That’s all folks!
MostlyBass.com will be retiring and shutting down at the end of August 2022. Keep practicing and playing the bass – I will!
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Jingle Bells 2021
Revised and updated for 2021: -Larger fingerings and bow lifts -Updated cello part -Text easier to read -Updated layout of parts
Continue reading »Wiedoeft Rosin – Thoughts After 2 Years
It’s now been a couple of years since I started using Wiedoeft Rosin. And over that time it has become my favorite and my go-to […]
Continue reading »A Teacher’s Current Perspective
The current situation is a true challenge for everyone. Superlative adjectives are losing their meaning with overuse but here’s a time where they are warranted. […]
Continue reading »Teach Shifting with Baby Shark
The open strings provide a great aural reference for shifting to 3rd position which can be a challenging spot for students to find. Rhythm on […]
Continue reading »Upton Bass Endpin Tip
Fits my Goetz endpin perfectly and works great!
Continue reading »Jazz Pizzicato for Bass Ensemble
Give a listen to it here.
Continue reading »Congratulations!
To J. in my private studio. The student is now co-principal of the Chicago Youth Symphony. Hard work pays off!
Continue reading »Musings on Pirastro Strings
My bass recently went under some reconstruction to reset the neck joint. Since it was getting a whole new setup I thought this would be […]
Continue reading »Changing a string is not just changing a string.
This may or not become a series. But here’s part of being a public school orchestra teacher. ‘Mr.T., my string broke.” “No problem.” Sometimes this […]
Continue reading »Be Careful About Being Helpful
A number of years back I was hired to do an Easter service concert in the west suburbs of Chicago. As is pretty typical with […]
Continue reading »DiscoverDoubleBass.com
DiscoverDoubleBass.com is an outstanding resource that offers exceptional courses for any double bassist. I hesitate to call the following a ‘review’. Lauren Pierce of DiscoverDoubleBass.com […]
Continue reading »Holiday Arrangements for String Orchestra
Need some holiday music for your young string orchestra? I arrange and play these with my own school orchestras. Both students and audiences have enjoyed […]
Continue reading »String Orchestra Holiday Music Available
Holiday Medley updated 7/3/2018 This is a simple arrangement for string orchestra of Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Good King Wenceslas and Adeste Fideles (O Come All […]
Continue reading »To play or not to play…the ink. That is the question.
To play or not to play…the ink. That is the question. Some people say to just play what’s on the page. Play what’s printed. Observe […]
Continue reading »How Tight Should Your Bow Hair Be?
When the bow is tightened and ready to play, it should still be possible to for the hair to the touch the stick if your […]
Continue reading »Wiedoeft Rosin – Thoughts After 2 Months
After using Weidoeft Rosin for two months here are my thoughts: It does not flake or chip off when applying it to the bow. I […]
Continue reading »Mini Reviews – Wiedoeft Rosin & String Emporium Bass Wheel
I recently got two new bass accessories: Wiedoeft Bass Rosin and the String Emporium Bass Wheel. I have to say I’m really impressed with the […]
Continue reading »Teaching Long, Long Ago Variations on Violin
As a public school orchestra director I have my students perform solos out the Suzuki books. Long, Long Ago is a favorite but students struggle […]
Continue reading »The ErgoBass – A Review
The ErgoBass ABOUT THE ERGO BASS Designed by Petru Iuga, a bassist and university teacher in Germany. View his short YouTube video. He has done […]
Continue reading »Celebration for Bass Quartet
Here’s a quick arrangement I did of Kool and The Gang’s “Celebration” for bass quartet.
Continue reading »March from The Nutcracker…for Bass Quartet!
That’s right! The arrangement bass players everywhere have been wishing for! Ok maybe not but I thought it would make a cool piece for bass […]
Continue reading »Bottesini Elegy
Here’s a free download of my edits of Bottesini’s Elegy (updated 06/05/17)
Continue reading »Jazz Pizzicato
Last year I did Samuel Applebaum’s arrangement of Leroy Anderson’s Jazz Pizzicato with my middle school orchestra. I wanted to demonstrate to my students that […]
Continue reading »Bottesini Reverie Accompaniment in Orchestra Tuning…and more!
I originally did this to have the accompaniment in orchestral tuning as I couldn’t find it elsewhere. As I was revising it I decided […]
Continue reading »Egos, the Students, and The Greater Good
What do we want as teachers? All of us want our students to be successful in their endeavours. That success can take many forms and […]
Continue reading »Ramblings on the Future of Music
Oh no! Run for the hills. No, wait. Run for the old days. The internet is ‘destroying’ traditional income streams and product sales! People are […]
Continue reading »I don’t want to be a lapsed member any more!
I’ll admit it. I’m not member of the International Society of Bassists or American String Teacher Association. Yep, I know. I was a member for […]
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