Hello and welcome to Thomas & George Martin Violin Makers!
Thomas & George Martin Violin Makers is a small, family-run business based in Oxfordshire, and one of the leading double bass specialists in the world. We make new instruments, repair and restore old ones, and advise on all aspects on double bass maintenance.
Check out our channel for frequent updates on what's going on in our workshop, sneak peeks at new instruments, and videos about double bass making and playing.
✦ New double basses: thomasmartin.co.uk/instruments-for-sale/new-double-basses ✦ Old double basses: thomasmartin.co.uk/instruments-for-sale/old-double-basses ✦ Double bass bows: thomasmartin.co.uk/instruments-for-sale/double-bass-bows
Dear Professor Thomas, Thank you very much for your very interesting and useful lecture. In addition, I would like to hear your opinion on resolving the main problem with the French bow-the reduction of natural weight as you move towards the tip of the bow. Some professors advise compensating for this loss of weight by physically pressing the bow into the string, which negatively affects the quality of sound and causes natural physical fatigue. However, there is another way to avoid this problem. As you move the bow towards the tip, the wrist turns counterclockwise, causing the elbow to rise. With the elbow raised, the natural weight of the right arm increases, and no physical effort is required. On the return movement towards the frog, the wrist turns clockwise. The natural weight of the arm decreases, and unwanted crescendos are avoided. Moreover, this technique helps in making inaudible bow changes. I would greatly appreciate your response, as Your opinion is very important to me. Thank you. Sincerely, Vladimir
Thank You so much, Professor Thomas! You really helped me understand the nature of vibrato technique in positions above the seventh. I have a question: what do you think about Rinat's idea of turning the wrist counterclockwise when vibrating with the first finger in lower positions, and turning the wrist clockwise when vibrating with the fourth finger, while simultaneously lifting the first finger as you do in the video? Thank you very much for the invaluable information!
Hmm poplar back, violin shape and round back .. I played a Busan once (Owned by a teacher of mine, who kindly let me play the bass for an hour) and it was very similar to this bass... the darn thing played it's self! The only time I could go to lessons and play better than on my own instrument. What they say about old Italian instruments is all true!
This Is Gold!!! And i thought the last video i watched was the best... This one just topped it... im looking at some Neck reworkings. And this video just opened my eyes a bit.. 🤘
Great looking Gasparo Da Salo double bass! Is this by chance a Bela Racz made instrument? I look forward to hearing it...I wonder if Tom did a demonstration video of this particular bass? Thank you and I love the channel!
Such a good overview of some of our problems as bass players, and what a wonderfull right arm technique! Happy to know about Mr. portnoi book, very interesring!
Thanks for these videos! I'm glad someone else mentioned the bow grip as a lever. The German bow grip is a class I lever, where the fulcrum (the fingers in the frog, with the first finger on top) is between the effort (the crook of the thumb joint pushing up) and the load (the hair pressing down on the string). The French bow grip is a class III lever, where the effort (first finger pressing down) is between the fulcrum (the thumb in the frog) and the load (hair pressing down on the string). Perhaps it's worth mentioning that a class I lever is more efficient. The mechanical advantage is more than 1. With the class III lever, the mechanical advantage is less than 1.
Very useful George! Thanks. Was oreintating for a 3/4. Have now a 4/4 but expect the new car to have less space. Also that is a factor. Checking of the same brand. Will see if that means "The 3/4 model is taking less space in all its dimentions". Thanks :)
……… fantastisch, hier sieht man wie viele Schritte am Steg und an der Stimme für einen schönen Klang notwendig sind! Gratulation für dieses schöne Video das durch den Mozart wunderbar ergänzt wird!❤❤
Hi George, why perpetuals? This is the first time I've seen them on your channel. They are usually belcanto and evah your preference. What previous characteristics of the instrument make you choose a more jazzy string, similar to spirocore weich. I will really appreciate your explanation. thank you very much.
I don't understand. By essentially making 'plywood' of the ribs at each of these cross-grain cleat locations, and especially with those 'popsicle stick' full-depth cleats, you're creating increased cracking potential in the years to come. If the instrument is not maintained at above 35% or so RH, the ribs will shrink enough to cause one or the other end of the stick to pop free, then you've got a buzz. I've had to remove so very many loose repair sticks like this over the last 30 years, it becomes tiresome. Do some reading on strong raw linen. Learn to apply it on the bias or matching warp/weft with grain, depending on how much stiffness you need and the size of the linen 'cleat.' This was the norm in Stradivari's time. We live in the age of the renaissance of high quality linens, unlike 200+ years ago when cotton virtually wiped it out and caused luthiers to go increasingly to cheap wooden cleats. Bad idea, and the spawn if vast numbers of totally unnecessary new cracks. Diagonal cleating with wood helps, somewhat, provided the cleats are quite small, and indeed I continue using those, but rarely larger than 1cm and with a strong bias towards nearly following the grain to allow for seasonal movement parity. This whole video makes me very uncomfortable. You're basically making work for future luthiers, and suffering for the player, unless they keep the bass in an absolutely humidity-controlled environment.
