{"id":1363,"date":"2025-09-18T20:17:41","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T18:17:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/?p=1363"},"modified":"2025-11-26T16:27:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T15:27:23","slug":"double-bass-string-crossings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-string-crossings\/","title":{"rendered":"Double Bass String Crossings"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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String Crossings: from dragging furniture to clear articulation on the double bass<\/strong><\/h3>

Let\u2019s work on string crossings on the double bass to get clean articulation. When we face passages with many crossings\u2014the ones that feel like a relief because all the notes stay in one position and seem \u201ceasier\u201d since we don\u2019t shift much\u2014we often discover that the real challenge is definition. Most of the time, what we play isn\u2019t clear at all, and that\u2019s frustrating. A not-so-friendly acquaintance used to say: \u201cIt sounds like you\u2019re dragging a piece of furniture.\u201d Ha!<\/p>

To improve string crossings on the double bass, we need to add two key points:<\/strong><\/h6>

1.It\u2019s crucial to keep a narrow angle between the bow hair and the strings\u2014stay close to the next string (see the video below for a clearer idea). In short: avoid exaggerated, unnecessary bow movements.<\/strong><\/p>

2.Be aware of how much weight and bow speed each string needs to vibrate properly<\/strong>, because they don\u2019t all respond the same way. It sounds simple, but this changed the way I see the double bass.<\/p>

I still remember the first time I heard this phrase: \u201cNot all strings react the same.\u201d<\/strong> It was in a masterclass (my very first) with Edicson Ruiz, a great soloist and double bassist of the Berlin Philharmonic. I had been playing for four years and used to practice for hours \u201cuntil the passage came out,\u201d but without much awareness of what I was doing.<\/p>

In that session I began to understand that we need awareness in every movement; understanding how the instrument reacts changed everything. Not long after, I decided to move to my country\u2019s capital to study with F\u00e9lix Petit, who had taught Edicson and many other great Venezuelan double bassists. Best decision I could have made.<\/p>

So, if not all strings react the same, how do we get an even, defined sound? With patience! Haha\u2014let me explain the idea.<\/p>

How to adjust bow weight and speed depending on the string?<\/strong><\/h6>

Thinner strings, like the G, require less weight but more speed and \u201cair\u201d in the bow to project a clear, resonant sound. Thicker strings, like the E, ask for the opposite: more weight and less bow speed so the sound is focused and deep.<\/p>

If we don\u2019t make this adjustment, our sound becomes muddy and undefined. That\u2019s where all the memes about the double bass \u201cdragging furniture\u201d come from\u2014there\u2019s no clarity in the articulation (see the video below to make this clearer).<\/p>

This can be challenging, especially in fast passages. Changing this \u201cmental chip\u201d in the middle of a performance doesn\u2019t happen instantly, but it\u2019s something we need to build.<\/strong><\/p>

Spend time exploring the instrument and analyzing how each string responds using different combinations of weight, speed, and contact point. It will make a big difference in your technique and your musicality.<\/p>

I\u2019m sharing a couple of videos with practical exercises to improve your string crossings on the double bass\u2014hope they help you get started.<\/strong><\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Subscribe to my newsletter for the double bass community and receive monthly study ideas, exercises, videos, and lots of motivation to keep advancing with the double bass.<\/strong><\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe here<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Each double bass string reacts differently to the bow. Knowing how to adjust weight and speed is the key to achieving definition in string crossings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":1364,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sin-categoria"],"yoast_head":"\nDouble Bass String Crossings | Clear Articulation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Double Bass String Crossings: learn bow angle, weight, and speed for clear, defined articulation. Practical tips to improve fast excerpts.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-string-crossings\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Double Bass String Crossings | Clear Articulation Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Double Bass String Crossings: learn bow angle, weight, and speed for clear, defined articulation. 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