Bass Method Books Part 2: Rabbath

     The second most popular method book for orchestral bass playing is New Technique for Double Bass, written by Francois Rabbath. Devised as an alternative to the Simandl method, the Rabbath method uses the "pivot technique" to allow the bassist to cover more than 1 whole step per string in each hand position. Here is a video of Hans Sturm, former president of the International Society of Bassists and bass educator, explaining the pivot technique to Jason Heath of Contrabass Conversations:

Here is a look at the pros and cons of the Rabbath method:

Pros
  • The Rabbath method was written as a way to break bassists from their usual role as accompanist. As Rabbath states in the introduction, "the young player should rather begin his studies with higher aims - to become a soloist and to direct his efforts in that direction."
  • The "pivot technique" allows players to cover a wider range of notes without shifting. In the Rabbath method, a 1 octave G major scale can be played up the G string with only 1 shift as opposed to the Simandl method which requires 3 shifts.
  • The exercises tend to be more musical when compared to the Simandl book. The first exercise in the book (see excerpt below), after the obligatory open string and introduction of the first fingered notes, is the following scale exercise that is much more musical than the exercises Simandl presents in his book.
Exercise 1 excerpt from Rabbath



  • No double sharps or uncommon enharmonics!
Cons

  • The Rabbath "pivot technique" is very different from what is taught in classroom method books. If a beginning bassist is learning the Rabbath method, the classroom teacher must take special care (and be familiar with the "pivot technique") in order to avoid confusion in the classroom between instructor and student and between the student using the Rabbath method of fingering and other bassists using more the more traditional Simandl fingering scheme.
  • The "pivot technique" might not work for bassists with smaller hands. As a bassist with smaller hands myself I can attest to this fact. In working on the Rabbath method as research for this project, I initially encountered some hurdles caused by hand size. Pivoting in the lower area of the neck felt uncomfortable and caused my left hand to tire more quickly. A young student could possibly play through the fatigue, leading to possible injury.
  • The Rabbath books are expensive. While the Simandl method covers the entire lower octave of the bass in one book for around $25, Rabbath breaks his method up into three books and a student would need the both Book 1 and Book 2 to cover the same area of the fingerboard. Each book costs around $50!
Click here for part one of the series on method books, The Simandl method.
Click here for part three of the series on method books, The Vance method.

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