Double bass. Method 2 Natural and Artificial Harmonics - touch point with string Natural harmonics are points on a bass string where an unusual, bell-like tone is produced if you lightly fret just above the fret itself and pluck the string. The double bass, also known simply as the bass (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass).. Mute/Harmonics Chords Extended Player's Tips and Tricks. THE NOTATION OF HARMONICS FOR DOUBLE BASS Published by the University of Miami Music Publications. It sounds an octave lower than written, and its strings are tuned in fourths, sounding as follows: G2, D2, A1, E1. It is a 3-Page foldout guide to the Orchestral Bass parts of Maurice Ravel in simplified chart form. 1 A certain knowledge of the physical processes regarding string harmonics and the overtone series are assumed of the reader. Links. Outlined below are some of the more common harmonics. This title #UM-142. The double bass or contrabass is the largest string instrument and is descended from the viol rather than the violin, although both violin and viol shaped instruments exist today. B string (B0 – F#2) E string (E1 – B2) A string (A1 – E3) D string (D2 – D4) G string (G2 – G4) The term partial will henceforth refer to each level of the overtone series, with the first partial as the fundamental. For double bass, the word sul (meaning string) may accompany the notation to indicate which string is to be used. Range of the double-bass: B0 – G4 (harmonic G6). ©1972. Download the free chord charts: bass-harmonics-chord-charts Background. The double bass’s range can be pushed even higher by harmonics – not false harmonics, which the string length makes mostly impracticable – but by natural harmonics, very abundant and easy to access. Bass guitar tends to adopt the approach used for guitar, where instead of sul, the string number is indicated (starting with string 1 as the highest string). And it prompted Lucas Drew, former bassist with the Miami Symphony to write a little booklet entitled The Notation of Harmonics For Double Bass, published in 1972. Shar Showroom Rep and Bassist Andy Monefeldt explains how and why to tune your bass using harmonics. double bass in terms of physical production, but rather as technical and aural components of performance and composition. Home About Techniques Contact ... All arco techniques are available to use in conjunction with artificial harmonics but be aware that the specified limitations of the technique in question are increased by the fragility of artificial harmonic production. The answer came in 1885 with the publication of Francois Auguste Gevaert’s New Treatise of Instrumentation. This video explains how to tune a double bass using harmonics. The Modern double bass. > INSTRUMENTOLOGY > STRINGS > Double bass > Range. Jaco Pastorius opened the door for all bass players with his composition ‘A Portrait of Tracy’; a jaw-dropping piece of music written in 1976. The most common harmonics are the octave harmonic of each string, an octave and a 5th above the open string (on the G string, this would be the D harmonic above the octave G), and the 2nd octave harmonic (2 octaves above the open string).