Bass Method Books Part 1: Simandl

     Most music educators agree that the best way for  beginning students to improve on their instrument is by working out of method books specifically designed for that student's instrument. In the classical bass world, it often comes down to a question of Simandl vs. Rabbath. In the next few posts we will look at the pros and cons of each of these method books. I will also explore a third method for orchestral bass (The George Vance Method) as well as what I have found to be the best book for teaching jazz bass playing.

New Method for the Double Bass by F. Simandl

     The orange cover of New Method for the Double Bass has become a staple on the music stands of bass players around the world. The most recent edition, published in 1984, maintains the same fingerings, bowings, and page numbers as previous editions. The only changes are clarifications of the translation of Simandl's original remarks and the addition of footnotes intended to update the material to current thoughts and practices. Here is a list of the pros and cons of the Simandl method:

Pros

• This book is very thorough. At 149 pages in length, it covers everything. It starts with how to hold the bass and bow and proper left hand position. Musically, it starts with open string exercises and progresses up the fingerboard by half steps, stopping at the octave G on the G string.
• It covers all major and minor (melodic), and chromatic scales, 1 or 2 octaves depending on the starting note, and includes fingerings for each scale.
• It includes a section on how to play various ornaments including grace notes, turns, mordents, and trills. These include how the ornament appears on the page and how it is to be played.

  

  Example from the "Single Grace Note" section on musical ornaments
• Simandl includes excerpts from classical literature such as the Allegro from Symphony No. 5 by Beethoven the bass soli from Act IV of Verdi's Otello.

Cons

• The first page of fingering exercises introduces double sharps and uncommon enharmonic notes such as E# and B#. This could quickly confuse beginning bass students.

  

  Enharmonics and double sharps in an early Simandl exercise

• Early exercises are not musically enjoyable and are often atonal in nature. As seen in the above example, the focus early in the Simandl method is on fingerings, not "making music." Younger students will probably find it difficult to slog through these exercises without the help of a private teacher.
• Simandl's position numbering system is confusing. According to the Simandl method, half position places the first finger a half step above the open string and first position places the first finger a whole step above the open string. These make sense to most people but confusion sets in starting with third position and continues the rest of the way up the fingerboard. Second position places the first finger a minor third above the open string, 1 half step above first position. Third position then moves a whole step above second position and Simandl adds what he calls "between the II. and III. position, and intermediate position" where the first finger is a major third above the open string. If you are starting to get confused, you see my point.
• Simandl's description of how to hold the bow only relates to the German bow. While the book includes a picture of how to hold a French bow, the only relates to the German bow. On top of that, the text is not very clear and uses unnecessarily complex wording. Here is an example: "The bow is held in place by the right hand through means of the fore and middle finger being placed in a downward direction on the side of the stick, and the ring and little finger lightly clasping the nut." Huh?

Click here for part two of the series on method books, The Rabbath method.
Click here for part three of the series on method books, The Vance method.