{"id":2554,"date":"2023-11-27T04:26:45","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T03:26:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/?p=2554"},"modified":"2025-11-26T16:26:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T15:26:41","slug":"double-bass-pivot-technique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the pivot? Discover it in 3 minutes."},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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What is the pivot? Discover it in 3 minutes.<\/strong><\/h2>

The pivot technique on the double bass is very useful; it consists of changing position while keeping the thumb fixed. This helps because, by not moving the thumb, we gain speed and have a precise reference to return to the starting position in tune<\/p>

In my classes, I don\u2019t usually follow a rigid method where I go from one book to the next without considering the student\u2019s needs. I believe the method should adapt to each person, not the other way around. Sometimes I find the perfect exercise in a book; other times I just write it on the spot, combining exercises or creating something new and specific, depending on what that person needs to improve at the moment. Today I\u2019m bringing you one of those exercises: a free sheet music score. When you practice it, try to use the full bow while keeping the same speed throughout the stroke; this way, you\u2019ll also be working on bow distribution. Download it for free here.<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>

Common mistakes when using the pivot technique on the double bass<\/strong><\/h6>

Although it\u2019s a very useful technique, there are some common mistakes worth avoiding:
1.Stretching the fingers unnecessarily: Keep the hand in a natural position, without forcing or over-stretching the fingers, as this creates tension.
2.Tension in the hand: Tension limits fluency. Keep the hand relaxed while pivoting.
3.Rigid thumb: Even though the thumb stays in place, it shouldn\u2019t be tense. Keep it relaxed to guide the movement<\/p>

When to use the pivot on the double bass<\/strong><\/h6>

It\u2019s ideal for fast passages, especially those that require shifting and returning to the same position in a short time. It\u2019s a valuable technique in orchestral passages where precision is essential.<\/p>

When to avoid the pivot<\/strong><\/h6>

In my view, both in cantabile passages and in those with many string crossings, the pivot can be counterproductive, since in both cases it\u2019s essential to keep the hand as organized as possible to ensure stability and strength.<\/p>

In the following video I explain the basic principle of the pivot, how to use it smoothly, and which mistakes to avoid from the start.<\/strong><\/h6><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\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.<\/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":"

change position with a fixed thumb to gain speed and accuracy. Learn key tips, avoid common mistakes, and download a free exercise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":1321,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sin-categoria"],"yoast_head":"\nDouble Bass Pivot Technique | 3-Minute Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Double Bass Pivot Technique. 3 minutes guide with videos, Tips, common mistakes, and a free exercise to practice\" \/>\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-pivot-technique\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Double Bass Pivot Technique | 3-Minute Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Double Bass Pivot Technique. 3 minutes guide with videos, Tips, common mistakes, and a free exercise to practice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Emilse Rios\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-11-27T03:26:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-26T15:26:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7E465A19-A4CE-4224-BAEF-1CF2C233C2B6-e1756222820578.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2160\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1213\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Emilse Rios\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Emilse Rios\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/\",\"name\":\"Double Bass Pivot Technique | 3-Minute Guide\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7E465A19-A4CE-4224-BAEF-1CF2C233C2B6-e1756222820578.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-11-27T03:26:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-26T15:26:41+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d7beb84a81a83cfe438075fcfc451b1e\"},\"description\":\"Double Bass Pivot Technique. 3 minutes guide with videos, Tips, common mistakes, and a free exercise to practice\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7E465A19-A4CE-4224-BAEF-1CF2C233C2B6-e1756222820578.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7E465A19-A4CE-4224-BAEF-1CF2C233C2B6-e1756222820578.jpeg\",\"width\":2160,\"height\":1213,\"caption\":\"double bass pivote technique\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/double-bass-pivot-technique\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/emilserios.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What is the pivot? 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