Innovative approaches for Bass Doubling

Abstract

The contemporary bassist in jazz and popular music is commonly required to master both the double bass and the bass guitar. I am a bassist who identifies with both instruments as primary; however, in practice developing a coherent instrumental voice that shares the same artistic DNA on both instruments in a stepless approach is a challenge. Methodised concepts specifically comparing and outlining the similarities and differences between the technical approaches for both instruments are still insufficiently explored. I aim to methodically bridge these gaps through my research. Furthermore, my research entails new hybrid techniques and concepts, that are traditionally specific to either the upright bass or the bass guitar. I apply knowledge from one bass instrument to the other. These alternative playing styles question the characteristics that are normally used for the categorisation of their traditional fields of application. My approaches to both instruments facilitate a form of innovation that doesn’t necessarily require re-invention from the ground up. Musical novelty is rather achieved through the context of creative transfer of knowledge to a different, but related instrument.  

Historically, some outstanding bassists, such as Stanley Clarke and John Patitucci, have successfully embraced the double bass and the electric bass alike and created unique playing styles that could only have emerged through their experience of doubling. As improvisers, the ability to play several musical instruments directly impacts a musician's vocabulary and phrasing choices. Early on, I developed a fascination for this dynamic. I have frequently practiced upright bass literature on the bass guitar, and vice versa, in an effort to gain balanced musical freedom in my relationship with both bass instruments. Over time, I naturally gravitated towards experiments to achieve sounds on each instrument that approximate the tonal qualities of the other. Consequently, I have discovered and developed both personalised new techniques and conceptual approaches that expand the sonic and perceived stylistic capabilities of both instruments.

Examples of the techniques that result from these investigations and the creative transfer of knowledge include (for the double bass) alternate fingering systems, plectrum technique, extended pizzicato techniques, and (for the bass guitar) playing in thumb position and use of synthetic gut strings. The general musical terms, which we use to categorise instruments, can often limit our imagination when it comes to finding creative, individual and new ways of music making. The upright (acoustic) bass and the bass guitar (electric bass) by that measure fall into categories of 'acoustic' and 'electric' instruments. My experimentations blur and push these lines.

An instrument that embodies the principles of this statement is the bass cello (the BaCe), a hybrid instrument invented by Mark Zandfeld. It has a cello body that is merged with the neck of a bass guitar. Essentially, it plays like an electric bass guitar, yet as an acoustic instrument with the hollow body of a cello in standard bass tuning, it approximates the sonic characteristics of a pizzicato double bass. I am assisting Mr. Zandfeld in exploring steps to further perfect the construction of this instrument through my expertise as a player. On the upright bass, I achieve unconventional electronic' sounds by exploring sonic possibilities with effect pedals. My plectrum technique affords the upright bass a new concept of sound that alters the attack and the sustain of each note, making the instrument suitable to be adopted in various musical settings that are typically associated with the bass guitar and other instruments.  

With the considerable amount of extended tonal possibilities that my research offers, my work essentially facilitates manifold forms of music making that defy previously assumed musical limitations. With the extended palette of sounds the spectrum of their functional range is broadened. Consequently, more contexts are created in which the upright bass and the bass guitar can be used interchangeably. With the publication of my in-depth research, which compares the differences and moreover embraces the similarities between the upright bass and the bass guitar, I aim to offer bassists effective, updated methods that facilitate a unified approach to equally mastery of both instruments. Furthermore, I aspire to popularise my self developed hybrid bass techniques and sounds, through the symbiosis of my performance activities and my PhD work, to help other bassists adapt these as possible further steps in the evolution of modern bass playing.

Main image: Photo by Anna Yatskevich, Niklas Lukassen in New York, 2022.

Bio

Niklas Lukassen showcases an equally lyrical sensibility and skillful command on both the upright bass and the bass guitar. Living between London and Berlin, he has established himself as an increasingly indispensable part of the young European jazz scene.

A formative part of his career lies in New York where he attained a Masters’s Degree from Manhattan School of Music on a full scholarship under the mentorship of Ron Carter.

Immersed in different musical worlds, Niklas Lukassen’s sideman activities have sparked collaborations with the likes of Mike Stern, Joe Lovano, Jorge Rossy, Oz Noy and Sean Wayland. Furthermore, he expands beyond his position as a bass playing sideman and performed as a vocalist of the German National Jazz Orchestra (BuJazzO). 

On his band leader debut album Still Waters Run Deep, Niklas merges his talents as a composer, bassist and vocalist. Alongside his band, with Ben van Gelder, Kit Downes, Francesco Ciniglio and guests including Kurt Rosenwinkel and Wanja Slavin, he reveals unforeseen musical depths. His life in music has led him on tours across China, Malaysia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the USA and much of Europe. He has performed at historic concert venues including the Lincoln Center, Beacon Theatre, John F. Kennedy Center and the Berlin Philharmonie.