The Next Level Bassist Practicing Issue

The 

ext evel 

N L 

The Practice Issue 

Rufus Reid 

shares valuable insight into how 

to get the most out of 

your practice sessions. 

Fall 2013 

assist 

David Allen Moore 

gives you a cohesive and 

easy plan to follow in order 

to gain the most effective 

results from practice.

2 • Next Level 

assist 

ext evel 

N L 

Letter from the Publisher 

Practice covers a surprisingly large amount of our lives as musicians. What do I mean by that? Well, 

whether you’re in the practice room, or walking around thinking about how to get better, you are still 

practicing. Practice can be done with the instrument, away from the instrument, and it has an on and 

off switch (even though sometimes, you have to force yourself to press it!) As a bass player, you have 

time to excel on the instrument, trying things out, experimenting to decide if an idea works or not. You 

may also be implementing a design that you already know works. You will ultimately spend thousands 

of hours practicing intonation, rhythm, new music, improvisation, feel, awareness — the sky is the limit. 

Away from the instrument, you should find yourself thinking about practice. 

In this edition on practicing, you will find a variety of approaches to very specific aspects of double bass 

playing. The information contained may run against your own knowledge, or things you have heard in 

your studies, but every word in these pages is excellent and worthwhile. Your challenge is to test these 

approaches and see how they can help you improve. 

I found my own way of practicing through years of playing the bass, collaboration, study, listening to 

trusted mentors, listening to non-musicians, and our old friends, trial and error. Like everything else on 

the bass, it falls to you as the individual to put the pieces together. You have to figure out what works for 

you! Personally, I’ve always thought of myself as something of a doctor, diagnosing where problems lie 

and deciding how to improve the situation. What medicine do I need to make the thing I’m working on 

better? 

Finally, a word about technology. There are a thousand supplies at your disposal as a musician today. 

The metronome, video, recording on your computer or phone, the list goes on and on….These devices 

can offer perspective. Outside perspectives are so important for feedback — this isn’t just about playing 

for others, it’s about using the “tools of self-reliance” to aid in your growth. I’m going 

to go out on a limb here and say if you aren’t using, or learning to use, those 

tools in your practice, you’re probably not maximizing the time you’re spending! 

No matter what you get out of this particular edition of The Next Level Bassist, remember 

to take an individual approach to your own practice, and use it to better 

yourself at all times. 

It’s my job here to restate that this is supplemental information, like a library book 

or encyclopedia. This is not a substitute for real life experience, but if it can help 

you find more solutions for practicing, as you progress as a double bass player 

into your career, then I’ll see you on the Next Level! 

Ranaan Meyer 

Publisher 

assist

Sta 

Publisher • Founder 

Ranaan Meyer 

Editor • Sales 

Brent Edmondson 

Copyeditor • Layout 

Jessica Arnold 

johnson 

string instrument 

VIOLINS, VIOLAS, CELLOS, BASSES & GUITARS 

www.johnsonstring.com 

THE BASS SHOP 

26 Fox Road 

Waltham, MA 02451 

800-359-9351 

 

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Contents 

Feature Stories 

To Practice or Not to Practice? 9 

By Rufus Reid 

Make Practice Perfect 20 

By David Allen Moore 

Exclusive Interviews 

Getting There 3 

With Jonathan Borden, 

Dan Carson, and Alex Jacobsen 

Additional Features 

Transition and Stronger 15, 18 

Music by Ranaan Meyer 

Next Level Bassist Review: 24 

DPA d:vote 4099B 

By Ranaan Meyer 

Next Level 

assist • 3

Getting 

There 

An NLB 

Exclusive 

Interview 

Feature! 

Auditions can make or break your career. 

From practice routine to mindset and everywhere in between, some of the industry’s 

brightest rising stars give their most valuable advice and discuss the strategies 

they used before stepping in front of the screen. 

NLB: How do you decide which auditions to take? Do you 

have a preference of named-chair vs. section auditions? 

Dan Carson: I had never taken an audition before, and my 

teachers kept telling me that I should “get one out of the way” 

before my junior year. I didn’t end up doing one last year, 

but I knew that auditioning for IU orchestra seating and 

summer festivals weren’t the same experience as a professional 

audition. I needed to go out and get exposure to the 

real world. It wasn’t necessarily that Alabama was holding 

a Principal audition, but it was an orchestra at a level I was 

comfortable with approaching so I decided to take it on. 

Alex Jacobsen: Since I was in school, distance was a big priority. 

I didn’t want to drop a lot of money on something 

I wasn’t very condent in while I was still developing the 

“package,” my way of presenting myself at auditions. Another 

big consideration was the size of the list, and how that 

t into what I was doing at the time. I don’t want to destroy 

myself for nothing! As a student, I was into any audition I 

could get my hands on. I didn’t say things like, “I can’t see 

myself in this orchestra.” I just wanted to throw myself into 

something. Eventually, I would like to perhaps play principal 

in an orchestra because I enjoy sitting in the front and 

making decisions. Ultimately, a principal still needs to play 

with the section, so the skill sets have a lot of crossover, and 

I’m excited to play in any position. 

NLB: What sort of prep work did you do for this audition? 

Was it dierent from other auditions you’ve taken? How was 

it dierent from your routine when not preparing for auditions? 

Jonathan Borden: I got the list about ve weeks before 

hand, and used a system of A, B, and C-lists based on how 

well I knew the excerpts. I focused on the least familiar excerpts: 

my “C”-list rst, and tried to build all the repertoire 

towards an “A”-list level. I wanted to get all of my decisions 

about ngerings and bowings – as well as musical decisions 

– to a good level as early as possible. About two weeks before 

the audition process, I started trying to really practice the 

performance element; I played for a lot of people, gave mock 

auditions at school, pulling people into my practice room all 

the time to get feedback. I had only taken the Boston Symphony 

audition previously and the approach was a little different. 

I felt more comfortable with the whole process and 

was able to rene the approach – I specically knew I needed 

to develop the performance aspect of the audition and was 

able to focus on how I would play when I got on stage. I 

spent some time on keeping cool in the moment. 

AJ: In my previous auditions, there was a lot of variety of 

approach. I would divide my list into three sections and basically 

do a lot of non-musical planning of my preparation. 

In this audition, I decided to do everything I could to make 

each excerpt sound as good as possible right away. In the 

past, I’ve allowed intonation or tone issues to go by for a day 

or a week, but I wanted to eliminate that tendency. A month 

out, I wanted to make sure I captured the essence of each 

excerpt so I would be used to that at the actual audition. 

DC: I nd that my practice techniques are perhaps a bit lacking 

in variety, but about 85 percent of my time is spent working 

things up with the metronome. You have to really take 

a passage down to the fastest tempo you can play perfectly, 

which for me is usually quite slow. I start speeding up and as 

soon as it doesn’t feel perfect anymore, back down from that 

tempo and work out the issues. It’s very methodical, and I 

try to be a very logical thinker. Most of the practicing I do 

seems very black-and-white. Recording myself was another

great resource. Sometimes it’s hard, and I didn’t always want 

to listen to myself, but it’s really for the best. 

NLB: How do you deal with nerves the day of? 

JB: At my Boston audition, the nerves really hit me on stage. 

I tried playing for a variety of people leading up to that audition, 

having read that you should do that. I even played a 

few times for my studio behind a screen. ey would try to 

mess me up by throwing a chair or something meant to break 

my focus! All that preparation was great, but when I got on 

stage, I still had a nervous reaction. I don’t think I played as 

well as I could have because of the nerves. I learned so much 

by just taking that audition. People will say that the best way 

to get rid of nerves is to just play for people, but the best way 

is really just to play a lot of auditions. e experience put me 

on the right track. First, I needed an audition to understand 

what it would be like in the moment, and then I developed 

several breathing techniques. e two books by Don Greene 

(Performance Success and Audition Success) and e Inner 

Game of Tennis all helped me understand the mental state I 

needed to be in to have success and play well. Instead of just 

playing for people, I went through a structured mental warmup 

routine before playing. I was getting in the right state 

of mind rst. When I got to the audition, I had this routine 

that I could fall back on to feel comfortable. 

I think that it’s a worthwhile goal to learn how to 

master your nerves and be in control of your body. I learned 

a lot from it. 

DC: What I’ve been telling people is that I was really taking 

this audition for practice in the rst place. I wanted to 

experience the type of nervous reactions that people always 

talk about when discussing auditions. In the nals, my bow 

was just bouncing everywhere and my right hand could not 

stay still! It was frustrating but it was also exactly what I was 

trying to discover by taking an audition. I went in not expecting 

anything, and I would say that is almost the best way 

to handle nerves. e approach of being condent in what 

I have to oer and trying to enjoy myself playing because I 

love music is better than worrying about playing a certain 

excerpt better than someone else. If you are trying to make 

some great music, you won’t be a slave to nerves. 

NLB: Now that you’ve won your job, what’s next? How often 

and for what are you practicing now? 

DC: I was initially inclined to take a break from auditioning, 

but a lot of people in my life have encouraged me to continue 

auditioning right now – especially for other principal positions. 

I am in good shape, and it would be great to nd some 

momentum from this success into another. I don’t think that 

section positions are o-limits by any means, but one of the 

reasons I wasn’t hesitant to take the position in Alabama is 

because I’ve been told that winning a principal job with experience 

as a principal is easier than simply winning that job 

outright. Detroit and Vancouver are a bit too soon on the 

horizon, but soon enough I think I will be back out there on 

the scene. 

AJ: At this point, I have a lot of the orchestra parts for next 

season and I’m going to be practicing them quite a bit. I 

have a probationary period ahead of me and I want to be 

completely on top of my game, not slowing anyone down. I 

think the main focus of my practice is making sure I know 

what I have to do to play well in a very nice orchestra. I felt 

like I really stepped up my game for the audition, playing at 

a higher level than I normally play. It’s vital that I keep my 

game at that level from now on, making it the new normal. 

It’s always good to keep Bach on the plate too – it’s really 

pretty scales and a great way to keep everything sharp. 

JB: I’ve spent so much time in school working on excerpts 

– I really tunnel-visioned the whole audition process. I want 

to work on some more solo repertoire. I’m giving a senior 

recital next year at Juilliard, and I’ll be working on some 

Bach, sonatas, and other things. I’d love to develop my solo 

playing to the same level as my excerpt playing. Juilliard was 

great at negotiating a way for me to nish my degree and 

start playing with Bualo in January. I’m really glad to be 

entering my career with a bachelor’s degree. Many people 

have master’s degrees and a degree is a must have these days. 

NLB: What was the one moment you had studying bass that 

changed everything for you? Was there a word from a teacher, 

or a fellow student, or a specic turning point? 

AJ: ere was one point in high school when I wasn’t really 

practicing very much. I showed up to a lesson, and my 

teacher asked if I had worked on the rep he gave me. Aer 

I played a bit, he came over to my bass and just laughed. In 

between the feet of my bridge was a spiderweb and the spider 

was just hanging out there. It could not have been more 

obvious I hadn’t touched my bass all week, and at that point 

I felt really embarrassed. My teacher called my mom and 

told her I could have been making so much more progress 

if I worked at it. It was an existential “oh crap” moment because 

I identied myself as a bass player. I realized I could 

either coast or actually try to apply myself. It wasn’t just that 

moment, but that was a very vivid memory to spur me on to 

where I am today. 

JB: I was on the fence for a while. I didn’t really choose 

to be serious until the summer aer my junior year in high 

school. I was at Bowdoin and I got really inspired by Kurt 

Muroki – watching him play and seeing what he was capable 

(Continued on Page 6)

of really pushed me to try a lot more. It was a combination 

of things, but I remember playing Beethoven 9 with him and 

it was awe-inspiring to experience that incredible piece in the 

orchestra. Aer, I came to Juilliard pre-college and it gave me 

a glimpse into conservatory life. When it came to decision 

time, I had applied to conservatories and universities. I was 

undecided but all those experiences made me feel certain that 

I should go to Juilliard and pursue this full time. 

NLB: What advice would you give to someone who is in the 

beginning or middle of their audition career? Was there a 

hopeful thought that kept you going, or something driving 

you forward? 

DC: I would have to say that having a positive and carefree 

attitude will come through in your playing. My mom always 

tells me, “row your hat in the ring.” ere were all these 

times when I wanted to bail on opportunities like festival auditions 

because I didn’t think I was prepared enough. e 

only way you know you’re not going to succeed is to not try. 

It’s worked out every time for me. You may not know what’s 

going to happen, but if you bring your condence and positivity 

to everything you do, you have a great chance. 

AJ: I heard this quote a long time ago that when you rst 

start playing an instrument, the things that come out don’t 

match what you have in your mind. You have tastes and likes 

or appreciate what a master player is doing, but hearing yourself, 

you know it’s not the most amazing thing anyone’s ever 

done. It takes years and years to get to that level – there are 

still a million things I want to x in my own playing, but just 

having patience and not freaking out when things aren’t immediately 

going your way is a huge part of development and 

something I want to remember going forward. You can’t have 

success without patience and dedication. Cut yourself some 

slack every now and then. You have to push yourself as hard 

as you can, but realize that you’re just a human and everyone 

has to work for everything they’ll ever get. Also, having fun 

with music – I almost forgot! Playing with dierent people, 

nding music you like playing – it’s important to nd a way 

to express yourself through music. Jamming, playing something 

on piano, it’s important to be able to relax while playing 

music and focus at other times. I played a lot of jazz in high 

school, although I’m not in the same shape I used to be. I play 

piano as well. It’s a nice way to visualize music and to sound 

things out. Bass is notoriously dicult to play in tune, so if 

you’re looking at something for the rst time, it helps to play 

it robotically on piano to get it in your ear. 

NLB: Do you have any teaching experience? Did that aect 

your career? How? Do you plan to teach now? 

JB: My teaching experience is more sparse than I would 

like. I’ve been working with the Pre-College division for the 

last three years; playing in the orchestra, coaching the players, 

and teaching some private lessons as well. I hope to get 

more experience in the future. It would be excellent to have 

a studio in the future. It would help me learn. One of the 

best ways to develop your playing is to explain those things to 

someone else. 

AJ: I’ve taught a few private lessons here and there, and I also 

taught at a camp for 8-14 year-olds that I went to as a little 

kid. It was very cool to be on the other side of the fence, conducting 

orchestra pieces and trying to communicate to eight 

year-olds what I wanted to happen – it was way harder than I 

thought it would be! I don’t think teaching has factored into 

my orchestral career yet, but I wouldn’t have gone into music 

without the great teaching I had, and I would very much like 

to pass the baton to the younger generation going forward. 

at’s how I learned and how I got so much out of music. 

With teaching, you can see a subject from a totally dierent 

angle. Watching someone in a lesson struggle with something 

I have experienced and overcome, you have to come up with 

the answers for them all over again. I really think you can use 

those perspectives to improve your own playing too. It’s like 

a recording in that way. If not essential, teaching is extremely 

important to musical development. 

NLB: Do you have any excerpts or solos for auditions that 

you feel extra comfortable with? Anything you want to be on 

a list because you’ll nail it? 

JB: I’ve always felt very good about my Koussevitzky concerto. 

In terms of all the solos you can play for auditions, it’s easy 

to negotiate, easy to be expressive on. I nd that the pressure 

helps me be extra-expressive, too. It’s perhaps the best choice 

available to us. In terms of excerpts, Beethoven 9 letter M 

is a fun one. It’s pretty tough, but I know I can play it well 

and I can have fun with it on stage. I’ve always liked the rst 

movement of Mozart 35. All the excerpts I feel I can groove 

to are friendly. Tchaikovsky 4 isn’t too dicult, and it’s fun to 

play loud! 

DC: I was inclined to say, “No, I don’t feel comfortable with 

any of them.” (He laughs.) But I feel that the rst movement 

of Brahms 1 at Letter E really caters to some of my strengths. 

It is a comfortable loud dynamic and it aords a lot of opportunities 

for big vibrato. I’ve been really developing that into 

one of my strengths as well. It’s at a moderate tempo so I don’t 

feel tense while playing it. Pieces like Mozart 35 are always 

risky for tension, even when they’re under my ngers. I’ve 

found over the past few years that there are certain excerpts 

that have been barriers for me. A couple years ago, it was rehearsal 

9 in Ein Heldenleben, but performing it at Aspen this 

past summer, I found a magical something about playing it. I 

feel like a contender with that one now! Now, I work on Mozart 

35 day-in and day-out, and while it’s my current barrier, I

know that I’m going to nd the way to negotiate it. 

AJ: Mahler 2 rst page is my favorite excerpt – it’s really, 

really loud and then really, really quiet, and very rhythmic – 

all these things are my strong suits. I really enjoy being very 

intense and, not metronomic, but incredibly insistent. One 

thing that Joe Conyers told me leading up to this was that he 

tries to make every excerpt his favorite excerpt – don’t have a 

nemesis on your list! at was a big part of my preparation. 

e committee was going to hear everything on the list and 

I needed to be ready for that no matter what. 

I constantly freak out about Mozart 35, the rst 

movement. It’s really easy to not get that excerpt exactly 

right. e fourth movement…Well I’ve worked on it so 

much because I used to hate it, so that’s more comfortable 

now. But when you look at the rst movement, there are 

all these octaves that will sound wrong if they’re not exactly 

right, followed by trills in the low register. ese are things I 

have to work on a lot to feel comfortable. 

NLB: How does an orchestra job t in with your career 

goals? Did you always want the job, did you grow to love it, 

do you want to use it as a platform for something else? 

JB: Getting a job – any job – has always been at the forefront 

of my mind. Now that I have that, I’d like to collaborate as 

much as possible. Once I’m settled in, I’d love to give more 

recitals and participate in more chamber music. It’s hard to 

say whatever else is down the road, but I’m open to the possibility! 

AJ: I’ve never had a job before so this is the beginning of a 

very new phase for me. Right now, I feel like I already know 

how to play in orchestra, but i want to build those skills as 

much as I can. I would like to play principal at some point 

in my life, but I’m sure I could be happy playing in National 

for the rest of my life. Well, I’m assuming, because I haven’t 

actually played there yet! If the opportunity ever came up, I 

wouldn’t turn it down, but all that is still a long way down the 

road. I’m focused on what’s immediately ahead. 

NLB: Final thoughts? 

DC: I’d have to take the Nike slogan: Just Do It. e only 

way you know you’re not going to win is by not doing it! 

JB: Everything that I’ve done in school has been leading 

up to this. All the non-professional auditions have all been 

geared towards preparing me for an orchestral audition. I 

don’t want to generalize, but it seems that many people want 

to put o auditioning until they feel ready. I started preparing 

for the Bualo audition when I rst arrived at school! 

Get excerpts under your belt, start thinking about the con- 

certi and Bach movements that you will need to play in a few 

years. Take strategic summer festival auditions that include 

repertoire you haven’t seen yet, and plan out your future over 

a long period of time. Get your hands on some lists, nd out 

what might be asked of you. Take nearby auditions. You 

have to get used to doing this. If you feel good with your 

playing, the bar isn’t so impossibly high that you shouldn’t 

try! 

AJ: Patience and enjoying music are two incredibly important 

ingredients to a successful music career. I haven’t exactly 

started my own career yet, but music is totally awesome 

and musicians are blessed to be able to devote their lives to 

something so beautiful and wonderful. e audition mentality 

is opposed to the fundamental nature of music, which 

is about openness and sharing and feelings. at’s more like 

real life, where auditions make you worry about out-playing 

someone, outrunning the bear. e real test of an audition is 

to have technical mastery and a personality. You have to develop 

them both – they’re really two sides of the same coin. 

Hal Robinson has always told me that he likes to develop 

musicality in his playing as early in his approach to a new 

piece as possible, because you can’t really accomplish anything 

without caring about it. 

Raised in Ridgeeld, CT, Jonathan 

Borden is entering his nal year of 

undergraduate studies at the Juilliard 

School studying under Albert Laszlo. 

He has appeared with the Tanglewood 

Music Center, the Pacic Music 

Festival, the Aspen Music Festival 

and School, and the Sarasota Music 

Festival. He will begin with the Buffalo 

Philharmonic in January 2014. 

Alex Jacobsen, from Albuquerque, 

New Mexico, began studying bass at 

age 14 with Mark Tatum. When he 

was 18, he was accepted into the Curtis 

institute of Music where he studied 

with Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer. 

He has attended Brevard Music Center, 

Aspen Music Festival and School, and 

the Verbier Festival. 

Daniel Carson started the bass in his 

fourth grade music class and has been 

playing for 11 years. He has studied 

with numerous teachers, including 

Andy Anderson, Jason Heath, Lawrence 

Hurst, and, most recently, Bruce 

Bransby. 


assist • 7

Welcome 

Kurt Muroki 

Double Bass 

More 

Professor Muroki 

will join the string 

faculty this fall. 

than 180 artist-teachers 

and scholars comprise an extraordinary 

faculty at a world-class conservatory 

with the academic resources of a 

major research university, all within 

one of the most beautiful university 

campus settings. 

STRING FACULTY 

Atar Arad, Viola 

Ik–Hwan Bae, Chamber Music, Violin 

Joshua Bell, Violin (adjunct) 

Sibbi Bernhardsson, Violin, Pacica Quartet 

Bruce Bransby, Double Bass 

Emilio Colon, Violoncello 

Jorja Fleezanis, Violin, Orchestral Studies 

Mauricio Fuks, Violin 

Simin Ganatra, Violin, Pacica Quartet 

Edward Gazouleas, Viola 

Grigory Kalinovsky, Violin 

Mark Kaplan, Violin 

Alexander Kerr, Violin 

Eric Kim, Violoncello 

CONGRATULATIONS 

to alumnus Dan 

Carson on his recent 

appointment as 

principal bass with 

the Alabama 

Symphony. 

Kevork Mardirossian, Violin 

Kurt Muroki, Double Bass 

Stanley Ritchie, Violin 

Masumi Per Rostad, Viola, 

Pacica Quartet 

Peter Stumpf, Violoncello 

Joseph Swensen, Violin (visiting) 

Brandon Vamos, Violoncello, 

Pacica Quartet 

Stephen Wyrczynski, Viola (chair) 

Mimi Zweig, Violin and Viola 

CONGRATULATIONS 

to Professor Emeritus 

Lawrence Hurst on his 

recent Distinguished 

Achievement Award 

given by the 

International Society 

of Bassists. 

2014 AUDITION DATES 

Jan. 17 & 18 | Feb. 7 & 8 | March 7 & 8 

For a complete list of Jacobs School 

faculty, please go to music.indiana.edu.

To 

Practice 

or 

Not 

to 

Practice... 

By Rufus Reid 


assist • 9

When instrument, any instrument, it is 

10 •Next Level 

assist 

we are just beginning to play an 

hoped we are told how to correctly hold it, how to make 

a sound with it, and that we must practice to play it better. 

It is also hoped by your parents and/or teacher that 

you become so enchanted with the chosen instrument, you 

don’t have to be told to continue practicing. When you 

begin to notice that you are improving as a player, the 

wonderment of discovery truly begins. Please remember 

that you practice for yourself because the reality is that 

no one really cares if you practice or not. As we mature, 

broadening our practicing and listening habits, continuing 

to emulate and imitate our music heroes, this process gives 

us a very satisfying feeling by enjoying the mere sound that 

you make. After 50 years of playing, I still enjoy the ups 

and downs, the frustrations, and the successes that this process 

of practicing gives us. I even enjoy just looking at my 

bass. :-) 

When we are young we practice to become really 

good. Perhaps one day, you may become a professional 

player. It is my opinion that we all should strive to play at 

a professional level. Please let it be understood that playing 

at a professional level does not mean you will be nor 

have to be that individual who makes his or her living as a 

professional musician. Those are two totally different subjects 

that do not need to be discussed at this time. I hadn’t 

thought for several years about making my livelihood as 

a professional musician until it just happened. When that 

happens, you still have to continue practicing to maintain 

that professional level. Everyone should strive to be one 

 

work diligently to be the best that you can be, because 

that is really all that one can do. That is all that YOU need 

to care about. You never know when someone is listening 

to you, so make every playing situation its optimum. 

When we are younger, we feel we have a lot of time, and 

you do, to a degree. What you do not have is time to 

waste. Remember, no matter how well you play, there is 

always more room to learn more. 

I loved playing music all through middle school and 

high school. I turned down sports if I had to make a choice. 

There has never been anything else I wanted to do, but 

this has nothing to with deciding to practice. Personally, it 

took me three or four years at the beginning stage of my 

playing to be “shocked and truly inspired” to learn the real 

reason to practice. 

In 1964, I was in Japan as a United States Air Force 

Band member as a trumpet player. I listened to jazz records 

daily, every opportunity I could get. Two years prior 

to being shipped to Japan, I began to teach myself the bass, 

because I just loved to hear the sound on the recordings of 

Paul Chambers, Percy Heath, Willie Ruff, Sam Jones, and 

my hero, Ray Brown. While in Japan, there were many 

Jazz concerts being presented in Tokyo. In 1965 I saw Ray 

terson 

Trio and my life was forever changed. To make a 

long story short, I met him after the concert. I was in awe. 

His playing was amazing. The recordings I had were fabulous, 

but to see him up close was simply, astounding. The 

crowd was begging for autographs. He noticed me and 

said, “Hold my bass, please!” Can you believe it? I couldn’t 

either! I held it ever so tightly. After he signed a zillion autographs, 

he then let me walk with him back to his hotel a 

couple blocks away. I told him I was in the military band 

and asked if I could have a lesson with him. He said yes, 

and to come back the next morning at 10am. I was at the 

hotel at 9am. I called up to the room promptly at 10am 

and he told me his room number and said to come up. As 

I walked down the hall toward his room, I heard the sound 

of the bass being bowed. He had left the door ajar. When 

I knocked, he said, “Come on in!” My heart was beating a 

mile a minute. As I entered the room, my mouth hit the 

 

with the bow! This is “The Ray Brown,” PRACTICING? I 

didn’t think he still had to do that! Why? He was at the 

top of his game, right? Perhaps so, but, I have come to realize 

that is one of the main reasons he continued to be at 

the top as “Ray Brown,” who was loved by the Jazz com- 

 

infectious sound. He also had a reputation to uphold that 

only he could tear down. I am convinced that he needed 

to satisfy himself, as he was being challenged and was expected 

to play well all the time. 

There are many ingredients and elements melding 

together as one to produce a memorable quality sound. 

Tone, pitch, dynamics, harmonic sophistication, buoyant 

pulse, rhythmic dexterity, interesting creative bass lines, 

and engaging solos, constitute the totality of your sound. 

Can you practice each of these? Absolutely! 

Begin to love your sound. The sound quality you 

you don’t 

love your sound, why should I? The reality is that no one 

really cares if you practice or not, so why do we do it? We 

practice because it is incredibly gratifying and satisfying 

when we reach those goals that have been eluding us. Our 

challenge is to practice so we can sound and play as well as 

we did yesterday. Get that concept under control and this 

practicing process will grow leaps and bounds. The name 

of the game is to maintain those skills you’ve developed 

so they are ready when called upon at any given time! If 

you wish to become part of the lineage of any genre, you 

must convey to your audience that you have done your 

homework and you, most certainly, belong on that stage. 

Great musicians play with a memorable sound, excellent 

dexterity, great intonation, an incredible sense of time, a

controlled sense of dynamics and phrases, and, most importantly, 

savvy of the style. 

Is it really necessary to practice Jazz? 

As a creative jazz bassist, consider yourself an illusionist, 

someone who makes one feel and hear what’s not really 

there. The listener becomes so engaged by your performance, 

they feel a great pulse, but there is no drummer. 

They hear wonderful clear harmony, but there is no piano, 

 

listening to your presentation without the feeling of missing 

something or someone. When you are successful achieving 

this, you will be remembered and sought after for the clarity 

and control you bring to any ensemble. The mindset I 

wish you to develop is: 

You are the only rhythmic and harmonic substance 

there is! You do not need a piano or drummer! We may 

want them to play with us, but you don’t need them for 

you to play well. If they are doing their job well, they do 

not need you either. We bassists have the unique ability to 

immediately sabotage every ensemble we play with if we 

lose our focus. Yes! Absolutely! In addition to the attributes 

of a great musician, the jazz musician must be capable of 

thinking quickly by functionally creating new melodic material 

to satisfy the sounds of any given structure or form 

 

make up structures of compositions. I call these structures 

“Musical Playgrounds.” Generally speaking, a playground 

is a place where all sorts of sports are played. Each sport 

- 

 

rules, fouling all the time, stepping on the lines, etc., we are 

asked not to play. Music making is no different. Learn the 

rules to be in control of what comes out of your instrument. 

It is not a mystery to become an improvising jazz musician. 

You just need to know the rules so you can navigate within 

the playground successfully. It is NOT rocket science! 

What are the ingredients that make up that chord sound 

enth” 

of a scale, that makes up a chord. There are only 

- 

 

unto themselves. Learn and internalize each sound along 

with their respective scales. The rest of the sounds are slight 

 

key they are in, they all sound the same. The main difference 

from just reading music, is, the improvising jazz player 

decides how he/she will play by imagining what are the 

possibilities. YOU make all of the decisions of what notes 

to play, how many notes, what rhythms to use, what dynamics 

to use, etc. Thinking of how you want to sound before 

you play is crucial to your success! You must practice 

how to think, as well. Learn how to construct satisfying 

bass lines. Figure them out at the piano. Sing them in your 

head. Learn to play them on your bass by listening to how 

they sound. These are the very same sounds that Bach, 

 

etc. used. The sounds that make up these structures are 

called Chord Progressions. The style and how these sounds 

are presented is what distinguish the different genres from 

one another. There are many excellent books available 

niques 

to play a successful improvised solo in the jazz style. 

I’m a bassist. 

Why should I be friendly with the piano? 

I am NOT asking you to become a pianist, just learn the 

basics of where the notes are related to where they sound 

on your bass. I was not told how important the piano is 

when I began to play music, particularly when I began to 

play the bass. I had a good ear and learned quickly, but 

that eventually was not enough to really get inside the 

music that I loved so much. I had to learn how to identify 

the sounds I heard from the symbols I saw. Whatever kind 

of music you wish to play, you will be a better musician if 

you become very friendly with the piano. Guaranteed! The 

piano is the “orchestra” of sounds. You can “see” what the 

chord looks like, as well as hear it. Learning the keyboard 

and studying harmony will answer all of the questions of 

what makes up a chord sound and its harmonic motion. 

This is where you can practice your melodies or the phrases 

of the music you are working on by very clearly singing 

along in tune. Learn the sounds of the basic chords and 

their related scales. This functional knowledge will carry 

over onto your instrument because you are hearing these 

sounds clearly in your head. Again, no one cares if you 

practice, or who your teacher was, or if you take lessons 

or not, or how long it took you to get it. What matters is 

once you get on the bandstand or stage, all they want is to 

hear the music clearly and swinging! When these elements 

of good practice are present, they will hear consistent, con- 

 

bass. What more can one ask? 

What to practice? 

LISTEN to the individual or individuals who inspire you on 

a daily basis. Listen to their choice of notes in the chord 

progression. Listen how they hook up with the drummer. 

Practice on the CONCEPT of the kind of music you are 

attempting to play. CONCENTRATE on all of the nuances 

you hear in their playing, i.e. their “time feeling,” their 

“choice of notes” in a walking bass line, the “pizzicato 

sound” being produced in the right hand. Try to incorporate 

and emulate by aurally transcribing everything you 

hear. The best way to transcribe is to sing and/or whis- 


tle along with the recording. Eventually try playing along 

with the recording. To archive your transcription, write it 

 

soon be frustrating, in my opinion. You must begin to truly 

listen to the sounds coming out of your instrument. Play 

everything “slowly and distinctly” so you can hear every- 

 

that will develop CONSISTENCY in everything you do. If 

you are fortunate to have a teacher, practice your assignments. 

There are tons of things to practice that tend to 

overwhelm us. It is so daunting, we keep putting all of it 

off until the next day and, quite often, that day, unfortunately, 

never comes. Isolate what is absolutely necessary 

and then do half of it, everyday. These are good habits to 

form. 

When to Practice? 

There are four types of practice options, physical, 

mental, vocal, visual. As your playing becomes 

more mature, practice times will vary, but the four 

options are always there for you. The most important 

time to physically practice is when you are the 

freshest, whenever you think that is for you. Generally 

speaking, it is when you wake up after a good 

night’s sleep or nap! :-) 

Can you practice without the instrument? 

Absolutely! The mental, vocal, and visual options are available 

to you anytime away from your instrument. In some 

respects, I feel these options will help you from wasting precious 

time. The visual option will help you overcome the 

challenges you may have counting rhythms. When learning 

a new song, learn the melody. Then learn the “BIG” 

letters of the chord symbol. First, without your instrument, 

take a blank manuscript paper. Mark out the appropriate 

number of measures with the correct chord symbol 

over the top of the staff lines. With a pencil and an eraser, 

 

notes that represent the sound the chord symbols require 

for the song. Use the notes from the chord and/or the notes 

 

the entire form, play what you have written on your bass. 

 

 

time you will have to contemplate what you have written 

and make edits to your satisfaction on the content of your 

line. In a real playing situation, you CANNOT STOP and 

go back to change something you didn’t like while playing. 

Third, continue this process until you are completely 

 

without stopping. Concentrate on a good time feeling and 

good intonation. Generally speaking, reading rhythms in 

a designated tempo is more challenging than reading the 

notes for many young and inexperienced players. These 

two components must be played simultaneously in the 

correct tempo to make the phrase musically acceptable. 

 

comfortable tempo using a metronome. SLOWLY tap on 

 

able to tap it correctly in the desired tempo. Next, SING 

the notes. Yes, I said SING! When I am learning or working 

on a new melody or phrase, I sing it in my car while driving. 

I sing some of the best solos ever in my car. :-) You can 

too, if you try! Sing the phrase or passage IN TUNE with 

the correct rhythm in the manner you would like to play 

it. If you cannot sing it in tune, you will probably not play 

it in tune either. Using the piano, sing along as you play 

The reality is that no one really cares if you 

practice or not, so why do we do it? We 

practice because it is incredibly gratifying 

and satisfying when we reach those goals 

that have been eluding us. 

the notes. If you get into the habit of using these mental, 

vocal, and visual exercises, you will see a marked improvement 

in your playing, believe me. I didn’t believe it either 

when I heard double bass virtuoso, Gary Karr speak about 

this process in one of his workshops. I was amazed how it 

helped me get into the piece much more quickly than I 

expected and with more clarity, as well. It will get easier as 

you incorporate these habits into your daily life. 

How much practice? 

After you have a few years under your belt of real playing 

situations, to what degree you practice will vary considerably. 

It will depend on the demands made upon you 

on a daily basis personally and professionally. Remember, 

one must keep up with a daily maintenance routine with 

scales, challenging etudes, and/or snippets of a composition 

you just love to play. Be honest with yourself and stick to 

that “real” time frame allocated to practice. Time is a precious 

commodity. The organization of your daily practice 

habit will train you not to waste time and become more 

consistent. This consistency and focus you acquire will roll 

over into any and all other music you practice and play. 

It will not be a one-time experience. Only you can decide 

 

playing with a more focused attitude for longer periods of 

time with excellent results. 

That being said, it is my opinion, after two hours of 

physical practice, one should rest the body. If something

you that you are doing something incorrectly. I was told a 

very long ago to practice in front of a full-length mirror, as 

it will become the best teacher you will ever have. I have 

found this to be very true. To this day, I use the mirror constantly 

monitoring my overall posture, left and right hand 

positions while playing. This is a great habit to acquire. 

How long to practice daily? 

We all wish we could practice all day long, but in reality, 

that isn’t going to happen for most of us! It cannot be 

said enough. Time is a precious commodity. When we are 

young, we think we will have more time later. WRONG! 

If you are still in school, you think you have no time to do 

what you want. Believe me, it never gets better when you 

get older. So, be honest with yourself and search out that 

“real” time slot you can actually do without fail everyday. 

 

Make a weekly calendar of events you wish or need to 

accomplish. If you can actually practice focused material 

 

improvement. 

- 

 

Five minutes doesn’t sound like much, but it is a very long 

time only focusing on one single thing! Before you realize it, 

over a short period of practicing in smaller chunks of time, 

you will have developed a more focused stamina and will 

be capable of focusing for longer periods of time. Once you 

 

 

consecutively before moving on to the next musical item 

you wish to learn. This process will help you develop the 

high level of playing that you expect from yourself. How 

you think of yourself will greatly affect how others think of 

 

and how, before picking up your bass to play a single note. 

Will it be a scale, an arpeggio, and a blues bass line? Which 

one? How many octaves? What is the tempo? What dy- 

 

and what string to begin playing. If using the bow, where 

are you placing it on the string? If pizzicato, will it be one 

 

up your bass and begin playing. Try not to stop the process 

until you have completed your assignment. If you do 

 

and continue from that point. This type of preparation is 

important to develop, in my opinion. 

1st time: 

 

 

sound, accuracy, and desired tempo? 

2nd time: 

 

Pizzicato string crossings, etc. 

3rd time: 

Concentrate on playing the passage softly throughout! 

4th time: 

Concentrate on using varying dynamics and vibrato. 

5th time: 

Concentrate on the musicality of the sound being produced 

and on how beautiful you sound making it! 

A mature musician is one who has taken the time to study 

the tradition of any musical idiom before he/she can truly 

conceptualize that music. 

 

learning something new. Enjoy the discovery. 

Rufus Reid’s major professional 

career began in Chicago and 

continues since 1976 in New 

York City. He has toured and recorded 

with Eddie Harris, Nancy 

Wilson, Harold Land & Bobby 

Hutcherson, Lee Konitz, and 

countless others. He continues to 

enjoy associations with Tim Hagans, 

Bob Mintzer, Frank Wess, 

Marvin Stamm, Benny Golson. 

Rufus Reid is equally 

known as an exceptional educator. 

Dr. Martin Krivin and Reid 

created the Jazz Studies & Performance Program at William 

Paterson University. Reid retired aer 20 years, but continues 

to teach, conducting Master Classes, workshops, and residencies 

around the world. 


assist • 13

ALWAYS ASSUME THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY HARMONIC AND RHYTHM SUBSTANCE. 


assist 

The Jazz Bassist’s Mindset 

Develop a CONCEPT! CONCENTRATE on that concept. 

Your CONFIDENCE will you develop CONSISTENCY! 

• CONSISTENCY OF 

TONE PRODUCTION 

• A GREAT PULSE 

(Time Feeling) 

• INTONATION 

• HARMONICE AWARENESS 

• REPERTOIRE 

• SENSE OF 

PHRASE AND DYNAMICS 

• • ASSESSMENT 

ASSESMENT OF YOUR 

MUSICAL SETTING 

via Rufus Reid 

75% OF YOUR CONCENTRATION 

IS “NOT” ON YOU!! 

THIS WILL DEVELOP YOUR 

“PERIPHERAL HEARING” 

YOU 

CHORDAL 

INSTRUMENTS 

PIANO 

GUITAR 

VIBRAPHONE 

SYNTHS 

ANY 

PERCUSSION 

INSTRUMENTS 

FRONT LINE 

ANY HORN 

COMBINATION 

A MATURE MUSICIAN IS ONE THAT HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO STUDY THE TRADITION OF 

ANY MUSICAL IDIOM BEFORE HE/SHE CAN TRULY CONCEPTUALIZE THAT MUSIC!

Transition works on a range in the bass that is extremely useful and should be 

incredibly comfortable to play in. If you can master the 1-octave harmonics and the 

way you get around them from above and below, this should have a positive eect 

on a huge amount of solo literature for the bass. This applies to Bach, concertos and 

a host of other pieces both original and transcribed. 

Double stops are challenging on the bass, because you need to figure out how how 

to distribute bow weight between two strings, as well as finger/arm weight, and you 

must manage tension levels very carefully. Harmonics are a good introduction to 

this, followed by using one harmonic and one stopped note. 

Working on Transition, if you have not done so already, will enable you to become a 

much more versatile bass player and add comfort to your thumb position skill set. 

- Ranaan Meyer 


assist • 15


assist


assist • 17

Stronger is something that will give you a fundamental of rhythm that is extremely important. 

The notes start out sporadic and move towards a flow. Get out your metronome and 

keep on track, because it will feel like dierent tempi throughout this piece. That’s the thing 

I notice about running notes into slower notes. Going from half to quarter to eighth to sixteenth, 

you will find yourself adjusting to the metronome based on your perspective of where 

the beat is. When you play with people, you will find a dierent set of skills necessary. I know 

in playing with Time for Three that we are always pushing ahead, leaning on the front end of 

the beat. The metronome is a fundamental, but it isn’t something my group can depend on. 

Pay close attention to your tendencies, too - learn whether you tend to speed up or slow down 

and decide whether the music is calling for that (certain settings don’t let you do it at all, such 

as orchestra playing or auditions). 

Finally, I’m introducing a technique that I find revolutionary - moving from a note to a slap 

in the space of one sixteenth note, as in measure 6. It will probably feel unusual, maybe a bit 

diicult at first. Most slaps in bass playing occur on the eighth note, and it is totally common 

to need some time to acclimate to this technique. Once you have it though, you will find it is 

extremely helpful, not to mention a lot of fun! 

FACULTY 

Terell Stafford, Chair, 

Instrumental Studies Department 

Eduard Schmieder, 

L. H. Carnell Professor of Violin, 

Artistic Director for Strings 

Luis Biava*, Music Director, 

Symphony Orchestra 

Double Bass 

Joseph Conyers* 

John Hood* 

Robert Kesselman* 

Anne Peterson 

*Current member of 

The Philadelphia Orchestra 

For more information, please contact: 

215-204-6810 or music@temple.edu 

www.temple.edu/boyer 


assist 

PROGRAMS 

B.M.: Performance 

B.M.: Composition 

B.M.: Music Education 

B.M.: Music History 

B.M.: Music Theory 

B.M.: Music Therapy 

M.M.: Performance 

M.M.: Composition 

M.M.: Music Education 

M.M.: Music History 

M.M.: Music Theory 

M.M.: String Pedagogy 

M.M.T.: Music Therapy 

D.M.A.: Performance 

Ph.D.: Music Education 

Ph.D.: Music Therapy 

Professional Studies Certificate 

ENSEMBLE OPPORTUNITIES 

> Temple University Symphony Orchestra 

> Opera Orchestra 

> Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra 

> Contemporary Music Ensemble 

> Early Music Ensemble 

> String Chamber Ensembles 

Philadelphia, PA 

- Ranaan Meyer

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H = Hammer On 

P = Pull Off 

x = muted Note 

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x & note stem = slap and play pitch simultaneously 

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assist • 19


assist 

MAKE 

practice 

Perfect 

By 

David 

Allen 

Moore

Practice 

is universally recognized as 

a musician’s primary tool 

- 

 

and hallowed performing venues (see How to get 

to Carnegie Hall- 

 

converse in braggadocios tones about how many 

hours they’ve practiced rather than what was ac- 

 

I hope to share with you a few of the fundamen- 

 

 

practice techniques. Practice is a time to master 

 

 

of practicing itself such that we can be said to be 

- 

 

analysis. In other words: Practicing the Practice of 

Practice Practice. 

Time Management 

Before one can even begin to address the content 

 

conditions that can ensure that the session itself will 

- 

 

on their time. The total 

time available in any 

given day could be visualized 

as an empty jar 

that we then begin to 

 

 

- 

 

 

 

 

ter 

that you pour into the jar once all other space is 

 

viewed with the same commitment and dedication 

ence 

is that the practice schedule is self-imposed 

and self-motivated. 

Practice time needs to be scheduled into a 

erence 

as demands placed on you by the outside 

- 

 

 

there is the question of how to organize the time 

 

 

about 50 minutes of practice to 10 minutes of rest. 

 

of the time into three sections: technique (scales/ 

 

solo repertoire. Each section would be roughly the 

same duration (for the arithmetically-challenged: in 

 

minutes rest for each section yielding a total of 2.5 

hours practice and 30 minutes of rest.) Proportions 

 

circumstances (i.e. more time on orchestral reper- 

 

time to solo rep in preparation for a recital.) Endur- 

 

- 

 

 

Goal Setting 

- 

 

 

- 

 

- 

 

what will be prac- 

 

- 

 

 

 

ticed in advance 

of the actual practice 

session. This 

can be as little as a 

 

- 

 

 

- 

 

 

will require the purchase of an additional piece of 

equipment that may not currently be part of your 

 

 

 

will provide an invaluable resource for future plan- 

 

- 

 

 

 

- 

 

setting is to always set yourself up to succeed. The 


simplest and most direct way to accomplish this is 

 

- 

 

- 

 

your talents would be much more effectively and 

 

two-word phrase can be applied to the beginning 

of any practice session goal to ensure success ev- 

- 

 

- 

 

are things that can surely be accomplished as they 

don’t presuppose the amount of progress to be 

made (if any). The most challenging times during 

parent 

stasis. I am comforted during these times by 

 

est 

position that they can currently achieve and 

 

a platform of support. They are to repeat this pro- 

ing 

that they will have torn off one page of the top 

- 

 

 

with a feeling of accomplishment and momentum 

that you can build on rather than feeling that the 

 

to the bottom of the hill. 

C.R.A.F.T. Cycle vs. Vomit Cycle 

 

 

how to go about achieving those goals. Too often 

students practice in a manner that I affectionately 

 

- 

 

 

This glorious procedure is then followed by the implementation 

of the ever-popular practice tech- 

 

- 

 

Cing 

for/paying attention to before you start play- 

 

 

 

22 •N L assist 

ext evel 

 

the sheer volume of information coming at you. 

R 

Analysis: Compare your conception and your re- 

 

 

Fine T 

ly 

highlight where you need additional input (i.e. assist 

in the formulation of questions for your teacher at 

 

developed concept and are aware of what needs 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semantics 

 

but we rarely give much thought to the words and 

 

the practice room. I feel very fortunate to have 

 

- 

 

 

- 

 

we set up for ourselves when dealing with material 

 

would propose we add to the list of words to avoid is 

 

 

 

 

 

 

passage or instrumental technique. I suggest that 

we rephrase this in a positive and aspirational light: 

 

dialogue that we have with ourselves during prac- 

 

ternally 

that I wouldn’t say out loud to someone else 

during a master class.

Dynamic Forms 

 

- 

 

in order to solve a variety of technical challenges 

(not 

- 

 

terns 

to achieve desired results. Dance and martial 

 

 

 

routines. The root of many technical issues involves 

 

 

ing 

a large shift. The customary procedure involves 

 

determined solely by whether or not the target pitch 

- 

tinued 

repetition we will intuitively increase our percentage 

of success until it reaches a reliable state. 

Redefining Relevant 

Strings Faculty 

Division of Classical Performance Studies 

Violin: 

 

 

Viola: 

Cello: 

Bass: 

Harp: 

Explore why we are unique among the finest music schools in the world. 

usc.edu/music | facebook.com/uscthornton 

 

of much frustration in the practice room. 

- 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

etc.) 

• The note sounds in tune. 

 

 

 

 

 

- 

 

- 

 

- 

 

 

 

(Conclusion on Page 25) 

Our students define success; 

our priority is to get them there. 

With a continuing legacy of renowned faculty-artists, 

we have a keen eye towards the future and understand 

the new paradigms of a career in classical music. 

 

 

 

 

All this within Los Angeles, the music capital of the 

21st century.

A 


assist 

NEW FEATURE 

Review assist 

ext evel 

N L 

The DPA d:vote 4099B microphone could pretty much 

be called my new best friend! Now that’s not to put 

down Nick and Zach, my brothers-in-arms in Time 

for Three, but that’s mainly because our whole group 

uses and loves microphones by DPA. I want to lay 

out some of the reasons why this mic is making a 

huge difference in my touring life. 

One of the bigger challenges of playing live in big 

rooms is getting something that resembles your un- 

 

pickups and more than a few mics before, but the 

 

an authentic bass sound. Considering my style, it’s 

incredible that I’m able to get the best arco and pizz 

sound from this one device out of anything I’ve ever 

used. I don’t just play on the strings, and I’m happy 

to say the mic captures the percussion of hitting, 

smacking, or slapping the bass just as well as traditional 

playing. 

From a traveling musician’s standpoint, the 4099B is 

really convenient too. I like the carrying case for its 

small size and very safe construction. It currently 

slots into a larger case with my other sound gear, 

but you can take it with the rest of your rig and not 

worry about losing your investment. It’s easy to plug 

 

in high pressure situations. I have gotten great feedback 

from the sound guys and gals I work with too 

 

is so important! You have to make sure the people in 

charge of your sound have the control they need to 

be great artists too. 

If you are serious about your live sound, the d:vote 

4099B by DPA is a must have. Investing in an easyto-use, 

incredible sounding, not to mention cool-looking 

microphone might be the best choice you make 

 

-Ranaan Meyer 

The stage is set 

DPA 4099 

for Bass and Cello 

Gain without pain 

The d:vote 4099 Clip Microphones cover the entire 

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and high gain before feedback. 

www.dpamicrophones.com/dvote

contact need to move due to the change in regis- 

 

 

 

 

 

 

your body aware of the starting and ending posi- 

 

the issue by also trying to transition between them 

 

step would be to repeat this sequence and actually 

 

 

between notes to fully visualize the new position in 

and form.) 

curred 

when moving from one position to the other 

– even if the notes sound in tune (remember: we 

- 

 

 

Final Thoughts 

- 

- 

 

 

 

times 

they need to be abandoned altogether in 

favor of banging your head repeatedly against an 

- 

 

GO 

PRACTICE 

David Allen Moore is 4th chair double 

bass of the Los Angeles Philharmonic 

while also serving as a professor 

at the USC Thornton School 

of Music, the school from which 

he graduated in 1993. Moore was 

also a member of the Houston 

Symphony from 1993-1999. He regularly 

performs with San Diego’s 

Mainly Mozart Festival and the Los 

Angeles Philharmonic’s New Music 

Group. He has presented master 

classes at Curtis, Juilliard, Rice, 

and NEC. His former students are 

present in professional orchestras 

in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Moore 

is also a faculty member at Domaine Forget, the summer 

music festival in Québec, Canada. 


assist • 25

The Next Level Bassist Practicing Issue

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