Is that what happens when double basses smoke too many cigarettes?

/looks cancerous

[QUOTE=Jody LeCompte;16163898]What the hell does that even do?[/QUOTE]

Emulates a low B string I guess.

Subcontrabasses have lever things too, but they rock.

EDIT: Sorry, octobass, not subcontrabass.

It's a low c extension, and has levers to press for each semitone down to the c.

[QUOTE=Akira;16163953]Emulates a low B string I guess.

Subcontrabasses have lever things too, but they rock.

EDIT: Sorry, octobass, not subcontrabass.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, like the two of them that were actually made.

I'm actually really curious to hear how they sounded. Berlioz scored one of his symphonies for a double bass section that included 8 of them (too bad there were never that many created). Imagine that sound!

Jesus, eight octobasses? People would die...

I might get to visit Berklee next week. How's that place been treating you lately?

[QUOTE=HaVIC5;16165191]Yeah, like the two of them that were actually made.

I'm actually really curious to hear how they sounded. Berlioz scored one of his symphonies for a double bass section that included 8 of them (too bad there were never that many created). Imagine that sound![/QUOTE]

Which symph is that / are there any recordings of it?

Probably not, since there are no instruments to play it.

[QUOTE=Akira;16165392]Probably not, since there are no instruments to play it.[/QUOTE]

Well ok but maybe they retuned conventional basses to play it? So what is it's name or symph # or something...

(I knew your going to say that btw...)

[url]http://tv.unimore.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50[/url]

Octobass in video. Theres a minute or so of talking at the start, by the way. This thing is insane!

EDIT: click on Registrazione dell'evento

got it today.....it plays good even though it's the first one i've played ever.

it's a 'Vinci' i think...the only tag on it is inside, so i have to look in the f-holes to see it and i don't really want to do that alot.

i have pics if anyone wants to see them

yeah put them pics up. The tags are only ever on the inside by the way.

lol i only have 1 picture.

and i'm in it.

and it was comparing the height of me to the height of the bass.

[url]http://i32.tinypic.com/2ds0pas[/url].

i'll take some more later on of just the bass.

you can probably tell, but it's a 3/4 size.

wow, you're tall.

You'll be needing to extend that endpin a lot. Get the nut to about eye level, maybe a tiny bit above.

yeah, i've got it set up so i can play it without bending over too much.

That video is sweet.

So I just looked it up, and Wiki says the lowest string on an octobass is a C1. That's not that low, so does the thing have to be so massive?

yeah I don't know why exactly it's so big. I'm sure you could tune it a lot lower than C1 though.

Red pants, you dont want to be bending over at all. Like I said, get the nut at eye level. The only time you'll be bending at all is to get into thumb position (up high, past where the shoulders meet the neck)

[quote=blacklungfever;16166575]Theres a minute or so of talking at the start[/quote]
Try 6 minutes... :angry:.


Awesome instrument though!

oops really? I watched it a long time ago so I don't remember exactly haha.

mechanical lever extensions= no vibrato..

I still say 5 > 4+ext.

Fair enough. Didn't think about that!

5's are really badass anyways haha.

thats a mass produced cheap laminate upright! Is it a half sized?

Good strings, great setup, good pickup with preamp, and a good player will make it sound ok

[QUOTE=blacklungfever;16167715]Red pants, you dont want to be bending over at all. Like I said, get the nut at eye level. The only time you'll be bending at all is to get into thumb position (up high, past where the shoulders meet the neck)[/QUOTE]


yeah, i've got the stand so the nut's at eye level, it's all good now.

[QUOTE=Dez_Axer;16179346]thats a mass produced cheap laminate upright! Is it a half sized?

Good strings, great setup, good pickup with preamp, and a good player will make it sound ok[/QUOTE]

if that's directed at me, it's 3/4 size and yeah, my music teacher plays double bass and he said that the bass is a decent one for the price i paid, and the strings are good too.


also, it's tuned C-E-A#-D#

should i try and tune it E-A-D-G?

Yeah probably. I think thats called solo tuning, its for some orchestral stuff or something like that. Go EADG.

[quote=blacklungfever;16182065]Yeah probably. I think thats called solo tuning, its for some orchestral stuff or something like that. Go EADG.[/quote]

solo tuning is a whole step up

that's just... really... really.. out of tune.

haha okay, I was just guessing.

i tried tuning it, but if it goes too far it sounds like it's going to break

Thats because its a piece of crap. Can you fit your fingers between the strings and the fingerboard around where the neck meets the body?? If so you need to get that mother set up!!

BTW The 2nd finger (F#, B, E, A) should be eye level, not the nut.

[QUOTE=Dez_Axer;16184205]BTW The 2nd finger (F#, B, E, A) should be eye level, not the nut.[/QUOTE]

That's debatable. I do have my nut slightly above my eyes, but it's perfectly okay to play with the nut at eye level. There are also guys who play/used to play with their eyes at around Ab or something. Oscar Pettiford, for example: [url]http://drlarryross.bizland.com/Oscar_Pettiford_2.jpg[/url]

now that you mention it i guess a whole inch and a half doesnt matter

[QUOTE=Dez_Axer;16184205]Thats because its a piece of crap. Can you fit your fingers between the strings and the fingerboard around where the neck meets the body?? If so you need to get that mother set up!!

BTW The 2nd finger (F#, B, E, A) should be eye level, not the nut.[/QUOTE]

no i can't fit my fingers between the strings and the fingerboard around where the neck meets the body.

and my endpin won't go any higher. so i'll be playing with the nut at eye level