Switching to the Double Bass: Chapter 4a - Half Position, F & Bb Major Scales

Let’s get started with Half Position!

Half Position is a littler further north/closer to the nut than 1st Position. In order to get there:

  1. Put your left hand in 1st position on the G string. Your hand should be set up to play A, Bb, and B on 1, 2, and 4.

  2. Replace your 1st finger (A) with your second finger, keeping a proper hand shape.

  3. You should now be in Half Position, with 1, 2, and 4 on G#/Ab, A, and Bb.

Now, you can go across the neck in Half Position. See the fingering chart below.

1st finger

2nd finger

4th finger

You are now equipped to learn the F and Bb Major scales!

Do you notice anything about these two scales?

That’s right! Just like D, A, and E Major, F and Bb Major use the same fingering system! If you remember back to Chapter 2, this is because all major scales use the same pattern of whole steps and half steps! Because F and Bb both start on the 1st finger in Half Position and go across 3 strings without shifting, they have the same fingering (just starting on different strings).

Now, take what you learned from the B flat major scale, and apply it to this jazz standard! All double bassists should be able to play some jazz, it makes them more versatile musicians!

Reflection Questions:

  1. Playing for extended periods of time in Half Position can be a bit tiring for the left hand. Why do you think that is?

  2. There are a few notes in “Autumn Leaves” that require shifting out of Half Position. Did you find a different position or fingering outside of Half and 1st Positions that made these passages easier?

Switching to the Double Bass: Chapter 4b - Pivoting

Before we can learn our next set of scales, we first need to talk about Pivoting.

no…not that one.

Watch this video by Jason Heath about pivoting first!

Let’s apply the pivot position to scales that we already know, but now with a new fingering.

Now, utilizing pivot positions, learn this standard orchestral excerpt and this pop song! The Tchaikovsky will ask you to figure out 2nd Position - see if you can figure it out given the fingerings provided!

Reflection Questions:

  1. The excerpt on the left and the pop song on the right both require pivoting. There are two different pivot positions that make “good 4 u” more accessible for your left hand, but one of them is a bit more difficult for your bow arm.

  2. At a faster tempo, which fingering worked better?

  3. Is there another fingering that could work to make the A, B, and C#s more accessible?

  4. The Tchaikovsky (left) excerpt requires your both to use 4 different strokes or articulations. We haven’t talked a lot about the right hand yet, but what are those three stroke variations? (Hint: look at measures 9, 10, and 18)

When you’re ready, click the button below to go to the next lesson!