New Directions® For Strings, Double Bass A Position Book 1: Double Bass - A Position Method Book

Structured but not rigid. The tetrachord organization gives clear landmarks for the left hand while the curated musical selections keep motivation high. Students experience early success because the building blocks stack logically.

Double bass students in their first year of method-book study, whether they are starting fresh or transitioning into a coordinated string program. Teachers who want a bass-specific resource that doesn't shortchange foundational technique or leave bass players waiting for material while violins get all the attention.

• Map the tetrachord patterns on your fingerboard before rehearsal so you can anchor each position visually. This takes five minutes and pays for itself immediately.
• Record yourself playing through a full page weekly, then listen back. You'll catch intonation issues your ear misses in real time.
• Practice the bow control passages with the recording at half speed first. The method builds independence deliberately, so rushing the process defeats the purpose.

Use this as your primary bass method during the first year of orchestral study, pairing it with your existing violin and viola methods to create a unified technical foundation across all four voices. The assessment tools embedded throughout work beautifully for progress tracking in mixed-ability ensembles.

• Tetrachord-based left-hand positioning in A position
• Bow control and contact point consistency
• Proper intonation development through systematic fingerboard mapping
• Reading and sustaining independent lines while other instruments play
• Foundational shifting readiness from secure position work