Myths, conclusion

On this installment of @yamahamusicusa #silentbass and @laklandbasses Friday, we conclude a multi-part discussion on "myths". Again, a caveat here. The "myths" I will present here are based on my experience as a performer and educator. Many of these can be up for debate. U disagree? GOOD! Any worthwhile topic can benefit from cordial discourse. OK... Myth: "Upright bass is harder than electric". It isn't necessarily harder...just DIFFERENT. The posture is different. It is more "physical" to play. The scale is longer and, of course, no frets. It just takes focused, goal related work. What is more of an issue, IMO, is the process of getting and maintaining an upright. They are more expensive than an electric. Maintenance can be more involved. Repairs are  more expensive and they require more space to play, keep and transport. Myth: "Intonation can be mastered with lines, dots and meters". IMO, absolutley not! First of all, Intonation is an asymptotic endeavor. It is never mastered, just continually improved. Second, EVERY student that has used these methods to improve intonation has faltered.  Why? Intonation is not just a place on the board. It is WAY more than that and is a subject beyond the realm of this talk. It requires knowing the note, it's function and what it sounds like BEFORE it is played. This approach has yielded MUCH success with countless students. Myth: "Vibrato helps your intonation". No, vibrato is a type of articulation.The goal is to play the right note FIRST and then add vibrato. Yes, u can use it to "fix" a note, but shouldn't become a crutch. Myth: "Arco is only for classical players" uh..no. Arco is a technique. There are no requirements here. U do u. Myth" "French bow is better than German bow" Right now, French is MORE POPULAR than German. As someone that teaches both, play the one u feel most comfortable with. They both have pluses and minuses. I prefer German for a myriad of reasons. Again..u do u. I hope u have enjoyed my "Myths" series. Next week, we conclude with some "Truths". #yamahamusicusa #makewaves #pirastro #glasserny #laklandbasses #sitstrings #tsunamicables #philjonesbass #uptonbassstringinstrumentcompany #basslessons  #remotelessons