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PaperclipPerfector  9d ago (text post)   2674 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for June 12, 2026

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Haydn Concerto n. 1 but definitely mine isn't as polished as a professional would play it. However Haydn is such an interesting person so it feels good to play something of his somewhat well. I like his surprise symphony too!

How hard is it to play the bass? It always seems so physically intensive.

Bass isn't too bad if your technique is good, but it's definitely much more physically intensive than other stringed instruments. I think my DB's string tension is probably 2.5x my guitar for any given string. When you couple the tension, the high action, and the sheer physical size of it, it can feel more like a sport rather than an instrument.

That sounds pretty intimidating! I've always low key wanted to learn how to play double bass, because they are one of the coolest instruments around imo. But I've been getting back into guitar and the string tension on my guitars has been kicking my ass at times; I don't like to imagine what almost 3x the tension would be like to play. Maybe once my guitar calluses finally come back, I'll give it some thought.

I regularly rip calluses off during long shows. I have to keep super glue in my bag.

Are you able to reduce the distance between the strings and the fingerboard? I got that done for the vibrato so that I wouldn’t have to press so far down especially on the thicker strings

You can do that, but most of my repertoire these days is bluegrass or rock, so it's not the right call for me particularly.

What are some bluegrass pieces for the bass that you like to play?

It's going to sound odd, but I don't like to play bluegrass so much as be playing it. The bass mostly functions as a rhythm instrument that occasionally leads chord transitions in case people get lost, so it's not complex. That said, the overall experience is wonderful.

I'm particularly partial to up tempo versions of ain't no grave, like this one.

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