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101-413: Recitative can be distinguished on a continuum from more speech-like to more musically sung, with more sustained melodic lines. The mostly syllabic recitativo secco ("dry", accompanied only by continuo , typically cello and harpsichord) is at one end of the spectrum, through recitativo accompagnato (using orchestra), the more melismatic arioso , and finally the full-blown aria or ensemble, where

202-492: A double bass . A 1919 recording of Rossini 's Barber of Seville , issued by Italian HMV , gives a unique glimpse of this technique in action, as do cello methods of the period and some scores of Meyerbeer . There are examples of the revival of the harpsichord for this purpose as early as the 1890s (e.g. by Hans Richter for a production of Mozart 's Don Giovanni at the London Royal Opera House ,

303-408: A trombone recitative as part of its Introduction). Arnold Schoenberg labeled the last of his Five Pieces for Orchestra , Op. 16, as " Das obligate Rezitativ ", and also composed a piece for organ , Variations on a Recitative , Op. 40. Other examples of instrumental recitative in twentieth century music include the third movement of Douglas Moore 's Quintet for Clarinet and Strings (1946),

404-411: A "full size" bass; a 1 ⁄ 2 bass is not half the length of a 4 ⁄ 4 bass, but is only about 15% smaller. Double basses are typically constructed from several types of wood, including maple for the back, spruce for the top, and ebony for the fingerboard. It is uncertain whether the instrument is a descendant of the viola da gamba or of the violin, but it is traditionally aligned with

505-432: A bass bow is shorter and heavier than a cello bow. Pernambuco , also known as Brazilwood, is regarded as an excellent quality stick material, but due to its scarcity and expense, other materials are increasingly being used. Inexpensive student bows may be constructed of solid fiberglass , which makes the bow much lighter than a wooden bow (even too light to produce a good tone, in some cases). Student bows may also be made of

606-412: A basso continuo part that was for an organist. Double bass The double bass ( / ˈ d ʌ b əl b eɪ s / ), also known as the upright bass , the acoustic bass , the bull fiddle , or simply the bass , is the largest and lowest-pitched chordophone in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions such as the octobass ). It has four or five strings, and its construction

707-468: A blues upright bassist, said that "Starting in the 1950s, they began to reset the necks on basses for steel strings." Rockabilly and bluegrass bassists also prefer gut because it is much easier to perform the " slapping " upright bass style (in which the strings are percussively slapped and clicked against the fingerboard) with gut strings than with steel strings, because gut does not hurt the plucking fingers as much. A less expensive alternative to gut strings

808-449: A bow is having the bow "rehaired" by a luthier with fresh horsehair and having the leather and wire wrapping replaced. The double bass bow is strung with either white or black horsehair, or a combination of the two (known as "salt and pepper"), as opposed to the customary white horsehair used on the bows of other string instruments. Some of the lowest-quality, lowest cost student bows are made with synthetic hair. Synthetic hair does not have

909-402: A continuo part by playing, in addition to the notated bass line, notes above it to complete chords, either determined ahead of time or improvised in performance. The figured bass notation, described below, is a guide, but performers are also expected to use their musical judgment and the other instruments or voices (notably the lead melody and any accidentals that might be present in it) as

1010-472: A distinctive pitch. The top of the instrument's fingerboard range is typically near D 5 , two octaves and a fifth above the open pitch of the G string (G 2 ), as shown in the range illustration found at the head of this article. Playing beyond the end of the fingerboard can be accomplished by pulling the string slightly to the side. Double bass symphony parts sometimes indicate that the performer should play harmonics (also called flageolet tones ), in which

1111-424: A guide. Experienced players sometimes incorporate motives found in the other instrumental parts into their improvised chordal accompaniment. Modern editions of such music usually supply a realized keyboard part, fully written out in staff notation for a player, in place of improvisation. With the rise in historically informed performance , however, the number of performers who are able to improvise their parts from

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1212-573: A lower-pitched solo voice (e.g., a bass singer). In larger orchestral works, typically performers match the instrument families used in the full ensemble: including bassoon when the work includes oboes or other woodwinds, but restricting it to cello or double bass if only strings are involved; although occasionally individual movements of suites deviate from this at the musical director's discretion (e.g. bassoon without oboes). Harps , lutes, and other handheld instruments are more typical of early 17th-century music. Sometimes instruments are specified by

1313-502: A luthier. Professional bassists are more likely to have adjustable bridges, which have a metal screw mechanism. This enables the bassist to raise or lower the height of the strings to accommodate changing humidity or temperature conditions. The metal tuning machines are attached to the sides of the pegbox with metal screws. While tuning mechanisms generally differ from the higher-pitched orchestral stringed instruments, some basses have non-functional, ornamental tuning pegs projecting from

1414-481: A member of the chordophone family that originated in Europe in the 15th century. Before the 20th century many double basses had only three strings, in contrast to the five to six strings typical of instruments in the viol family or the four strings of instruments in the violin family. The double bass's proportions are dissimilar to those of the violin and cello; for example, it is deeper (the distance from front to back

1515-411: A musical rather than as an opera. Recitative has also sometimes been used to refer to parts of purely instrumental works which resemble vocal recitatives, in terms of their musical style. In an instrumental recitative, one instrument (or group of instruments) are given the melody line (akin to the role of the singer) and another instrument (or group of instruments) are given the accompaniment role. One of

1616-437: A perfect fourth). The upper limit of this range is extended a great deal for 20th- and 21st-century orchestral parts (e.g., Prokofiev 's Lieutenant Kijé Suite ( c. 1933) bass solo, which calls for notes as high as D 4 and E ♭ 4 ). The upper range a virtuoso solo player can achieve using natural and artificial harmonics is hard to define, as it depends on the skill of the particular player. The high harmonic in

1717-408: A standard guitar ), rather than fifths , with strings usually tuned to E 1 , A 1 , D 2 and G 2 . The double bass is played with a bow (arco), or by plucking the strings ( pizzicato ), or via a variety of extended techniques . In orchestral repertoire and tango music, both arco and pizzicato are employed. In jazz, blues, and rockabilly, pizzicato is the norm. Classical music and jazz use

1818-519: A whole. Many of Wagner's operas employ sections which are analogous to accompanied recitative. Recitative is also occasionally used in musicals , being put to ironic use in the finale of Kurt Weill 's The Threepenny Opera . It also appears in Carousel and Of Thee I Sing . George Gershwin used it in his opera Porgy and Bess , though sometimes the recitative in that work is changed to spoken dialogue. Porgy and Bess has also been staged as

1919-411: Is commonly called the upright bass, standup bass or acoustic bass to distinguish it from the (usually electric) bass guitar . In folk and bluegrass music, the instrument is also referred to as a "bass fiddle" or "bass violin" (or more rarely as "doghouse bass" or "bull fiddle" ). While not a member of the violin-family of instruments, the construction of the upright bass is quite different from that of

2020-403: Is done because with bowed instruments, the player must be able to play individual strings. If the double bass were to have a flat bridge, it would be impossible to bow the A and D strings individually. The double bass also differs from members of the violin family in that the shoulders are typically sloped and the back is often angled (both to allow easier access to the instrument, particularly in

2121-588: Is in between that of the gamba and the violin family. The bass is a standard member of the orchestra's string section , along with violins , violas , and cellos , as well as the concert band , and is featured in concertos , solo, and chamber music in Western classical music . The bass is used in a range of other genres, such as jazz , blues , rock and roll , rockabilly , country music , bluegrass , tango , folk music and certain types of film and video game soundtracks . The instrument's exact lineage

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2222-424: Is nylon strings; the higher strings are pure nylon, and the lower strings are nylon wrapped in wire, to add more mass to the string, slowing the vibration, and thus facilitating lower pitches. The change from gut to steel has also affected the instrument's playing technique over the last hundred years. Steel strings can be set up closer to the fingerboard and, additionally, strings can be played in higher positions on

2323-431: Is proportionally much greater than the violin). In addition, while the violin has bulging shoulders, most double basses have shoulders carved with a more acute slope, like members of the viol family. Many very old double basses have had their shoulders cut or sloped to aid playing with modern techniques. Before these modifications, the design of their shoulders was closer to instruments of the violin family. The double bass

2424-404: Is radiused using a curve, for the same reason that the bridge is curved: if the fingerboard and bridge were to be flat, then a bassist would not be able to bow the inner two strings individually. By using a curved bridge and a curved fingerboard, the bassist can align the bow with any of the four strings and play them individually. Unlike the violin and viola, but like the cello, the bass fingerboard

2525-476: Is similar in shape and implementation to the bow used on the other members of the orchestral string instrument family, while the "German" or "Butler" bow is typically broader and shorter, and is held in a "hand shake" (or "hacksaw") position. These two bows provide different ways of moving the arm and distributing force and weight on the strings. Proponents of the French bow argue that it is more maneuverable, due to

2626-437: Is somewhat flattened out underneath the E string (the C string on cello), this is commonly known as a Romberg bevel. The vast majority of fingerboards cannot be adjusted by the performer; any adjustments must be made by a luthier. A very small number of expensive basses for professionals have adjustable fingerboards, in which a screw mechanism can be used to raise or lower the fingerboard height. An important distinction between

2727-427: Is still a matter of some debate, with scholars divided on whether the bass is derived from the viol or the violin family . Being a transposing instrument , the bass is typically notated one octave higher than tuned to avoid excessive ledger lines below the staff. The double bass is the only modern bowed string instrument that is tuned in fourths (like a bass guitar, viol , or the lowest-sounding four strings of

2828-476: Is the only modern bowed string instrument that is tuned in fourths (like a viol), rather than fifths (see Tuning below). The instrument's exact lineage is still a matter of some debate, and the supposition that the double bass is a direct descendant of the viol family is one that has not been entirely resolved. In his A New History of the Double Bass , Paul Brun asserts that the double bass has origins as

2929-400: Is tightened before playing, until it reaches a tautness that is preferred by the player. The frog on a quality bow is decorated with mother of pearl inlay. Bows have a leather wrapping on the wooden part of the bow near the frog. Along with the leather wrapping, there is also a wire wrapping, made of silver in quality bows. The hair is usually horsehair . Part of the regular maintenance of

3030-490: The Baroque era (1600–1750), provided the harmonic structure of the music by supplying a bassline and a chord progression . The phrase is often shortened to continuo , and the instrumentalists playing the continuo part are called the continuo group . The composition of the continuo group is often left to the discretion of the performers (or, for a large performance, the conductor ), and practice varied enormously within

3131-451: The acoustic bass guitar , as the latter is a derivative of the electric bass guitar, and usually built like a larger and sturdier variant of a viola de gamba , its ancestor. The double bass is sometimes confusingly called the violone , bass violin or bass viol . A typical double bass stands around 180 cm (6 feet) from scroll to endpin. Whereas the traditional "full-size" ( 4 ⁄ 4 size) bass stands 74.8 inches (190 cm),

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3232-477: The epistle , gospel , preface and collects ; see accentus . The first use of recitative in opera was preceded by the monodies of the Florentine Camerata in which Vincenzo Galilei , father of the astronomer Galileo Galilei , played an important role. The elder Galilei, influenced by his correspondence with Girolamo Mei on the writings of the ancient Greeks and with Erycius Puteanus on

3333-418: The violin form (shown in the labelled picture in the construction section); and the viola da gamba form (shown in the header picture of this article). A third less common design, called the busetto shape, can also be found, as can the even more rare guitar or pear shape. The back of the instrument can vary from being a round, carved back similar to that of the violin, to a flat and angled back similar to

3434-545: The 19th century Romantic era by such composers as Gaetano Donizetti , reappearing in Stravinsky 's The Rake's Progress . They also influenced areas of music outside opera. In the early operas and cantatas of the Florentine school, secco recitatives were accompanied by a variety of instruments, mostly plucked fretted strings including the chitarrone , often with a pipe organ to provide sustained tone. Later, in

3535-528: The 19th century: Rossini 's La Cenerentola (1817, recitatives by Luca Agolini) is a famous example. Later it remained a custom to replace originally spoken dialogue with new recitatives: Carl Maria von Weber 's Der Freischütz (1821, adapted 1841 with recitatives by Hector Berlioz for the Paris Opera), Georges Bizet 's Carmen (1875, recitatives by Ernest Guiraud for the posthumous run in Vienna

3636-633: The Baroque period. At least one instrument capable of playing chords must be included, such as a harpsichord , organ , lute , theorbo , guitar , regal , or harp . In addition, any number of instruments that play in the bass register may be included, such as cello , double bass , bass viol , or bassoon . In modern performances of chamber works, the most common combination is harpsichord and cello for instrumental works and secular vocal works, such as operas , and organ and cello for sacred music . A double bass may be added, particularly when accompanying

3737-531: The angle at which the player holds the bow. Advocates of the German bow claim that it allows the player to apply more arm weight on the strings. The differences between the two, however, are minute for a proficient player, and modern players in major orchestras use both bows. The German bow (sometimes called the Butler bow) is the older of the two designs. The design of the bow and the manner of holding it descend from

3838-489: The appearance of the overwound gut string in the 1650s, the double bass would surely have become extinct", because thicknesses needed for regular gut strings made the lower-pitched strings almost unplayable and hindered the development of fluid, rapid playing in the lower register. Prior to the 20th century, double bass strings were usually made of catgut ; however, steel has largely replaced it, because steel strings hold their pitch better and yield more volume when played with

3939-858: The base of the double bass is a metal rod with a spiked or rubberized end called the endpin, which rests on the floor. This endpin is generally thicker and more robust than that of a cello, because of the greater mass of the instrument. The materials most often used in double bass construction for fully carved basses (the type used by professional orchestra bassists and soloists) are maple (back, neck, ribs), spruce (top), and ebony (fingerboard, tailpiece). The tailpiece may be made from other types of wood or non-wood materials. Less expensive basses are typically constructed with laminated ( plywood ) tops, backs, and ribs, or are hybrid models produced with laminated backs and sides and carved solid wood tops. Some 2010-era lower- to mid-priced basses are made of willow , student models constructed of Fiberglass were produced in

4040-438: The bass line (without any upper chords) is to be played for a short period, usually until the next figure is encountered. This instructs the chord-playing instrumentalist not to play any improvised chords for a period. The reason tasto solo had to be specified was because it was an accepted convention that if no figures were present in a section of otherwise figured bass line, the chord-playing performer would either assume that it

4141-553: The bass. The thumb rests on the shaft of the bow, next to the frog while the other fingers drape on the other side of the bow. Various styles dictate the curve of the fingers and thumb, as do the style of piece; a more pronounced curve and lighter hold on the bow is used for virtuoso or more delicate pieces, while a flatter curve and sturdier grip on the bow sacrifices some power for easier control in strokes such as detaché, spiccato, and staccato. Double bass bows vary in length, ranging from 60 to 75 cm (24–30 in). In general,

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4242-429: The bassist lightly touches the string–without pressing it onto the fingerboard in the usual fashion–in the location of a note and then plucks or bows the note. Bowed harmonics are used in contemporary music for their "glassy" sound. Both natural harmonics and artificial harmonics , where the thumb stops the note and the octave or other harmonic is activated by lightly touching the string at the relative node point, extend

4343-463: The bow. Gut strings are also more vulnerable to changes of humidity and temperature, and break more easily than steel strings. Gut strings are nowadays mostly used by bassists who perform in baroque ensembles, rockabilly bands, traditional blues bands, and bluegrass bands. In some cases, the low E and A are wound in silver, to give them added mass. Gut strings provide the dark, "thumpy" sound heard on 1940s and 1950s recordings. The late Jeff Sarli,

4444-514: The cello (i.e. the cello part was the main bass line, and the "double bass" originally played a copy of the cello part; only later was it given an independent part). The terms for the instrument among classical performers are contrabass (which comes from the instrument's Italian name, contrabbasso ), string bass (to distinguish it from brass bass instruments in a concert band , such as tubas ), or simply bass. In jazz, blues, rockabilly and other genres outside of classical music, this instrument

4545-409: The cellos. This transposition applies even when bass players are reading the tenor and treble clef (which are used in solo playing and some orchestral parts). The tenor clef is also used by composers for cello and low brass parts. The use of tenor or treble clef avoids excessive ledger lines above the staff when notating the instrument's upper range. Other notation traditions exist. Italian solo music

4646-507: The chord to the top). Basso continuo, though an essential structural and identifying element of the Baroque period, continued to be used in many works, mostly (but not limited to) sacred choral works, of the classical period (up to around 1800). An example is C. P. E. Bach 's Concerto in D minor for flute, strings and basso continuo. Examples of its use in the 19th century are rarer, but they do exist: masses by Anton Bruckner , Ludwig van Beethoven , and Franz Schubert , for example, have

4747-411: The combination of sul ponticello and tremolo can produce eerie, ghostly sounds. Classical bass players do play pizzicato parts in orchestra, but these parts generally require simple notes (quarter notes, half notes, whole notes), rather than rapid passages. Classical players perform both bowed and pizz notes using vibrato , an effect created by rocking or quivering the left hand finger that is contacting

4848-566: The composer: in L'Orfeo (1607) Monteverdi calls for an exceptionally varied instrumentation, with multiple harpsichords and lutes with a bass violin in the pastoral scenes followed by lamenting to the accompaniment of organo di legno and chitarrone , while Charon stands watch to the sound of a regal. Contrabassoon is rare as a continuo instrument, but is often used in J. S. Bach's Johannespassion which calls for "bassono grosso". The keyboard (or other chord-playing instrument) player realizes (that is, adds in an improvised fashion)

4949-402: The double bass a much richer tone than the bass guitar, in addition to the ability to use a bow, while the fretless fingerboard accommodates smooth glissandos and legatos . Like other violin and viol-family string instruments, the double bass is played either with a bow (arco) or by plucking the strings ( pizzicato ). When employing a bow, the player can either use it traditionally or strike

5050-405: The double bass and other members of the violin family is the construction of the pegbox and the tuning mechanism. While the violin, viola , and cello all use friction pegs for tuning adjustments (tightening and loosening the string tension to raise or lower the string's pitch), the double bass has metal machine heads and gears. One of the challenges with tuning pegs is that the friction between

5151-424: The double bass is a transposing instrument . Since much of the double bass's range lies below the standard bass clef , it is notated an octave higher than it sounds to avoid having to use excessive ledger lines below the staff. Thus, when double bass players and cellists are playing from a combined bass-cello part, as used in many Mozart and Haydn symphonies, they will play in octaves, with the basses one octave below

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5252-539: The earliest examples is found in the slow movement of Vivaldi 's violin concerto in D, RV 208 , which is marked "Recitative". C. P. E. Bach included instrumental recitative in his "Prussian" piano sonatas of 1742, composed at Frederick the Great 's court in Berlin. In 1761, Joseph Haydn took his post at Esterhazy Palace and soon after composed his Symphony No. 7 ("Le Midi") in concertante style (i.e. with soloists). In

5353-409: The features needed for playing. While these smaller-body instruments appear similar to electric upright basses , the difference is that small-body travel basses still have a fairly large hollow acoustic sound chamber, while many EUBs are solid body, or only have a small hollow chamber. A second type of travel bass has a hinged or removable neck and a regular sized body. The hinged or removable neck makes

5454-504: The figures, as Baroque players would have done, has increased. Chord-playing continuo instrument parts are often written in figured bass. A part so annotated consists of a bass line in notes on a musical staff plus numbers and accidentals (or in some cases (back)slashes added to a number) beneath the staff to indicate what intervals above the bass notes should be played, and therefore which inversions of which chords are to be played. The phrase tasto solo indicates that only

5555-569: The first of Richard Rodney Bennett 's Five Impromptus for guitar (1968), the opening section of the last movement of Benjamin Britten 's String Quartet No. 3 (1975), and the second of William Bolcom 's 12 New Etudes for Piano (1977–86). There are certain conventions, or tropes, which standardize recitative; so that, in practice, recitative is a rigid musical form. The following are standard tropes of recitative: Basso continuo Basso continuos parts, almost universal in

5656-408: The frog from underneath, while the ring finger and middle finger rest in the space between the hair and the shaft. The French bow was not widely popular until its adoption by 19th-century virtuoso Giovanni Bottesini . This style is more similar to the traditional bows of the smaller string family instruments. It is held as if the hand is resting by the side of the performer with the palm facing toward

5757-472: The hazards of touring and performing in bars). Another option is the hybrid body bass, which has a laminated back and a carved or solid wood top. It is less costly and somewhat less fragile (at least regarding its back) than a fully carved bass. The soundpost and bass bar are components of the internal construction. All the parts of a double bass are glued together, except the soundpost, bridge, and tailpiece, which are held in place by string tension (although

5858-405: The instrument against their body, turned slightly inward to put the strings comfortably in reach. This stance is a key reason for the bass's sloped shoulders, which mark it apart from the other members of the violin family—the narrower shoulders facilitate playing the strings in their higher registers. The double bass is generally regarded as a modern descendant of the violone (It. “large viol”),

5959-434: The instrument being supplied by Arnold Dolmetsch ), but it was not until the 1950s that the 18th-century method was consistently observed once more. In the 2010s, the early music revival movement has led to the re-introduction of harpsichord in some Baroque performances. Accompanied recitative, known as accompagnato or stromentato , employs the orchestra as an accompanying body. The composer writes an arrangement for

6060-437: The instrument smaller when it is packed for transportation. The history of the double bass is tightly coupled to the development of string technology, as it was the advent of overwound gut strings, which first rendered the instrument more generally practicable, as wound or overwound strings attain low notes within a smaller overall string diameter than non-wound strings. Professor Larry Hurst argues that had "it not been for

6161-441: The instrument's range considerably. Natural and artificial harmonics are used in plenty of virtuoso concertos for the double bass. Orchestral parts from the standard Classical repertoire rarely demand the double bass exceed a two-octave and a minor third range, from E 1 to G 3 , with occasional A 3 s appearing in the standard repertoire (an exception to this rule is Orff's Carmina Burana , which calls for three octaves and

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6262-439: The less valuable varieties of brazilwood. Snakewood and carbon fiber are also used in bows of a variety of different qualities. The frog of the double bass bow is usually made out of ebony, although snakewood and buffalo horn are used by some luthiers . The frog is movable, as it can be tightened or loosened with a knob (like all violin family bows). The bow is loosened at the end of a practice session or performance. The bow

6363-556: The lower strings and still produce clear tone. The classic 19th century Franz Simandl method does not use the low E string in higher positions because older gut strings, set up high over the fingerboard, could not produce clear tone in these higher positions. However, with modern steel strings, bassists can play with clear tone in higher positions on the low E and A strings, particularly when they use modern lighter-gauge, lower-tension steel strings. The double bass bow comes in two distinct forms (shown below). The "French" or "overhand" bow

6464-445: The mid-20th century, and some (typically fairly expensive) basses have been constructed of carbon fiber . Laminated (plywood) basses, which are widely used in music schools, youth orchestras , and in popular and folk music settings (including rockabilly, psychobilly, blues, etc.), are very resistant to humidity and heat, as well to the physical abuse they are apt to encounter in a school environment (or, for blues and folk musicians, to

6565-410: The more common 3 ⁄ 4 size bass (which has become the most widely used size in the modern era, even among orchestral players) stands 71.6 inches (182 cm) from scroll to endpin. Other sizes are also available, such as a 1 ⁄ 2 size or 1 ⁄ 4 size, which serve to accommodate a player's height and hand size. These names of the sizes do not reflect the true size relative to

6666-453: The natural sound produced acoustically by the instrument, as does traditional bluegrass . In funk, blues, reggae, and related genres, the double bass is often amplified . A person who plays this instrument is called a "bassist", "double bassist", "double bass player", "contrabassist", "contrabass player" or "bass player". The names contrabass and double bass refer (respectively) to the instrument's range, and to its use one octave lower than

6767-401: The older viol instrument family. With older viols, before frogs had screw threads to tighten the bow, players held the bow with two fingers between the stick and the hair to maintain tension of the hair. Proponents of the use of German bow claim that the German bow is easier to use for heavy strokes that require a lot of power. Compared to the French bow, the German bow has a taller frog, and

6868-437: The operas of Vivaldi and Händel , the accompaniment was standardised as a harpsichord and a bass viol or violoncello . When the harpsichord was gradually phased out over the late 18th century, and mostly disappeared in the early 19th century, many opera-houses did not replace it with the fortepiano , a hammered-string keyboard invented in 1700. Instead the violoncello was left to carry on alone, or with reinforcement from

6969-483: The orchestra musicians. As a result, it is less improvisational and declamatory than recitativo secco , and more song -like. This form is often employed where the orchestra can underscore a particularly dramatic text, as in " Thus saith the Lord " from Händel's Messiah ; Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart were also fond of it. A more inward intensification calls for an arioso ; the opening of " Comfort ye " from

7070-403: The pegbox and a sturdy, thick sound post , which transmits the vibrations from the top of the instrument to the hollow body and supports the pressure of the string tension. Unlike the rest of the violin family, the double bass still reflects influences, and can be considered partly derived, from the viol family of instruments, in particular the violone, the lowest-pitched and largest bass member of

7171-418: The pizzicato basslines that classical bassists encounter in the standard orchestral literature, which are typically whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, and occasional eighth note passages. In jazz and related styles, bassists often add semi-percussive " ghost notes " into basslines, to add to the rhythmic feel and to add fills to a bassline. The double bass player stands, or sits on a high stool, and leans

7272-410: The player holds it with the palm angled upwards, as with the upright members of the viol family. When held in the traditionally correct manner, the thumb applies the necessary power to generate the desired sound. The index finger meets the bow at the point where the frog meets the stick. The index finger also applies an upward torque to the frog when tilting the bow. The little finger (or "pinky") supports

7373-412: The pulse is entirely governed by the music. Secco recitatives can be more improvisatory and free for the singer, since the accompaniment is so sparse; in contrast, when recitative is accompanied by orchestra, the singer must perform in a more structured way. The term recitative (or occasionally liturgical recitative) is also applied to the simpler formulas of Gregorian chant , such as the tones used for

7474-463: The range illustration found at the head of this article may be taken as representative rather than normative. Five-string instruments have an additional string, typically tuned to a low B below the E string (B 0 ). On rare occasions, a higher string is added instead, tuned to the C above the G string (C 3 ). Four-string instruments may feature the C extension extending the range of the E string downwards to C 1 (sometimes B 0 ). Traditionally,

7575-452: The same low pitches played with a delicate pianissimo can create a sonorous, mellow accompaniment line. Classical bass students learn all of the different bow articulations used by other string section players (e.g., violin and cello ), such as détaché , legato , staccato , sforzato , martelé ("hammered"-style), sul ponticello , sul tasto , tremolo , spiccato and sautillé . Some of these articulations can be combined; for example,

7676-536: The same work is a famous example, while the ending of it ("The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness") is secco . Sometimes a distinction is made between the more dramatic, expressive, or interjecting 'orchestral recitative' ( recitativo obbligato or stromentato ) and a more passive and sustained 'accompanied recitative' ( recitativo accompagnato ). Later operas, under the influence of Richard Wagner , favored through-composition , where recitatives, arias, choruses and other elements were seamlessly interwoven into

7777-482: The same year), Charles Gounod 's Mireille and La colombe (staged by Sergei Diaghilev with recitatives respectively by Eric Satie and Francis Poulenc ). Secco recitatives, popularized in Florence though the proto-opera music dramas of Jacopo Peri and Giulio Caccini during the late 16th century, formed the substance of Claudio Monteverdi 's operas during the 17th century, and continued to be used into

7878-487: The second movement of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto is also an instrumental recitative, although Owen Jander interprets it as a dialogue. Other Romantic music era composers to employ instrumental recitative include Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (who composed a lyrical, virtuosic recitative for solo violin with harp accompaniment to represent the title character in his orchestral Scheherazade ) and Hector Berlioz (whose choral symphony Roméo et Juliette contains

7979-547: The second movement of that work, the violinist is the soloist in an instrumental recitative. Ludwig van Beethoven used the instrumental recitative in at least three works, including Piano Sonata No. 17 ( The Tempest ), Piano Sonata No. 31 , and in the opening section of the Finale of his Ninth Symphony . Here, Beethoven inscribed on the score (in French) "In the manner of a recitative, but in tempo ." Leon Plantinga argues that

8080-412: The side of the pegbox, in imitation of the tuning pegs on a cello or violin. Several manufacturers make travel instruments, which are double basses that have features which reduce the size of the instrument so that the instrument will meet airline travel requirements. Travel basses are designed for touring musicians. One type of travel bass has a much smaller body than normal, while still retaining all of

8181-417: The soundpost under the bridge is essential for the instrument to sound its best. Basic bridges are carved from a single piece of wood, which is customized to match the shape of the top of each instrument. The least expensive bridges on student instruments may be customized just by sanding the feet to match the shape of the instrument's top. A bridge on a professional bassist's instrument may be ornately carved by

8282-416: The soundpost usually remains in place when the instrument's strings are loosened or removed, as long as the bass is kept on its back. Some luthiers recommend changing only one string at a time to reduce the risk of the soundpost falling). If the soundpost falls, a luthier is needed to put the soundpost back into position, as this must be done with tools inserted into the f-holes; moreover, the exact placement of

8383-406: The string, which then transfers an undulation in pitch to the tone. Vibrato is used to add expression to string playing. In general, very loud, low-register passages are played with little or no vibrato, as the main goal with low pitches is to provide a clear fundamental bass for the string section . Mid- and higher-register melodies are typically played with more vibrato. The speed and intensity of

8484-486: The strings must somehow be transferred to the surrounding air. To do this, the strings vibrate the bridge and this in turn vibrates the top surface. Very small amplitude but relatively large force variations (due to the cyclically varying tension in the vibrating string) at the bridge are transformed to larger amplitude ones by combination of bridge and body of the bass. The bridge transforms the high force, small amplitude vibrations to lower force higher amplitude vibrations on

8585-427: The strings vibrating against the fingerboard near to the fingered position. This buzzing sound gives the note its character. The lowest note of a double bass is an E 1 (on standard four-string basses) at approximately 41 Hz or a C 1 (≈33 Hz), or sometimes B 0 (≈31 Hz), when five strings are used. This is within about an octave above the lowest frequency that the average human ear can perceive as

8686-416: The tailpiece (important for violin, viola and cello players, as their instruments use friction pegs for major pitch adjustments) unnecessary, a very small number of bassists use them nevertheless. One rationale for using fine tuners on bass is that for instruments with the low C extension, the pulley system for the long string may not effectively transfer turns of the key into changes of string tension/pitch. At

8787-431: The tiny "barbs" that real horsehair has, so it does not "grip" the string well or take rosin well. String players apply rosin to the bow hair so it "grips" the string and makes it vibrate. Double bass rosin is generally softer and stickier than violin rosin to allow the hair to grab the thicker strings better, but players use a wide variety of rosins that vary from quite hard (like violin rosin) to quite soft, depending on

8888-404: The top of the bass body. The top is connected to the back by means of a sound post, so the back also vibrates. Both the front and back transmit the vibrations to the air and act to match the impedance of the vibrating string to the acoustic impedance of the air. Because the acoustic bass is a non-fretted instrument, any string vibration due to plucking or bowing will cause an audible sound due to

8989-471: The true bass of the violin family . He states that, while the exterior of the double bass may resemble the viola da gamba, the internal construction of the double bass is nearly identical to instruments in the violin family , and very different from the internal structure of viols. Double bass professor Larry Hurst argues that the "modern double bass is not a true member of either the violin or viol families". He says that "most likely its first general shape

9090-436: The upper range). Machine tuners are always fitted, in contrast to the rest of the violin family, where traditional wooden friction pegs are still the primary means of tuning. Lack of standardization in design means that one double bass can sound and look very different from another. The double bass is closest in construction to violins, but has some notable similarities to the violone , the largest and lowest-pitched member of

9191-545: The vibrato is varied by the performer for an emotional and musical effect. In jazz, rockabilly and other related genres, much or all of the focus is on playing pizzicato. In jazz and jump blues , bassists are required to play rapid pizzicato walking basslines for extended periods. Jazz and rockabilly bassists develop virtuoso pizzicato techniques that enable them to play rapid solos that incorporate fast-moving triplet and sixteenth note figures. Pizzicato basslines performed by leading jazz professionals are much more difficult than

9292-415: The viol family. The double bass features many parts that are similar to members of the violin family, including a wooden, carved bridge to support the strings, two f-holes , a tailpiece into which the ball ends of the strings are inserted (with the tailpiece anchored around the endpin mount), an ornamental scroll near the pegbox, a nut with grooves for each string at the junction of the fingerboard and

9393-450: The viol family. For example, the bass is tuned in fourths, like a viol, rather than in fifths, which is the standard in the violin group. Also, notice that the 'shoulders' meet the neck in a curve, rather than the sharp angle seen among violins. As with the other violin and viol family instruments that are played with a bow (and unlike mainly plucked or picked instruments like guitar), the double bass's bridge has an arc-like, curved shape. This

9494-444: The viol family. Unlike the violone, however, the fingerboard of the double bass is unfretted , and the double bass has fewer strings (the violone, like most viols, generally had six strings, although some specimens had five or four). The fingerboard is made of ebony on high-quality instruments; on less expensive student instruments, other woods may be used and then painted or stained black (a process called "ebonizing"). The fingerboard

9595-402: The violin family. While the double bass is nearly identical in construction to other violin family instruments, it also embodies features found in the older viol family. The notes of the open strings are E 1 , A 1 , D 2 , and G 2 , the same as an acoustic or electric bass guitar . However, the resonance of the wood, combined with the violin-like construction and long scale length gives

9696-471: The weather, the humidity, and the preference of the player. The amount used generally depends on the type of music being performed as well as the personal preferences of the player. Some brands of rosin, such as Wiedoeft or Pop's double bass rosin, are softer and more prone to melting in hot weather. Owing to their relatively small diameters, the strings themselves do not move much air and therefore cannot produce much sound on their own. The vibrational energy of

9797-423: The wood of the bow against the string. In orchestral repertoire and tango music, both arco and pizzicato are employed. In jazz, blues, and rockabilly, pizzicato is the norm, except for some solos and occasional written parts in modern jazz that call for bowing. Bowed notes in the lowest register of the instrument produce a dark, heavy, mighty, or even menacing effect, when played with a fortissimo dynamic; however,

9898-476: The wood peg and the peg hole may become insufficient to hold the peg in place, particularly if the peg hole become worn and enlarged. The key on the tuning machine of a double bass turns a metal worm , which drives a worm gear that winds the string. Turning the key in one direction tightens the string (thus raising its pitch); turning the key the opposite direction reduces the tension on the string (thus lowering its pitch). While this development makes fine tuners on

9999-523: The writings of Hucbald and wishing to recreate the old manner of storytelling and drama, pioneered the use of a single melodic line to tell the story, accompanied by simple chords from a harpsichord or lute. In the Baroque era, recitatives were commonly rehearsed on their own by the stage director, the singers frequently supplying their own favourite baggage arias which might be by a different composer (some of Mozart 's so-called concert arias fall into this category). This division of labour persisted into

10100-399: Was a root-position triad, or deduce from the harmonic motion that another figure was implied. For example, if a continuo part in the key of C begins with a C bass note in the first measure, which descends to a B ♮ in the second measure, even in the absence of figures, the chord-playing instrumentalist would know to play a first inversion V chord (spelled B–D–G, from bottom note of

10201-399: Was that of a violone, the largest member of the viol family. Some of the earliest basses extant are violones, (including C-shaped sound holes) that have been fitted with modern trappings." Some existing instruments, such as those by Gasparo da Salò , were converted from 16th-century six-string contrabass violoni. There are two major approaches to the design outline shape of the double bass:

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