External Tone Devices for the Double Bass A.J. Topp Good tone quality has always been a major goal for double bass players. Bass players that do not have access to the best instruments and accessories can find creating good tone difficult, and great tone impossible. Good tone is important in both orchestral and solo playing, but with different objectives. Tone is important in an orchestra because the bass section should play together as a unit note wise, but also importantly, they should play together tonally. This can be difficult due to the different qualities of the instruments or the particular technique that is being applied by that individual. Because of some recent developments, good tone can now be achieved in sectional, and solo playing, without spending tens of thousands of dollars. Some of the current methods of finding ways to create better tone are usually found through use of external sound devices such as strings, bows, sound post adjustment, and refinishing the instrument. These methods are historical in nature, and are some of the avenues taken by players to improve their tone. However, some new external tone devices have been developed that augment, and in some cases far surpass the methods developed in the past. Equipment such as the Camelopard endpin and the numerous pickups that have been created as well as the Harmonic SoundBoard and the Grip Tone developed by Mike Vans Evers to improve tone quality on the double bass. In the early Baroque era Micheal Praetorious (1571-1621) introduced into history an instrument called the violin da gamba sub bass. This eight foot instrument had five strings and was tuned, DD EE AA DG. Praetoious’s drawing of the instrument looked more like a violon in which frets were present, and they were not removed until the early 1800’s. The double bass appeared in the early Baroque era, but because of its newness, volume, and size the instrument was restricted to large venues such as the church. In the sixteen fifty’s a new kind of string was introduced. These strings were over wound gut strings. They were thinner in diameter thus making it easier to play, and also allowed the bass’s size to be reduced. It was not until virtuosos like Domenico Dragonetti (1736-1846) and Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889) that the bass really began to expand as a solo and orchestral instrument. He wrote many concerti’s and solo pieces that were ahead of the times. Bottesini made innovations to the instrument by coming up with new techniques of fingering, and because of his close friendship with Verdi, helped to establish the bass as a premier orchestral instrument. In Otello Verdi designated a bass solo for “The basses with four strings”. At this point two different kinds of methods for bowing were introduced. Dragonetti favored the under hand way of holding the bow, which is now called “German Bow” where Bottesini favored the overhand approach which we designate as “French Bow”. With the expansion of orchestration by Wagner and Strauss in the Romantic period, the full range of the double bass and its place in the orchestra was established. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the bass acquired a large number of performers and pedagogues. The contributors of the double bass for this time include Franz Simandl, Eduard Nanny, and Sergi Koussevitsky who later became the conductor of the Boston Symphony and wrote many famous solo pieces. Different kinds of techniques contribute to the way the double bass is played. Among the contributors to the technique of the double bass are players like Ludwig Streicher and Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889). The Streicher method is the modern evolutionary product of the German way of playing the bass. The method demonstrates how to properly stand with the bass as well as the correct way to hold the German bow. Streichers method with the left hand mainly consists of keeping all fingers down on the fingerboard at all times and making sure fingers are set up before engaging the string. His books contain a strict regiment of exercises that help the player achieve his method of playing. Giovanni Bottesini uses a different approach to the instrument. Bottesini takes the player through simple exercises in simple keys using advanced techniques with bowing and virtuoso studies that help the player gain knowledge on the bass. It is important to note that in many instances a player would benefit from many techniques rather than just one. By doing this the player can incorporate different elements of several techniques at the same time, thus incorporating those elements that work for them and eliminating those that do not. When discussing the subject of sectional versus solo playing with colleagues, it is found that in sectional playing one of the most important things is to try to achieve and maintain a common tone within the section. This can be difficult due to different levels of playing and different qualities of basses. It is important in sectional playing to come together in agreement on how the tone should be presented in the ensemble. If there is no encompassing agreement among the section, one organism cannot be heard. A good example of this is in the Planets by Holst. In the beginning of the Saturn movement, the bass section plays without accompaniment. This part should sound like one giant bass. Solo playing is another matter because a more unique sound is desired, as well as a shift in tonal emphasis to the upper harmonics. If the desired tonalities are not achieved, the music will not be expressed the way the soloist or section wants it to be heard. Environment also plays a big role in solo and sectional playing. Environment dictates the sound of the instrument. The design of the stage and the hall can determine how a player is going to be received by the listener. Good intonation, motor skills, and technique all play vital roles in sectional and solo playing. Tone is determined by many factors. However, once an instrument is constructed, there are only a limited number of ways to change its tone. Historically, these methods include trying different bows and strings, sound post and bridge adjustments, and the refinishing of the instrument. In the field of classical double bass playing, strings can be divided into orchestral and solo. Brands such as Helicore, Kolstein, and Pirastro strings are popular for orchestra playing. Helicore strings have a dark, rich, warm sound, and can some times sound to dark. Kolstein strings are suitable for use with many different basses. Although they are not as dark as Helicore strings. Pirastro strings are expensive but offer a very fine rich sound. Corelli and Thomastik make solo strings. Corelli strings are known to be very playable and respond well for solo playing. Thomastik solo strings create too many overtones, but are considered good for solo playing. It is important to note that the terms previously presented such as dark, rich, and warm are derived from product profiles. These terms do not represent what is taking place with the tone of the strings. It is impossible to know if the term dark means the low register or if the term rich means the high register of the bass. To understand strings or other products, the player cannot accept one individual’s terminology or opinion. Bows for the double bass consist of many different materials. Historically the best materials used for bow construction is pernambuco wood. Pernambuco wood is red in color and mostly found in eastern Brazil along the coastline because of the climate. The origin of pernambuco wood makes it dense and hard, thus creating low dampening properties. It has a history of being used for cabinet and fine furniture making. Recent bow manufacturing materials that have become popular are fiberglass and carbon fiber because of their low cost for construction. When a bow is purchased for better tone quality, it can only be better because of the bow that was previously used. This means that bow B is affected by bow A because the highest tone quality that can be achieved is when two activation’s or overlapping activation is present. Activating the instrument is the vibrations that are harnessed in the bass. This is why players do not like other people to play there instrument because when the instrument is returned it is activated different, due to the other player’s technique or the way they sound. This must be considered when buying a bow because the tone quality could be considerably different after the bass has been totally activated by bow B. The setting of the sound post affects the timbre and the playability of the instrument. Because the sound post is not glued, a major factor that contributes to the tone is how tight it is fitted into the instrument. When a sound post is moved it can alter the frequency of the tone dramatically. When the sound post is loose or removed from the top plate of the double bass, the frequency of the tone is generally lower. A higher frequency occurs when the sound post is tight against the top plate. The bassbar is located under the bridge, and distributes the sound from the top plate to the sound post. The significance of the sound post is illustrated by the Italians name for the sound post: anima (soul). It was called the instrument’s soul because its placement affected the sound of the instrument in a major way. Like the activation example with the bow, the sound post adheres to the same principles. If the sound post is adjusted its highest point of activation will occur when sound post A and B are activated at the same time, thus creating overlapping activation. After time has gone on sound post B will have a different tone because it will no longer have the activation of sound post A. Finally the varnish or finish of the bass plays a vital role in the ultimate tone production of the double bass. Varnish is usually composed of linseed oil, nitric acid, and oil of turpentine. Its application is itself an art due to the fact that if too much varnish is applied, the cells inside the wood will not be able to expand and contract, nor vibrate optimally. Varnish also keeps the wood from separating by acting as an adhesive, keeping the cells of the wood connected. The importance of varnish is underscored by the fact that most of the time, the proportions of the ingredients and the way the varnish is made is unique to a single or family of makers--kept secret so it cannot be duplicated and its benefits exploited by a rival maker. In addition varnish is applied to keep the wood protected from dirt and sweat, and to give the wood color. Bridge height on the bass contributes to the tone of the instrument by governing string placement above the fingerboard. The main role of the bridge is to transform the vibrating motion of the strings into periodic motion that is applied to its two feet. The two feet are secured t the top plate of the double bass. The tone of the strings resonates to the bridge, which acts as a resonator to the bass bar which is secured to the sound post. Luthiers discovered that shaping the bridge to the bass was an effective way to change the frequency response of the tone. There are different kinds of adjustable bridges available for the double bass. Some have adjustable screws on the feet so all of the strings can be lowered or raised to the fingerboard. Others bridges have adjusters for each individual string. Modern external tone devices have been developed for the double bass, so the player has more of an option on how to alter the tone of the instrument. Devices like the Camelopard end pin, the Mike Vans Evers sound board and grip tone contribute to this new technique of altering tone. Camelopard endpin uses more weight in the endpin to achieve quality sound. One problem with the presentation of this product is they do not describe what materials and research go into them, and why. They also say that this the “best.” It has to be up to the player to decide what the best is. Even though this product is a new tonal device it is similar to older products in that it is also hard to distinguish its quality from any other product. There are two common problems associated with the use of all previously discussed ETMs. One is that all have results that are themselves modified by a lack of understanding of tonal activation, and the other is that the ultimate tonal success of any combination of instrument and these older ETMs is variable—there is no one device that works “best” in all situations. Mike Vans Evers has created two external tone devices that are presently on the market. The Grip Tone and the Harmonic SoundBoard. These devices where created for double bass players who have either expensive or non-expensive instruments. Good double basses have an even distribution of resonances. For a player with a good instrument Mr. Vans Evers can alter 1-2 percent of it’s over all sound. This means that 20-40 percent of the quality of sound can be altered which is the last 5 percent of the total sound. Through Mr. Vans Evers devices this signature part of the sound can be harnessed to the player’s specifications. For players with bass’s of lower value, his devices can be applied to increase the quality of sound by finding where the tonal highlights are and emphasize them the way the player wants them. Tonal highlights are the part of the tone that calls attention to its self. Because the sound of the instrument resonates through the end pin the devices are applied there. The Grip Tone is a cylindrical piece of wood with two holes in it and is cut in half. The endpin slides into one hole and a copper rod slides into the other. Once the Grip Tone is clamped onto the endpin, the copper rod portion acts as an equalizer. If the player’s bass has a higher frequency of tone, the copper rod is adjusted to bring out more lows and vice versa. By doing this the instrument sound is largely magnified. The Grip Tone after being set to where the player desires it will then activate the bass. Every player has a unique sound. This is another reason why these devices are so unique. The player can also experiment with the grip tone by activating the bass one way one week and activating it another way the next to find an even sound. This is a great device for sectional playing because each individuals sound can be altered to produce a more secure tonality. The other external tone improvement device of Mr. Vans Evers is the Harmonic Sound Board (HSB). This device is an end pin holder that can be adjusted to the player’s tonal requirements depending on the surrounding environment and the musical demands of the situation. While bases are made up of tone woods like spruce and maple the HSB does not have to be. It is made up of non resonating woods, which is important because of the lack spruce and curly maple. The sound board is a triangular piece of wood with six mid range resonator bars in the front and three longer bass resonator bars behind the end pin restraint. The board is triangular because this shape will ensure a wide range of resonances. The resonator bars tonal contribution is altered by thumb screws that can be tightened and loosened. When the resonator bars are tightened against the platform they raise the sound about an octave. These bars are adjusted to improve the bass’s sound. In the middle of the platform is where the endpin rests. This piece is trapezoidal in shape. Aluminum is usually the material used because it can handle the punishment of the endpin and it also compliments the sound of the instrument with the sound board. The platform rest on rubber feet so it is isolated from the environment. As previously discussed the end pin carries all the resonances from the instrument so when the sound goes into the sound board it will not go any where else. The advantage of the sound board is for the musician to have the ability to make quick and easy change on the spot, and also to enhance the individuals sound. The new external tone devices are important for the bass player because of their versatility. Tonal devices have also expanded a lot. There is more offered than just strings and bows. This is not to say that these elements are not important, but there is more now to take advantage of. It gives an opportunity for people in the world of tone alteration to learn about the possibilities and accept new ideas. These ideas could not have been possible without the previous innovations in instrument design, technique, and quality of materials The player is the only one that can judge what is best for the player. When a player makes a purchase and relies on product profiles that are set by other individuals there is no guarantee that this is going to make the instrument sound and respond better to the playing of another person. With the new creations that have been made by the Vans Evers company it is possible to make these decisions on your own. Bibliography 1.Voichita Bucur “Acoustics of Wood “ 1995 2.Raymond Elgar “Looking At The Double Bass” 1967 3.Raymond Elgar “ More About The Double Bass” 1963 4.Florian Pertzborn “ Defining cybernetic structures in practice, performing and teaching the double bass” 2001 5.Neville H Flethcer Thomas D. Rossing “ The Physics of Musical Instruments” 1998 6.Rodney Slatford “Giovanni Bottesini method for the double bass” 1982 7.Ludwig Streicher “My Way of Playing the Double Bass” 1977 8.“Double Bass String Survey” www. Gollihur.com 9.Lawrence Hurst “A Brief History of the Double Bass” 2001 10.Mike Vans Evers “Excerpts from the Harmonic Sound Board patent” 2001 11.Arco Brasil.com 12.Hans Johannsson “Violin Making” 13.www. Camelopard endpin.com 14.A.J. Topp “Interview with Brian Hermanson” 2001

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