r/doublebass • u/alfredofish Classical • 7d ago

Instruments 5 string tips?

I'm normally a 4 string upright player, but I'm the dedicated 5 string player for Beethoven 6. I'm having a tough time moving the bow long enough to not just shake the string in the sixteenth note section of the 4th movement. I can play it fine in a slower tempo, but in actual tempo my bow either just glides over the string with this weird indistinct sound of the note, or my bow just moves the string with it. I have tried another rosin, but it still just doesn't sound good. Does anyone have any tips?

edit: just to clarify, no one in my section has a C extension, hence the 5 string

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u/hbomb2579 3d ago

What strings are you using? Your setup may be an issue. What's your level of playing, are you good at spicatto? The 4th movt of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony is a storm, and your part on the B string should be thought of as an affect, not literal, measured, academic rhythm and pitches.

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u/alfredofish 3d ago

I'm playing on what look like Piastros, the bass is a school instrument Juzek so it's probably had the same strings at least since I got here. I did a lot of work on how I play spicatto last year, so I'm definitely okay at it (at least for a college sophmore). My orchestra director said he wanted the notes to sound a bit more than they currently are, which is why I'm running into the b string issue

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u/hbomb2579 3d ago

Pirastro makes good strings, but my personal 5-string prefers Thomastik, Belcanto for the win. Since this Bass doesn't belong to you I'm assuming that you're stuck with what you have, unless you want to invest in a different B string. However with this being a Juzek I don't believe that you'll ever get a premium feel in the right hand out of this bass. What's the string length?

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u/hbomb2579 3d ago

What color are the strings, at the bottom? Question regarding your spicatto: how’s your Beethoven 3, 3rd movt?

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u/WhyAmINotStudying 7d ago

If you practice Sevcik, then that's probably the best tool to get you accustomed to the new spacing. If you don't practice Sevcik, then that's probably the best to get you accustomed to the new spacing.

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u/aussievolvodriver 7d ago

Misunderstood instructions. Practiced Sevcik.

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u/CSmithBass 6d ago

It’s kind of a cop out, but I have been told to cut it to the 1/8ths if necessary. The sonic effect of the low note is still present.

Other than that, I typically play 4-strings and have detuned my E-string as low as a C for certain pieces….even mid piece lol….Though retuning obviously changes fingerings.

I sit pretty low and play German bow mostly, so I would rock open my left leg and let the bass change angle for better bow control on the low string as well during fast tremolo/spicatto sections.