Etling String Class Method, Book 2: Bass Book

Etling's design trusts teachers to customize their instruction sequence rather than imposing a rigid path. The explicit separation of drills, intonation work, and bow technique from note reading means you can keep advancing musicians engaged while ensuring newcomers develop solid fundamentals at their own pace.

Organized and purposeful, with an underlying respect for how technique develops. The method avoids overwhelming students by isolating specific challenges—one day focused on hand position, another on rhythm counting, another on bow control—so that learning feels incremental and achievable.

String teachers working with intermediate bass students or mixed-ability ensembles who need organized material for building technique alongside musicianship. Directors managing class-based string programs will find this especially useful for creating differentiated pathways.

• Assign the daily drills consistently, even just five minutes at the start of rehearsal; their structured repetition builds muscle memory and intonation awareness without requiring a performance mindset.
• Use the intonation and bow stroke exercises to diagnose individual issues during sectionals, then apply the targeted work back to full-group rehearsals.
• Rotate solos through your ensemble so multiple students get performance experience at their current reading level, building confidence before tackling more demanding literature.

Pair this with your full-group orchestral repertoire as your technique backbone. The daily drills and targeted exercises strengthen fundamentals week to week, allowing your ensemble pieces to progress further musically because the foundation is consistently reinforced.

• Proper left hand position and left hand independence
• Bow control and bow distribution
• Rhythmic accuracy and counting in mixed meters
• Intonation awareness and tuning by ear
• Reading on the bass clef staff
• Coordinating technical skills with music reading