As a double bass player you will often lay down the foundation of the music. Whether it’s swing, groove music, or modern creative, as a bass player you need to be able to adjust to different settings. Both comping and improvising will be part of your artistic development. During the lessons you will focus on developing skills like timing, sound, intonation, harmony, technique, and composition. With your teachers you will be covering jazz in a broad sense, discovering the main jazz styles from the US, as well as jazz from other regions such as Europe or South-America. You will also be working on your skills with a bow.
More about the programmeGuus Bakker obtained a master degree in both bass guitar and double bass. He is very active as a sought-after freelance bassist who is credited for the wide range of styles he masters in both jazz, and pop music. Guus has worked with a great variety of artists and groups such as Eric Vloeimans, Rembrandt Frerichs, Wouter Hamel, Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra, Robin Verheyen, Tutu Puoane, Ben van den Dungen & Jarmo Hoogendijk, Gare du Nord, Michiel Borstlap, and Wende Snijders.
As a double bass player Marc van Rooij has great experience in a variety of styles. He is specialized in jazz, classical music, and tango. He has played, toured and recorded with jazz artists such as Johnny Griffin, Deborah Brown, Bob Mintzer, Rob van Bavel, Woody Shaw, Bert Joris, and many others. Marc has also been active in symphony orchestras and in the Dutch tango scene with groups such as Grupo del Sur and Tango Extremo. He composes and arranges, and actively promotes double bass playing for children.
In the audition, you will be assessed on your ability to demonstrate rhythmical, melodic and harmonic insights. To assess your level of ability, you have to prepare three pieces. These pieces should represent different styles (e.g. jazz, latin, pop, et cetera), but at least one piece must be a jazzstandard, in which we hear you play accompaniment (walking bass) and an improvised solo.
Preselection:
Record a video containing three songs. We strongly prefer that you play with a band. If this is impossible you can record yourself playing along (with iRealPro e.g.). Make sure that you and your hands are clearly visible at all times and that the bass is clearly present in the balance. Your videos function as a first round.
Live audition:
You are asked to present yourself and play your repertoire with other musicians. This can be your own band, or if this is not possible, the school will provide accompaniment. Please indicate this on the application form. There is no opportunity for rehearsal. Be sure to bring proper sheet music for your band members.