DOUBLE BASS BASS METHOD
The Right Hand Hein Van de Geyn
Hein Van de Geyn / The Right Hand © 2018 - July ISBN
Baseline Music Publishing www.comprehensivebassmethod.com all rights reserved
The Right Hand
1 The engine
The right hand is the engine of your playing. The energy of your muscles, the harmony between the hand and the arm and the simple physical shape and weight of your hand all play a role in the production of your sound. The essence of the sound is not made by the right hand though; this takes place in the left hand. The propulsion comes from the right hand/arm, the rhythm stems from it; the energy and the bounce. Traditionally the bass was played with 1 finger, during walking as well as in soloing. To produce the horn lines on our instrument the players often developed a language full of pull-offs and hammer-ons. Don’t forget that there were hardly any amplifiers and/or pick-ups in the early days, so bassists had to play quite loud in order to be heard. Gut strings were the norm until almost everyone changed to steel around the mid-sixties. A few decades later some players went back to gut strings again, after which a whole range of possibilities came onto the market - including some interesting hybrids. Thanks to the unforgettable and legendary Scott LaFaro a whole new way of phrasing was introduced in the early sixties and a 2-finger technique became well established. Walking was still done with 1 finger often though, since the bounce of the complete mechanism of shoulder, wrist and finger
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The Right Hand
feels great and steady. It is much comparable with playing basketball - in which one also would dribble the ball with 1 hand predominantly and not by constantly alternating hands. The new steel strings, lower action, the introduction of decent pick-ups and amps during the seventies brought the bass more to the foreground; the action was lowered and it made the instrument easier to play. Since those days a 2-finger technique seems to be the standard, especially in soloing. Even the younger players that play in the tradition, with gut strings, decent action and mostly acoustic, will still embrace a 2-finger right hand technique. In this book I will cover the 3 different approaches towards playing the right hand:
- a raking technique, in which we always alternate, except when going down to a lower string
- a strictly alternating technique - anticipating technique: a technique in which we avoid the clumsy 1-2 fingering while going to a higher string It is probably a good idea to approach one of the techniques exclusively for a while, until you feel you have a solid grasp of it, before approaching another one.
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Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
2 Raking technique
This technique is great for fast walking and soloing. We start from the axiom that when we play a note, we in fact play “through” the string to land against the string below. This is especially true when we play with a nice “hanging” hand, where a lot of flesh is in touch with the string, giving us a fat and large sound.
Basically this technique makes you alternate your 1st and 2nd finger always except when you go down 1 string. The reason for this is that your last
played finger is already hanging against this new string, so by simply pulling through, you produce the next note.
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Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
You will notice that in fact the alternating of the fingers will come automatically very quickly, so one only has to “think” about the moments when the fingering remains the same. Try not to think “one-one” for example, but think “o-one”. This signifies the fact that in fact you are executing one movement and not playing the 1st finger twice, each with its own preparation. Exercise 004. exposes the fundamental technique. A daily exercise, which is also nice to use when the left hand needs a rest. Exercise 005. extends the principle to more remote corners; skipping strings etc. As always when trying to automate certain movements: better to play these kind of exercises 6 times per day for 10 minutes than 1 time for 60 minutes.
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The Right Hand
004. DAILY RAKING R.H. EXCERCISES 1
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
004. DAILY RAKING R.H. EXCERCISES
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
005. EXTENDED RAKING R.H. EXCERCISES 005. EXTENDED RAKING R.H. EXCERCISES
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COMPREHENSIVE COMPREHENSIVE BASS BASS METHOD METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
005. EXTENDED RAKING R.H. EXCERCISES
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
3 Strictly alternating technique
This technique has the absolute advantage that the right hand does not have to “think”. The fingers simply alternate like our legs do when we are walking. It is a technique that is great for soloing. Obviously there are 2 issues that you will encounter:
- there will be the somewhat clumsy string-crossing upwards with 1-2 - the tendency, learned in the raking technique, to fall through the next string when going to a lower string has to be “unlearned” Both these issues become easier though when the right hand is in a somewhat more vertical position, creating a clearer sound that is more conducive for soloing in general.
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The Right Hand
008. STRICTLY ALTERNATING R.H. EXERCISES 1
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
008. STRICTLY ALTERNATING R.H. EXERCISES
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
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The Right Hand
4 Anticipating technique
This technique is an extension of the strictly alternating one. The only difference is that you teach your hand to find a strategy to avoid the upwards 1-2 string crossing. This is done by creating the sensation that the 1st and 2nd finger are placed on 2 strings, with the 1st finger on the higher string obviously. The feeling is one of the 2 fingers being on a seesaw.
This position is somehow never broken. At a certain point the hand will “understand” the comfort of this approach and will start making the correct, anticipating decisions. The introducing exercises will spread the fingers far apart, in order for the hand to start feeling the seesaw effect. Just find an angle that feels comfortable for your own hand - this is somewhat different for every individual.
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The Right Hand
006. INTRODUCING ANTICIPATING R.H. EXCERCISES 1
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
006. INTRODUCING ANTICIPATING R.H. EXCERCISES
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
Once the hand starts to feel comfortable in this position, and starts to understand the basic principle we are ready to approach the daily exercises. You will notice that the exercise 007. leads you towards the essential element of this technique: the breaking through the alternating tendency in order to avoid the upwards 1-2 fingering. Obviously in a playing situation the right hand will move instinctively. But the benefits of having gone through the different exercises will be of great help in the avoidance of halting and stumbling right hand movements.
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The Right Hand
007. DAILY ANTICIPATING R.H. EXCERCISES 1
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
007. DAILY ANTICIPATING R.H. EXCERCISES
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
5 Raking and ghosting
In order to emphasise the rhythmic aspects of playing the double bass in a walking setting we make use of raking techniques in which we add percussive elements to our walking lines. Mostly these notes will have no pitch, they are so called ghost notes. Make note of the fact that I deliberately notated the ghosted notes on the correct string. This, in order to expose the fact that there are 2 different approaches:
- the approach where the target falls on the next string - the approach where the string of the target is reached before the actual note is played Play the exercise, or part of the exercise, very slow and deliberate after which you can speed things up and have them become intuitive. A very, very important element is the loudness of the ghosted notes. Personally I love it when the first ghosted note is almost inaudible. This will create a fast crescendo - very satisfying for the hand and to the ear.
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Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
153. RAKING AND GHOSTING x x x 2
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
6 Dynamics
As in language and any musical genre: dynamics give expression to the music we play. It is important that our mechanism is able to create many nuances while playing. Even in a somewhat dynamically stable situation as in playing a walking bass, it is very important our engine is able to change loudness and intensity when the music demands it. The ability to play 8 different levels of loudness seems a basic tool:
- ppp
as soft as possible
- pp
very soft
- p
soft
- mp
medium soft
- mf
medium loud
- f
loud
- ff
very loud
- fff
as loud as possible
The following exercise exposes different approaches towards the control of these dynamics. It is especially nice as well to try to alternate dynamic platforms with a trio as a matter of exercise. It will make you realise how often jazz bands remain in a somewhat mf -mode - quiet boring really.
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Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
When time allows, you can actually make a conscious effort to control matters; you will find the above “translations” very helpful perhaps. To make fast crescendos or decrescendos is much more difficult to do, since you cannot consciously control each note. You might find it will take some real effort and focus to get things to increase/decrease smoothly from one to another level - and not go in a few bumps.
Sound A realisation about sound - and more so: your own sound. As mentioned before: the essencial projection of your sound is to be found in the left hand. The way you put the string in motion will have an effect as well obviously. It is almost like your right hand is the sound of your voice - the poignancy of the story you are telling is expressed through the left hand. I find it actually impossible to approach the right hand sound issue in a frontal way. Your sound is not something you should actually consciously look for in my opinion. No, it will be the result of who you are, what you like, what you search for. Obviously your instrument will play a role - but I have seen too many times examples of great players somehow having the same sound, their sound, on whatever instrument they played. Now, in order to have the ability to pull from your instrument the sound that belongs to you, you will need to be able to have the tools that allow you to draw all the possible nuances from your instrument. Once you trained your body to be broad and experienced in its ability to play all the dynamics you will have a much better chance to have your own sound materialise. Again: you don’t search for your sound - you might find your sound. Exploring dynamics might help with that.
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Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
151. DYNAMIC RIGHT HAND EXCERCISES 1
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Hein Van de Geyn
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
151. DYNAMIC RIGHT HAND EXCERCISES
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Hein Van de Geyn
www.comprehensivebassmethod.com
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
7 Right hand rhythms
Here a nice exercise for the right hand exclusively. It basically deals with the subdivision of the pulse - something a good musician must have absolute control over. Basically you want to create a strong feeling of a pulse (keep repeating bars 1 and 2) - do not use the foot, but start feeling the inner solidity of this movement. In the beginning you might want to use a metronome to keep you on track. Preferably not the high click of a real metronome, but rather a bass drum sound in some sequencer application . It is the 1 and the 3 we want to feel - that’s it; no 2 and 4, no quarter notes. You will find that it is more easy to do the exercise in a medium tempo, but a tempo that is not so fast that you will be unable to play the 16th notes. MM50 for the half note seems a good beginning. After that you can slow things down to increase the difficulty. It is very important to have the pulse be your leading focal point. This means: at the moment you feel insecure about a subdivision or about your ability to execute fast notes: stop playing. Do not destroy the pulse by ploughing through; surrender to the pulse and try again, do not make the mistake to think that the pulse will adept to you. Dance with it.
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Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
156. RIGHT HAND RHYTHMS 1
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COMPREHENSIVE BASS METHOD
Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
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Hein Van de Geyn
The Right Hand
about the author : HEIN VAN DE GEYN (The Netherlands - 1956) has played Jazz professionally ever since he finished his studies at the conservatories of Tilburg and Rotterdam. He lived in the US for several years, working with John Abercrombie, Larry Schneider, Tony Bennett, Larry Vuckovich and many others. After his return to Europe he has been establishing himself as one of the most sought after bass players in Europe. Hein's playing can be heard on some 100 recordings. He has been the bass player with Philip Catherine between 1985 and 1995 and recorded 9 CD's with him. In 1987 he toured and recorded in Japan with Chet Baker. Hein was also the bassist on the last concert of Chet Baker in Rotterdam in 1988. This was also the year Hein started to play with, and arrange for Dee Dee Bridgewater, with whom he has been performing at most of the important festivals and stages in Europe (Montreux, Antibes, Vienne, Berlin, Northsea, London ....) a s well as in the USA (Carnegie Hall, Village Vanguard, Montreal, Newport Festival...) and Japan (Keystone Corner, Blue Note). After three albums and numerous tours and performances Hein and Dee Dee's paths separated in 1996 since Hein wanted to pursue his own career as a leader and producer. In July 1990 Hein made the first album under his own name, in duo with Lee Konitz. Several tours followed. In 1994 he created his group BASELINE with John Abercrombie and Joe LaBarbara. This group recorded several albums and toured all over Europe. 1994 was also the year in which Hein co-founded the jazz label Challenge Records, for which he produced a number of successful recordings. Four of them received an Edison (Dutch Grammy) for best Jazz recording of the year. In 1996 Hein became the head of the bass section in the Jazz department of the royal conservatory in The Hague. In this year he also was awarded the prestigious Prins Bernhard Foundation Music Prize. He received this prize for his importance in the development of European Jazz as well as for his stimulating role as mentor and producer of many young musicians in Holland. In 1998 Hein received the Bird Award of the Northsea Jazz Festival. In this year he was also elected as "Best European Acoustic Bass Player" by a referendum of the Belgian radios RTBF and VRT. During a sabbatical period spent in South Africa in 2001/2002 Hein started writing his "Comprehensive Bass Method". This extensive method on bass playing (950 pages) became available in 2007 and is slowly becoming the standard work for the double bass worldwide. From 2008 to 2010 Hein was the artistic manager of the Rotterdam Jazz Academy and was leading this internationally orientated school with great flair and enthusiasm. In 2010 Hein decided to basically stop his travelling career as a performing bassist and moved with his family to South Africa, After running a 4 star guest house together with his wife Cyrille he started a flourishing bakery. He is a part-time lecturer at the university of Cape Town (UCT). Hein has performed with many ar tists over the years. To name a few: Chet Baker - Freddie Hubbard Roy Hargrove - Woody Shaw - Kenny Wheeler - Tom Harrell - Nat Adderley - Abbey Lincoln Meredith d’Ambrosio - Marlena Shaw - Tony Bennett - Ivan Lins - Joao Bosco - Mark Murphy - Jack DeJohnette - Ed Thigpen - Joe LaBarbera - Elliot Zigmund - Peter Erskine - Idris Muhammad - Billy Hart - John Abercrombie - Tal Farlow - Larry Coryell - Dave Pike - Toots Thielemans - Hank Jones Tommy Flanagan - Michel Petrucciani - Enrico Pieranunzi - Barry Harris - Horace Silver - Junior Mance - Walter Davis Jr. - Tete Montoliu - Horace Parlan - Jacki Byard - Slide Hampton - Bob Brookmeyer Joe Lovano - Lee Konitz - Johnny Griffin - Benny Golson - Red Holloway - Charlie Rouse - Bobby Watson - Lew Tabackin - Gar y Bartz - Archie Shepp - Rick Margitza - Charlie Mariano…
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Hein Van de Geyn
these exercises are directly taken from: “Comprehensive Bass Method” available - world wide - through: www.comprehensivebassmethod.com
