Jeremy Kurtz-Harris is passionate about sharing the art and skills of music with bassists of all ages and levels. He has been on the faculty of San Diego State University's School of Music and Dance since 2006, and is in-demand as a guest teacher throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Learn more about the SDSU School of Music and Dance
Private lessons are available in-person, as well as remotely by Facetime and Zoom
Playing "on the grid" requires not only a refined sense of time and placement, but also the ability (and awareness!) to play very consistently. In this video, we dive into some concepts and exercises for working on these important skills.
Left-hand exercise (courtesy of Hagai Bilitizky) and a bow range-of-motion exercise from David Allen Moore (via Aaron Blick), long tones on harmonics, two-octave flat scales, starting at the top of each rather than the bottom, and then ends with an excerpt in 12/8 from a new piece by composer Gabriela Ortiz.
Find all the 30-Minute Warm-up videos here.
An informal series of videos going through the scale routine in Francois Rabbath's "New Technique for the Double Bass, Volume 3"
Mindfulness Warmup
A review of how to apply rosin so it works best
An introduction to the progressive scale routine
Finding the center of harmonics
Two Octave Scales: Introduction and Play-Along
Two Octave Scales Major Scales in 8th notes
Scale Rhythms: introduction and play-along
Scale Rhythms with syncopated 16th note patterns
Using reference points on the bass
Overview of scales from Rabbath "New Technique for the Double Bass" Vol. 3
Play-along piano track for 3 octave scales, Quarter = 60
Play-along piano track for 3 octave scales, Quarter = 60
Here are several drum loops you can use to help test and strengthen your pulse