As a result of ongoing trial and error, the modern-day Bass design has concluded with sloped shoulders. Sloped-shoulders are the end result of the evolution of the practical application of common sense and artistry by generations of luthiers.
The combination of influences from the Gamba and Violin families, as well as the curiosity of bass players and instrument craftsmen, contributed to the design of today’s modern-day Bass.
Exploration produced many interesting variations on the bass. French luthier, Jean Baptiste Vuillaume (b.1798 – d.1875) experimented with the bass shape, on a quest to create even lower notes than today’s bass. It was called the Octobass, which was more than 11½ feet tall!
The creation of an Octobass was an incredible display of ingenuity. But it was not practical to play. There was an intricate set of foot levers that served to clamp the strings in order to change notes, and it often was played by two people! One person operated the levers and one moved the bow!
This Octobass is currently on display in a museum in Paris, France, which is within a complex of buildings called the Cité de la Musique, French for: City of Music. The museum collection displays and preserves many unique musical instruments.
All of this is interesting, but you may be thinking “How is this going to help me play the bass?”
The answer goes back to questions addressed in the Practice Tutorial earlier in the Quest; finding the soundest, sound answers!
All of the instruments in the violin family present similar physical challenges to the player. It follows that mastering bass playing-position set-up requires the greatest amount of common-sense application of logical sound answers.
As you progress to learning about the specific reference points that aid in bass playing position, always remember to keep clearly in mind all of the physical laws that you have learned. Bass players must be masterful at the constant utilization of leverage while playing.
