For young and older players
The "Double Bass ABC" has received a third volume. An overview.
To anticipate this: The promise announced on the cover page that the Double Bass ABC The idea that the piece is suitable for young and older players is realized. The musical material moves between classical musical language and standard jazz. The latter, however, is exclusively written out. After one volume each in spring 2011 and 2012, a third booklet now continues the development.
The introduction in the first volume with harmonics and 3rd position is physiologically favorable, but requires a basic understanding of the tonal material and musical notation in bass clef. The introduction of the bow is followed by the pizzicato technique in jazz. The objectives of the respective materials, which include scales, exercises and pieces, are presented in a factual, competent and appealing manner, both in the text and by means of photos and graphic elements. The two CDs (exclusively for the first volume) are also of unpretentious quality and support self-study. They contain corresponding model recordings and accompanying parts for all exercises. While the author uses traditional and classical melodies in addition to the jazz exercises in the first volume, from the second volume onwards most of the music is composed by the author himself. This enables a consistent step-by-step and goal-oriented structure, but in the long run it seems predictable and offers too little musical substance.
In summary, it can be said that the school is particularly suitable for advanced lessons with young people and adults. However, it urgently needs sufficient supplementary material from the diverse original repertoire, which is fortunately increasingly available again today.
Thomas Grossmann, Double Bass ABC, School for young and older double bass players; Volume 1, GH 11746, with 2 CDs, Fr. 32.80; Volume 2, GH11747, Fr. 28.80; Volume 3, GH 11748, Fr. 29.80; Hug Musikverlage, Zurich 2011/2012
