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5 Essential Double Bass Accessories For Beginners
Below are our top 5 essential accessories for those who are about to start learning the bass!
1. Double Bass Rosin
Rosin creates friction between the bow hair and the strings, allowing the strings to vibrate.
Without rosin, your bass won't produce any sound!
Rosin is something that string players apply to the horsehair of their bow so that the bow grips the string. The constant friction between the string and the bow makes the string vibrate. This vibration is amplified by the body of the instrument to create sound.
Rosin comes as a hard, solid block or cake and when applied to the bow hair, becomes a fine white powder. For beginners, we recommend a good quality student rosin such as Petz III.
More information on rosin: What is rosin and how is it made? | Which rosin should I use? | How often should I rosin my bow? | Does rosin expire? | Can rosin damage my instrument or bow?
2. Music Stand
Having a music stand helps create a special space at home where the player feels inspired to play.
Like any other discipline, playing the double bass requires regular practice, which can come as a challenge for many parents. One of the ways you can help encourage and enable your kids to practice is by creating a dedicated practice space at home.
Using a music stand not only helps to promote good posture and puts the sheet music in a prominent position to read, but it also helps to create that special spot for the player to sit down a play.
For beginners, if you're looking for something that can collapse for easy storage, we recommend the Peak SMS-10.
If you want to keep your music out on display, ready to play 24-7, we recommend something with a solid desk such as the SMS-32 or SMS-20.
3. Double Bass Stool
A double bass stool is essential for good posture and provides comfort whilst playing.
We recommend the V.A. Height Adjustable stool (especially for growing double bassists). However, if you are playing on a 3/4 size double bass and you'd also like a stand to put your bass on, the RC Williams Stand Stool is fantastic.
4. Cleaning Cloth
It is very important to wipe your double bass down after each time you play to prevent the build-up of rosin on your instrument.When you play, rosin dust falls onto the strings and body of your bass. This dust is very easy to get off when it's fresh, but becomes very difficult to get off if it's left on there for a long period of time.
If left for too long, rosin can even become embedded in the varnish causing irreversible damage. To avoid damage to your instrument, and to increase the longevity and playing qualities of your strings, wipe down your instrument and strings with a microfibre cleaning cloth after each use. We recommend the 'Tido Instrument Cleaning Cloth'.
5. Digital Tuner
Tuning your double bass is something you need to do each time you play, and a digital tuner can make this process much easier.
As a beginner, the thought of having to tune your instrument without your teacher can be quite nerve-racking! However, practice makes perfect, and with the help of a digital tuner, you'll be a pro in no time.
A digital tuner lets you know what note you are playing, and whether that note is sharp or flat, so that you can make the appropriate adjustment.
For beginners, we recommend the 'Aroma Rechargeable Chromatic Tuner'.