Measures of Success for String Orchestra-Bass Book 2: Bass Method Book

This method avoids the trap of treating bass as an afterthought. The sequencing respects how double bass technique develops, moving students through foundational positions and shifting with genuine musical purpose. The authors balance technical building blocks with engaging repertoire that keeps students invested in their own progress.

Purposeful and encouraging. Each exercise builds on previous work without feeling repetitive, and the inclusion of musical repertoire ensures students experience themselves as real ensemble members, not just technique machines.

Bassists in their first or second year of study, working in school orchestras or private lesson settings. Teachers implementing a standards-based string program will find this book's scope and sequence align with progression-focused instruction.

• Introduce vibrato gradually once students have solid intonation and bow control in their primary positions; the method will guide your timing here.
• Use peer listening during shifting exercises to develop students' ears for smooth position transitions before isolating them individually.
• Connect rhythmic patterns in etudes back to the repertoire pieces students are learning simultaneously; this reinforces understanding across both contexts.

Assign sections of this book alongside the corresponding materials in your full orchestra method. The 88 pages provide enough flexibility to span an entire academic year, with room to insert additional repertoire and solo opportunities as your students advance.

• Shifting between positions with consistent intonation
• Bow control across the full length of the bow
• Reading in multiple clefs and positions
• Rhythmic accuracy in simple and compound meters
• Double-stop intonation and execution
• Music theory application (scales, intervals, chord functions)
• Ensemble listening and blend