BBC Home
Guide To The Orchestra
double bass title image The double bass is the biggest string instrument in the orchestra, and a great instrument to learn if you want to play jazz. It got its name from the job it used to do. It used to ‘double the bass’ played by the harpsichord in 17th-century orchestras. Now it has its own music and even the occasional solo!
double bass Listen to the double bass listen to Instrument Range Listen to it played from its lowest to highest note listen to Special Effects Plucked / wood of bow / sul pont / tremolo / listen to Hear it in action in Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals
listen to
Bill Graham White Meet the Orchestra! Bill Graham White plays the double bass with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Read about him below. Bill Graham White, Double Bass How old were you when you first started playing? I was fourteen years old. Why did you choose this instrument? I loved the look of it! Do you play any other instruments? I play the bass guitar and the piano, badly. What do you like most about playing in an orchestra? Is it fun? Being just a small cog then playing my favourite music. Do you play any other kind of music? I like to play jazz and pop. What is your favourite music? My favourite music to play is jazz. My favourite to listen to is classical. Do you have any other hobbies? Cars and gardening. What would you have been if you weren't a musician? I would have been a teacher or a mechanic. All pictures are copyrighted - picture credits Woodwind Brass Flute Trumpet Oboe French Horn Clarinet Trombone Bassoon Tuba Strings Percussion Violin Tuned Viola Untuned Cello Timpani Double Bass Harp Keyboards Conductor LEARN AN INSTRUMENT Which instrument, which age, finding teachers, buying guide and the perils of practice Get help Get help Listening About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy Explore the BBC
Woodwind
Brass
Strings
Percussion
Keyboards
Conductor
Get help Get help Listening
Change Text Only Settings
Graphic version of this page