Latest Free Lessons

Here are the most recent Discover Double Bass video lessons, transcriptions, written articles and gear reviews. They are designed to make the learning process as fun and fast as possible. Our tutors cover a wide range of topics so whatever your background and goals, there should be something for you. 
 

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Shifting in Thumb Position
Shifting in Thumb Position

Classical expert, Phoebe Russell, teaches great left hand technique for shifting in thumb position.

Tips for Expressive Vibrato
Tips for Expressive Vibrato

Classical expert, Phoebe Russell, gives her top tips for vibrato technique on the double bass.

Slap That Bass! Course Clips Compilation
Slap That Bass! Course Clips Compilation

A whistle-stop tour of Slick Joe Fick’s course, Slap That Bass!

Building Melodic Bass Lines
Building Melodic Bass Lines

Katie Thiroux teaches how to build awesome melodic bass lines with a few simple tips.

Solo Bass Arrangement of Just Friends
Solo Bass Arrangement of Just Friends

Petros Klampanis teaches his solo arrangement of the classic standard, ‘Just Friends’.

Finger Replacements - Intonation Exercise
Finger Replacements - Intonation Exercise

Geoff Chalmers teaches finger replacement technique to help you navigate the fingerboard.

Introducing Spiccato - Double Bass Technique Lesson
Introducing Spiccato - Double Bass Technique Lesson

Jason Heath teaches the basics of spiccato bowing technique on the double bass.

2023 End of Year Review
2023 End of Year Review

Here’s what happened in 2023 and a sneak peek at what we’ve got in store for 2024!

Top 10 Intermediate Double Bass Lessons
Top 10 Intermediate Double Bass Lessons

Our top 10 lesson suggestions for intermediate and advancing, including thumb position, intonation, bowing technique and scales!

I Got Rhythm in the style of Hampton Hawes Trio
I Got Rhythm in the style of Hampton Hawes Trio

John Goldsby teaches I Got Rhythm in the style of the Hampton Hawes Trio, highlighting the ensemble value of the double bass.

Hey You, Remember Me? Lesson and Play-Along Performance
Hey You, Remember Me? Lesson and Play-Along Performance

DDB artist, John Goldsby, teaches his tune Hey You, Remember Me? The lesson includes a play-along track and downloadable transcription.

Creating Melodic Bass Solos
Creating Melodic Bass Solos

Katie Thiroux teaches how to create awesome melodic bass solos from just a few notes.

Russell Hall Performs Black Bart
Russell Hall Performs Black Bart

Russell Hall performs his own epic solo bass composition, Black Bart.

Beethoven 5, Scherzo Orchestral Excerpt Lesson
Beethoven 5, Scherzo Orchestral Excerpt Lesson

In a preview lesson from her course, Phoebe teaches how to excel at the orchestral excerpt Beethoven 5, Scherzo.

Working with an Accompanist - Introducing Phoebe Russell
Working with an Accompanist - Introducing Phoebe Russell

Introducing our latest tutor to the website, Phoebe Russell! She teaches how to work with an accompanist effectively in this lesson.

An EPIC week of bass! – 2023 ISB Photo Report
An EPIC week of bass! – 2023 ISB Photo Report

Here’s my photo report from the 2023 International Society of Bassists convention at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Celebrating 10 years of DDB
Celebrating 10 years of DDB

In this article, we celebrate our first decade online!

KT's Killer Phrasing Exercise - Break out of that rut!
KT's Killer Phrasing Exercise - Break out of that rut!

Katie Thiroux with her trio teaches an awesome exercise to turbo charge your bass solos!

Ear Training Essentials for Jazz Bassists
Ear Training Essentials for Jazz Bassists

Katie Thiroux helps you get started with developing ear training with the double bass as your tool.

Air on the G String - Bass Line Reduction
Air on the G String - Bass Line Reduction

A lesson on bass line reduction in a Baroque style, using Air on the G String by J.S. Bach. This is a preview lesson from our course, Baroque Double Bass.

2022 End of Year Review
2022 End of Year Review

Here’s what happened in 2022 and a sneak peek at what we’ve got in store for 2023!

The Two Feel: Making your bass lines dance!
The Two Feel: Making your bass lines dance!

In this preview lesson from ‘Bessie’s Bass Busters’, Russell Hall covers the two feel and how to make your bass lines dance!

Russell Hall Performs Black Caesar
Russell Hall Performs Black Caesar

In this video, we feature our incredible jazz bass specialist Russell Hall in a performance of his original composition, Black Caesar.

Gut Strings and The Point of Contact
Gut Strings and The Point of Contact

In this preview lesson from ‘My Approach to Bluegrass Bass’, Barry Bales covers how to adapt your right-hand technique when playing with different strings.

Shifting In and Out of Thumb Position
Shifting In and Out of Thumb Position

Jason teaches how to correctly shift in and out of thumb position on the double bass.

Paul Chambers Transcription - 'Blue Spring' Bass Solo
Paul Chambers Transcription - 'Blue Spring' Bass Solo

In this preview lesson from ‘Tell Your Story’, John teaches a transcription of Paul Chambers’ bass solo from ‘Blue Spring Shuffle’.

Top 10 Beginner Double Bass Lessons
Top 10 Beginner Double Bass Lessons

Our top 10 lesson suggestions for double bass beginners or bass guitarists switching to upright bass, including getting set up, bowing, left-hand and right-hand technique, and scales!

How to stop flying fingers! (Left-hand technique)
How to stop flying fingers! (Left-hand technique)

A quick lesson where Jason explains how to maintain the correct left-hand shape with the fingers that aren’t doing anything.

Performance and Transcription of Fungii Mama by Blue Mitchell
Performance and Transcription of Fungii Mama by Blue Mitchell

John Goldsby performs a short performance of Fungii Mama by Blue Mitchell, with a free transcription of his solo.

Beginner's Slap Bass Lesson: The Single Slap
Beginner's Slap Bass Lesson: The Single Slap

Joe Fick teaches the single slap in a 4/4 shuffle feel. He’s joined by his band to demonstrate in this lesson taken from his course, Slap That Bass!

Explore more in our Interviews Library

 
Rufus Reid

Interviews Library

Dig deep into topics about all aspects of learning & playing the double bass with many of the world’s greatest bassists.

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