he School of Agility: A Technical Method of the Scale System for String Bass

The School of Agility: A Technical Method of the Scale System for String Bass

In The School of Agility, Eugene Levinson lays out a bass-fingering methodology that reflects a lifetime of experience obtained from performing and teaching.  Levinson is currently Principal Bassist in the New York Philharmonic and Chairman of the Bass Department at the Julliard School.

His teaching method in this book focuses on developing fingerings that will improve rythm, intonation, and fingerboard agility

Fingering is crucial to proper playing. Violinists and cellists always use each of the four strings on their instruments.  Bass players, even when necessary, seldom do.  Instead of crossing strings in fast passages, there was an inclination to employ extra shifts and jumps.  This, in my opinion, may inhibit performing efficiency.

Highlights include:

* A variety of fingerings that allow each individual bassist to find those suitable to his/her level and style of playing.

*Fingerings that are appropriate to specific playing situations.

*Fingerings that facilitate the shaping of musical phrases by creating smoother transitions from one position or string to another.

*Techniques to help produce a clean and clear low frequency sound.

Simply put, The School of Agility provides today's bass players with an innovative and effective approach to playing the string bass.