Here, I will explain some good strategies for practicing, performing, learning, and more so you can get good on your double bass!

Some background info on me: I have been playing the double bass for three years, after trying the cello for one. I am in the Chamber Orchestra (audition-only) at my school and started in my second year (last year). I plan on continuing the bass and getting better at it.

In my Instructable, I will give some tips on how to start, and where to finish. Good luck!

Step 1: What Music?

If you are a beginner, I would suggest learning simple scales, such as the D major scale, which is very important for stringed instruments. (Unless, of course, you don't know where any notes are, or which strings are which. Then, Please continue onto slide two.) If you already know the basics, continue to step three.

Step 2: So, You're a Newbie

It's okay- the most famous and the best musicians in the world started out as newbies, too. I'm going to show you some basics so that you can someday become one of them :). So, first we will learn the different clefs. If you're playing the double bass, which you are, then you will be reading the bass clef. Pretty simple, right? Now, you will need to know where the notes are on the staff. We call the lines "lines," and the part in between "spaces." The higher on the staff you go, the higher the note. Notes go from A to G, then they repeat. So, you can have a high G and a low G. The image on this page explains a lot :).

Step 3: If You Know Your Stuff...

... then the last page should have been a breeze- if you read it. So, you want to know how to take off and soar. If you don't know scales, continue on this page. If you do, move on to step 4.

D major:

D E F# G A B C# D

Start on the open D string and go on up to the high D on the G string. if you want, you can repeat the high D and go back down. If you don't know how to play sharps, please go to step 5.

D major arpeggio:

D F# A D D A F# D

Step 4: Songs... FINALLY!!!

I know how you feel... during my first year of playing, I couldn't wait to play my first song. Anyways, I'll stop "talking" and show you some good beginner songs...

(Ignore the numbers.)

Step 5: Sharps

So, the sharps you need to know are F# and C#. For an F#, you just play 1/2 a step higher than an F. So, if you used second finger F, play 4th finger F#. Same goes with C#. If you are using a 1st finger C, use 2nd finger C#.