Grundlagen der Kontrabass-Technik

What do I do when I want to produce this sound and am unable to?' The book 'Grundlagen der Kontrabass-Technik' by Michael B. Wolf provides detailed answers to such questions.With the help of a detailed programme, the pupil will quickly learn the purely technical elements which are indispensable for artistic expression. Topics such as bowing technique, change of position, vibrato, right-left coordination, intonation or performance preparation condense into an increasingly complex system that always takes all technical and intellectual aspects of sound generation into account. Although many techniques of this method represent a radical breach of tradition, they can be easily used for all double-bass methods and playing techniques.Michael Barry Wolf, born in 1954 in the USA, is professor of double bass at the Berlin Universitat der Künste. He studied music at the CaliforniaStateUniversity and was member of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. His radio and disc recordings as well as numerous concert activities and master classes at home and abroad have always received great critical acclaim.

Foreword - Section One: Weight and Posture - Varying effective weight - Progression of muscular support from back to arm - Progression of muscular support from hand to arm - Manipulating weight through posture - Posture and motion - Section Two: Motion Analysis - Types of motion - Fulcrum placement and inherent frequency - Active and passive modes - External and internal resistence - Sensory training - Compromises - Section Three: Simple Motions - Pectoral girdle - Upper arm - Lower arm - Wrist - Section Four: Complex Motions - Pectoral Girdle/Upper Arm - Upper Arm/Lower Arm - Lower Arm Extension/Rotation - Wrist/Fingers - Left hand fingers - Consecutive motions - Section Five: Right Hand Technique - Physics of the bowed string - Bow grip and weight - Tone production - Bow speed - Bow changes - String changes and double stops - Tone colour - Dynamics - Modes of bow motion - Bowings - Additional colours - Section Six: Fingering - The four-finger system - Left hand position - Left hand strength - Fingering patterns - Thumb position - Extansions - Contractions - Replacement - Trills - Fingered fourths - Using the thumb in the lower position - Harmonics - Choosing fingerings - Section Seven: Shifting - Analysis - The short shift - The long shift - Borrowed notes - Section Eight: Vibrato - Analysis - Execution - Vibrato and shifting - Vibrato and fingering - Vibrato as an expressive medium - Section Nine: Left Hand/Right Hand Coordination - Analysis - Fingering and bowing - Shifting and bowing - Shifting, fingering and bowing - Section Ten: Intonation - Analysis - Tuning the instrument - Ear and tactile training - Section Eleven: Scales and Modes - Tetrachord fingerings - Modal fingerings in the Lower Positions - Modal fingerings in the Thumb Position - Overview modal fingerings - Scales Studies - Short shift scales - Triplet patterns - Section Twelve: Practicing - Physiological basis of learning - The learning process - Practice principles - Practice techniques - Practice aids - Section Thirteen: Preparing for Performance - Practice vs. performance - Transition from practice to performance - Developing a Philosophy of Music