outlets available for you to play music from participating in a musical group at your church to going to local jam sessions. With just a little looking around and asking your teachers for you will be amazed at all options available to a budding musician.</p>
<h2 class="p1">The following are some opportunities that exist in the Central Ohio area for you to put your music lessons to good use.</h2>
<p class="p1"><strong>Dick's Den Bluegrass Tuesday</strong>- One of Columbus, OH oldest jazz clubs has one of the best bluegrass jam every Tuesday of the Month starting around 10PM and going till 2AM. No sign up just bring your instrument ready to pick. This is a great opportunity for bass players they are always in need. Songs range from Bluegrass into Newgrass and beyond.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Bluegrass Musician Supply Saturday Jam</strong>- Located on South High in Columbus, Ohio. This jam starts early in the morning and last throughout the afternoon. Here you will be playing/exposed to all the bluegrass standards.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>McConnell Arts Center Ensemble Series</strong>- Located in Worthington, OH These ensembles cover various genres of roots music ranging from Country Blues to Bluegrass and Old Time Music. There is a charge for this class but it is akin to a music lesson of being in a band and learning the role your particular instrument has to offer.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Dolphin Lounge Blues Jam</strong>-Located in Gahanna, OH. Every Monday for the last 30 years the Dolphin has hosted the longest running Blues Jam in Central Ohio</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Open Mic's</strong>- A quick search of the Alive and you will find an Open Mic night happening every day of the week some where in Columbus. These are great chances to get in front of an audience and perform 2-3 songs in front of a friendly audience. The one at <strong>King Ave 5</strong> in the Grandview, OH area is a favorite of some of my students.</p>
<p class="p1">Please come back I will be adding more places to play. If you know of a venue that should be included on this list please let me know.</p>
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<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766382014-12-16T19:00:00-05:002021-04-21T12:21:01-04:00Why Do I Need Private Music Lessons Everything I Need To Know Is On Youtube<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">With the advent of the internet learning resources are more readily accessible to someone who is interested in learning how to play the Bass Guitar, Double Bass or Mandolin. A quick search on Youtube will give you access to an ever increasing array of how to video lessons for your particular instrument. While this is a great resource to have and I myself have picked up some ideas from these videos they do not replace the human interaction of a student with a teacher. Below are several examples of how a teacher will aid your musical development far greater than any online resource.</p>
<h2 class="p1">EYES ON TECHNIQUE</h2>
<p class="p2">When one is learning who to play a new instrument or evening learning advanced techniques having an experienced teacher who knows the various pitfalls that go with an instrument and can spot them in your technique is critical especially at the early stages of learning. Breaking bad playing habits is one of the most difficult task that occurs in music lesson for both teacher and student. While you can watch a video on how to hold the double bass bow or mandolin pick, having a teacher insures that your fingers are in the proper location and why they are in that position in the first place.</p>
<h2 class="p1">EARS ON TIME</h2>
<p class="p2">One of the most crucial elements of playing music is playing in time or keeping the beat. Learning the art of subdivision is a skill that is often glossed over on online resources and is fundamental to keeping accurate time. Having a teacher who can help you through a difficult rhythmic passage and make you play it 20 times in row with until you get it correct is a great asset. Being playing in time there is also playing with the right "feel" for a particular style of music. Be it accent 2&4 beats in the blues and jazz or playing on top of or behind the beat these are alls skills that you need to hear and feel played by your teacher. </p>
<h2 class="p1">AIDING YOUR PROGRESSION</h2>
<p class="p1">With the advent of the internet learning resources are more readily accessible to someone who is interested in learning how to play the Bass Guitar, Double Bass or Mandolin. A quick search on Youtube will give you access to an ever increasing array of how to video lessons for your particular instrument. While this is a great resource to have and I myself have picked up some ideas from these videos they do not replace the human interaction of a student with a teacher. Below are several examples of how a teacher will aid your musical development far greater than any online resource.</p>
<h2 class="p1">EYES ON TECHNIQUE</h2>
<p class="p1">When one is learning how to play a new instrument or even learning advanced techniques having an experienced teacher who knows the various pitfalls that go with an instrument and can spot them in your technique is critical especially at the early stages of learning. Breaking bad playing habits is one of the most difficult task that occurs in music lesson for both teacher and student. While you can watch a video on how to hold the double bass bow or mandolin pick, having a teacher insures that your fingers/arm etc. are in the proper location and why they are in that position in the first place.</p>
<h2 class="p1">EARS ON TIME</h2>
<p class="p1">One of the most crucial elements of playing music is playing in time or keeping the beat. Learning the art of subdivision is a skill that is often glossed over on online resources and is fundamental to keeping accurate time. Having a teacher who can help you through a difficult rhythmic passage and make you play it 20 times in row with you until you get it correct is a great asset. Playing in time also involves playing with the right "feel" for a particular style of music. Be it accent 2&4 beats in the blues and jazz or playing on top of or behind the beat, these are alls skills that you need to hear and feel played by your teacher. </p>
<h2 class="p1">AIDING YOUR PROGRESSION</h2>
<p class="p2"> Having a music teacher will also give you a track of learning. Your teacher will know how you should progress on your instrument based on your current skill set. Incrementally building upon your technique and musical knowledge as your lessons progress, pushing you past your limits at a controlled rate. </p>
<h2 class="p1">CONNECTION TO LOCAL MUSIC COMMUNITY</h2>
<p class="p1">Hopefully your goal with your bass lessons or mandolin lessons is to eventually play music with members of your community. Having a local teacher who is in touch with the local music scene and knows about the various jam sessions or other opportunities to meet other musicians is the next step in your musical progression. Your teacher might also know of or have other students who are looking for an outlet for there music as well.</p>
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<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766372014-12-07T19:00:00-05:002021-04-21T12:19:37-04:00Tips For Practicing Difficult Passages For Double Bass, Bass Guitar, Mandolin and Ukulele<h2 class="p1"> Decipher What Is The Problem Section</h2>
<p class="p2"> Once you find the section/s that is causing you trouble analyze the area to determine what aspect of the passage is tripping you up. If it is the rhythm of the section clap the rhythm along with your metronome, draw lines to show where the beat is. If it is your left hand, figure out if you are using the best fingering for that particular passage. For double bassists If you are always out of tune on the shift practice the shift until it is a natural fluid movement remembering to hear the pitch inside your head. If it is your right hand, break the section down into it's various string crossings and practice those with a metronome without using your left hand.</p>
<h2 class="p1">Slow It Down</h2>
<p class="p1">Break out the metronome and practice the section that is giving you problems slowly. Practice with the metronome clicks being both eighth and quarter notes. Slowing the piece down to it's eighth note pulse really helps you focus in on the rhythm of a section as well as giving you time to have your left and right hand execute properly.</p>
<p class="p1">Once you are ready to speed the passage back up do so at a slow and steady rate. As little as 5 bpm to no more than 10 bpm at time. Write down the tempo you last were successful at after practicing a section. The next time you return to practice start below that marking and try so surpass the old tempo. Also I have found it is good practice to be able to play things a tad faster then they are meant to be performed. You never know when adrenaline might kick in during a performance. </p>
<h2 class="p1">Out of Context Back Into Context</h2>
<p class="p2">Instead of lumbering through an entire bass line or mandolin melody, take the section that trips you up and focus just on those measures. Once you feel that you have mastered the problem area you most put the section back into the context of the whole piece taking the time to practice going into and of the problem area.</p>
<h2 class="p2">Play It Again and Again and Again</h2>
<p class="p1">The old adage is you don't really know it until you have played something ten times correctly in a row. If you play it flawlessly nine times and mess up on the tenth you need to start back at the beginning. With that being said if you find yourself getting overwhelmed or frustrated with the piece or yourself walk away for five or ten minutes. You will more often than not find yourself able to conquer the passage after you have cleared your mind.</p>
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<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766362014-12-02T19:00:00-05:002021-04-22T09:46:47-04:00Double Bass String Guide Part 1<p>There are countless options of double bass strings available and navigating these choices can be a taunting task for even professional bassists. In this post we will look at the basic category's of strings available as well as the DOUBLE BASS strings I have had experience with. The one thing to always remember is my bass, hands and ears are different than yours or anyone else's so results may vary.</p>
<h2>Synthetic vs Metal vs Gut Core</h2>
<p>The main difference between various types of upright bass strings are the core material of the string. The core is the strand of the string that everything else is wrapped around. </p>
<p>The most common is the <strong>Metal Rope Core</strong> string. The various metals and winding patterns give each string its unique character. Some are geared towards bowing while others geared towards pizzicato . For the outer layer of the string <strong>Stainless steel</strong> is considered to be brighter sounding then <strong>Nickel. </strong>Nickel also oxidize with age and "warms up" and is considered to be gentler on the hands. You find bassists of every genre playing these types of double bass strings and is what is currently on my 5 string double bass.</p>
<p><strong>Synthetic Core </strong>strings are becoming increasingly popular. They offer a more "gut" like experience for the performer ie. a more pliable string under the finger tips. Typically they still have an outer wrap of various metal alloy I use this type of string on Azola Electric Upright Bass(EUB) as well as my Kay. </p>
<p><strong>Gut Core</strong> strings have a sweet, punchy sound and an irresistible feel for pizz however they are pricey, short lived, extremely temperamental and go wildly out of tune, especially in hot, humid weather. Yet some people love them. The G&D string are typically plain gut and the E&A string are wrapped in metal to provide extra mass to the strings. You will also often find bass players using Gut Core G&D strings paired with Metal Core E&A strings.</p>
<h2>Tensions or Gauge</h2>
<p>Strings come in a “light”, “medium” and “heavy” tensions or gauge. These gauges have a direct effect on the tone: A light, thin string vibrates more strongly and longer because of its low mass but transmits less energy to the instrument. Thicker strings with a higher tension often produce a louder sound. It is critical to find the right tension for your double bass. A string with too much tension can choke your basses sound . You can find out how the gauge of a string alters the tone by tuning your current strings up or down. If your double bass sounds better after having lowered the pitch, you should try lighter gauged strings and if it sounds better after having raised the pitch, try higher tension ones. </p>
<p>Keep in mind as well that sometimes the lighter gauge strings are not necessarily easier on the hands to play it really all depends on the instrument and the user.</p>
<h2>MY STRING EXPERIENCES</h2>
<h2>Pirastro Obligatos </h2>
<p>People either love or hate these strings. They are a synthetic core string with a very thing metal wrapping. They do a heck of a job as an alternative to gut strings. The have very warm sound and are fantastic to bow, as well as being easy on the hands. Their only draw backs are that some people feel they have a "roll" to them when plucked I personally do not have that experience with them. They also seem to only have life span of about a year. I have been using these strings on my EUB for years and they work great for playing bass in my Americana band The Spikedrivers. Where we play blues, bluegrass, country, swing and Rock and Roll. They were also on my 7/8 Double Bass as well and I enjoy them on that as well but found that when it came to play pieces from the solo repertoire they did not speak as easily in the upper register.</p>
<p>That is all I have time for now look for more info in Part 2 of this series.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766352014-11-13T19:00:00-05:002015-07-07T17:21:21-04:00Buying your First Bass Guitar
<p>So you have falling in love with the low sounds of the bass and what to become a creator of the grooves that move us. You venture into the local guitar store and become over either over whelmed by the sheer number of bass guitars to chose from or disappointed by the lack there of. If there is a lack of bass's I suggest moving on to another store or looking online to better you odds at finding a bass that will be a good tool for you to learn on. What follows are some basic guide lines to help sort through and categorize all the different types of basses you are seeing. </p>
<h2>Introductory Bass Guitar Lesson</h2>
<p>Beside reading this blog having a lesson with a teacher before you go and purchase a bass can be beneficial. I typically try to show the students a couple basic bass runs that they can take into the store. <strong>The number one rule when looking for an instrument is to play each one in the room.</strong> My main Double Bass that I play to this day was the last one of about 50 that I played but I am sure glad I followed through with due diligence. Getting a feel for your teachers bass will give you a good idea of what a nice instrument should sound like but more importantly feel like when you play it. Doing this has helped many of students come out of a store with some spectacular basses that they will be able to play on for years to come.</p>
<h2>Scale</h2>
<p>Scale refers to the distance from the nut of the bass guitar to it's bridge. There are different scale lengths for the bass guitar from short scale(30 inches) to standard scale(34 inches) long scale (35+ inches). I recommend that parents of children who want to learn the bass start off their child with short scale instrument. The short scale bass will enable your child to learn and play with better left hand position. They will not have to over stretch their hands to play. For adults I recommend sticking with the standard length bass you will have more options to choose from and can always switch to long scale bass if you see fit in the future.</p>
<h2>Types of Pickups</h2>
<p>The two main styles of pickups you will see you during your visit to the guitar store our called the "P" pickup/bass and the "J" Pickup/bass. The P pickup looks like two domino's stack half way against each other. While the J pickup are two long bars one near the bridge and one towards the finger board. You will also see a combination of the two on some bass's which are called the PJ bass. So you ask what is the difference? The difference is the sound that is created. </p>
<p>The P bass creates more of a "double bass" esque ie. sound rounder notes thumpier sounding. If you love the sound of the bass in songs from Motown or Stax records or even Queen that was a P bass doing all the work. </p>
<p>The Jazz Bass due to the two pickups you get a wider variety of tonal options. Some would say even a brighter sound due to the bridge pickup. If you like the sound of Jaco Pastorius and Tower of Power this just might be the bass for you.</p>
<p>The PJ Bass for some is the best of both worlds you can get the thump of a P bass but still the tonal variations and cut of the J bass.</p>
<h2>Passive vs. Acitve Pickups</h2>
<p>When you are shopping for basses you come across passive and active pickup systems they each have there advantages and disadvantages. Passive pickups, which were the first used in the electric bass, offer a dynamic sound and a warm, full tone. The thing lacking in passive pickups is that you have less overall control over the tone of your instrument. If when you hear other bassist play a fat and punchy sound is what you enjoy choose passive pickups.</p>
<p>Active pickups are a newer approach to bass pickups. Some bass players love them some can live without em. Active pickups have a bright, percussive, and clearer sound producing a much higher output than passive pickups. Active pickups have a greater control of the over all bass sound right at your fingers types. Most have a bass and treble boost/cut knob to further sculpt your sound. With all these bells and whistles come cost which is a built-in battery-powered preamp, which you must remember to periodically change the battery ie. don't leave the cable plugged into an active bass.</p>
<h2>Neck Shape/Fingerboard Wood Choice</h2>
<p>Precision Bass necks maintains a fairly consistent thickness and tapers in slightly as it approaches the nut. The Jazz Bass neck starts with its strings in a noticeably narrower spacing at the nut, which gives it a distinct “tapered” feel some bassist feel that is easier for fingering. Ibanez basses necks have very little arch across the fingerboard which again some bass players enjoy for the ease of barring notes. As for Fingerboard wood there are two main choice's: Maple which has a brighter tone and Rosewood with a darker sound.</p>
<h2>Countless other options</h2>
<p>There are plenty more variables when looking at instruments but the ones above are the ones I feel are the most crucial to take into account when buying your first instrument. Remember to always buy your instrument from a store that stands behind the product it sells. Don't be afraid to order from some of the great online music stores that are out there such as sweetwater.com or elderly.com. Then take your instrument to Professional music instructor to insure that you got a great instrument that you can learn on for years to come. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me I would love to help you with your first bass buying experience.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>
Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766342014-10-22T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:58:35-05:00I play electric bass but I always wanted to play the DOUBLE BASS...<h2>If you are reading this article you are about to change your bass playing life. </h2>
<p>Don't get me wrong I love playing the electric bass there are countless situations where it is <strong>THE</strong> instrument required for the job or available van space. Then there are those times when the thump of the Upright Bass the growl of bowed low E string transform the song and player.</p>
<p>The double bass is not for the week of heart. I will be the first to tell you it takes a heck of lot of practice and arm strength to perform well. I have had many bada** electric bass players shocked by what it takes to perform at the same level on the upright. Quite a few saying I don't know how you play that the entire night. <strong>PRACTICE</strong></p>
<p>You can not approach the <strong>DOUBLE BASS</strong> the same way was as the electric. The left hand is only using the 1st, 2nd and 3rd finger on the upright compared to all four fingers on the bass guitar. On the double bass the open string are your friend while on the electric it is your tonal enemy. Your right hand utilizes the side of your fingers as opposed to tips etc.</p>
<h2>But all these different techniques will make you a more rounded bass player.</h2>
<p>The first step once you have decided to give the Double Bass a go is to find a suitable instrument. I recommend renting a bass for a month or two before you buy one. Double bass's are a major investment and you want to make sure you are all in before you purchasing one. Most towns have a store in which stringed instruments are rented to school kids they will be more then happy to rent you an instrument. A lot of times these arrangements are rent to own as well. </p>
<p>Next I highly recommend getting <strong>lessons</strong> right off the bat once you have the instrument. A qualified double bass teacher will be able to give you etudes and advice to avoid any pitfalls you might encounter when switching between basses. </p>
<h2>Good luck and may the bass be with you.</h2>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614)262-9586</p>
<p> </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766332014-10-12T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:59:06-05:00Advice For Purchasing your First Ukulele<p>So you have falling in love with the sweet tropical sounds of the uke and have decided that if all those Youtube sensations can do it why can't I. You have found a ukulele teacher and are excited to learn. Then you do a quick search to purchase your first instrument and become over whelmed with all the ukulele options that are available. Below are a few tips to guide you through your first purchase.</p>
<h2>What's up with all the different size's and tunings?</h2>
<p>There are four sizes of ukuleles from smallest body size/neck length to largest they are soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. The soprano, concert and tenor uke's are all tuned the same gCEA. The tenor ukulele is often strung with a low G string. If you have been awe struck by Jake Shimabukuro this is the tuning he and other uke masters often employ. The baritone is the black sheep of the family being tuned DGBE like the top four strings of a guitar</p>
<h2>Wood vs. composite</h2>
<p>Entry level instruments will be constructed of some sort of composite wood ie. plywood/laminated material. The next step up is typically a solid wood top instrument with composite back and sides. Followed of course by the solid wood instrument. Historically this wood would be KOA. As the ukulele has become more popular an ever widening array of woods are being utilized from accaia to walnut. All of these woods will impart different sound qualities to the instrument.</p>
<p>For beginners a composite instrument is going to give the best price point and a durable instrument that won't make you cry so hard if it gets a few dings in it. Once you can play some songs and are committed to the instrument you can always upgrade.</p>
<h2>My Recommendation</h2>
<p>From my teaching experience the concert uke is typically the best size for beginners. Since it has a slightly longer neck compared to a soprano more notes and chords are available. The fret spacing is also less of that of a tenor and baritone. Which gives your left hand the advantage of not having to stretch as far when playing chords.</p>
<p>As far as brands I have been impressed with every Lanikai ukelele my students have purchased. They are relatively inexpensive with some of there concert ukes priced at around $125. You might be enticed to start on the $50 uke but your hands and ears will appreciate the upgrade. Many a budding musician has been defeated by an inferior instrument.</p>
<h2>Non-Factory Strings</h2>
<p>One other thing that should be purchased with your new ukulele is a set of strings to replace the not so great factory set. I recommend Aquila strings most stores selling ukes should have these in stock and should be able to change them for you or take them to your ukulele lesson and have your teacher show you how to change them your self.</p>
<h3>I hope this offers a little bit of insight into the wonderful world of ukulele's. </h3>
<h3>Good luck and happy shopping.</h3>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586 </p>Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766322014-09-22T20:00:00-04:002015-03-15T14:01:15-04:00New Lesson Video's and Photos
<p>So I am excited to finally be adding bass guitar lessons, mandolin lessons, double bass lessons and uke lessonsvideo's to this site. Through out the coming months please come back to see more video's added as quickly as I can make them. My hope is that these brief video lessons will give prospective students an insight into my teaching style.</p>
<p>Also excited to have added some wonderful photos by Gretel Jollie to the site.</p>
<p>Any insight on how to make the website or video's more impactful would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Till next time</p>
<p>Steven Fox</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586 </p>
Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766312014-08-15T20:00:00-04:002015-03-15T14:01:29-04:00Busy Summer Quickly Turns Into Fall
<h4>This has been quite a busy summer full of shows and lessons. Here is my favorite picture from this festival season.</h4>
<h4><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/395993/0917a1fc5dfbffe039b5fb841e76d3aa777ac27a/original/bass-lessons-columbus.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjQweDk2MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="960" width="640" /></h4>
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<p>As summer quickly turns to fall and kids go back to school I am excited that I am now able to offer online bass (double bass and bass guitar) mandolin and ukulele lesson almost anytime of day. Even for students who regularly have in person lessons if you are crunched for time you can now take advantage of saving on travel time when the weather is bad.</p>
<p>The only thing you things you need to take advantage of online music lessons is a Skype account, webcam and a internet connection.</p>
<p>Please stayed tuned for new video's and photos I will be adding in the coming months.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>
Steven Fox-Music Lessonstag:stevenfox.rocks,2005:Post/60766302014-07-22T20:00:00-04:002020-01-16T19:58:52-05:00New Lesson Studio<p>I am excited to have a new teaching studio located in Grandview. This new space will enable me to better serve my students. I am looking forward to the new opportunities it will bring.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">1373 Grandview Ave Suite 213 Columbus, OH 43212 (614)262-9586</p>Steven Fox-Music Lessons