Date:         Fri, 23 May 2008 20:09:40 -0700
Reply-To:     Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: NVC double bass question
Comments: To: rubatoguy@comcast.net
In-Reply-To:  <052320082101.10381.483730AF000837310000288D2207021053979A09019B0E0D9A9D@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Wikipedia really says that about the DB being tuned an octave lower than the
'cello?!

Because that's way wrong.  The 'cello stops at C, the DB goes down to E1 on
a regular 4 string.

Robert, your question is a little simplistic, but you might like to read
about the proportions of the violin family instruments here:
http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=1455ce84ce&attid=0.1&disp=emb&view=att&th=11a0de083194c10e<?ui=2&ik=1455ce84ce&attid=0.1&disp=emb&view=att&th=11a0de083194c10e>

As far as internal air volume goes, a DB might or might not be twice as big
as a 'cello but its not that easy.  DBs are much less standardised than both
violins and violoncelli and are not built on the same proportions.  That's
what the Hutchins Consort is all about.

I got to play the Consort's 'Bass' at the last Guild of American Luthier's
Convention and it was a monster!  Way too big for me.
If you want to check out the 12 foot tall Octobasse, Nicola Moneta plays
one!  http://www.xray.it/octo/

I could go on about this topic for hours - sorry!

On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 2:01 PM, Todd Last <rubatoguy@comcast.net> wrote:

> According to the wikipedia
>
> "The instrument's standard English name, double bass is derived from the
> tuning of one octave lower than the cello. It is not related to physical
> size. The name may derive from its alleged viol family heritage, in that it
> is tuned lower than the standard bass viola da gamba. The name also refers
> to the fact that the sounding pitch of the double bass is an octave below
> the bass clef."
>
>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: Mike Miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
> > I was emailing with someone on the list who made string instruments and I
> > forgot to ask the primary question:
> >
> > How come a stand up bass is called a double bass?
> >
> > Mike
>



--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
Crescent Beach, BC
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27