Name of Instrument:
Double Bass also known as bass, acoustic bass, bass violin, string bass, contrabass, upright bass, stand-up bass and doghouse bass.
Family:
String
How to Play:
The musician, or double-bassist, may either play it while seated or standing. When standing, the bass is supported by the left leg while the left hand moves up and down the fingerboard. When seated, the bass is supported by the musician's right thigh and pelvis and by the use of an endpin on the floor. The double-bass is played by using a bow across the strings (especially in symphonic music), striking or plucking (especially in jazz) the strings. Common playing techniques used in string instruments include double stop, harmonics, mute, pizzicato, tremolo and vibrato. Read this article to learn more about double bass playing techniques.
Types:
The double bass is the largest and has the lowest range in a symphony orchestra's string section. It comes in a variety of sizes to suit the age of the player. There is also an electric upright bass. Read this article about the different sizes of double bass.
First known Double Bass:
In 1493, there was mention about "viols as big as myself" by Prospero, and in 1516 there was an illustration closely resembling that of a double bass.
Double Bassists:
Some known double bassists are Tarus Mateen, Domenico Dragonetti, Giovanni Bottesini, Roy Huskey Jr., Edgar Meyer and Scott LaFaro, to name a few.