mom4

Maybe I'm naive (my musician son is a cellist) but is it possible to check with the school about lending you a bass for the audition? Your son could bring his bow... Or maybe check with a local dealer to see if you can rent one for the weekend. Good luck!

BassDad

The problem there is that basses differ quite a bit from one to another. The string length, body size and even the note that plays when you finger a string at the point the fingerboard meets the body of the instrument can differ from one bass to the next. If you have spent hours and hours practicing one one bass then suddenly switch to another, you will be at a disadvantage for the audition. Depending on the player and the instrument, it can take hours to weeks to get really comfortable on a new instrument.

pcannon

At Rice, Paul Ellison lets applicants audition with his bass, made by Daniel Hatchez. If anything, that's an advantage.

I wouldn't try it elsewhere, though.

BassDad

Agreed. That is one of the nicer basses on the planet being played by some of the most talented students because Rice pre-screens on bass and only lets the best do a live audition. The adjustment period in that case is likely to be on the shorter side and the results pretty darned good.

Using an unfamiliar instrument of unknown quality would be very risky. It might be OK for a sample lesson, but most of the time would not be wise for an important audition.

Chopsticks81

No, he won't go for using a different bass for an audition, or another bow for that matter. He's had to use rental basses for school festivals and he's never had one that lived up to his own personal bass.

cathymee

Chopsticks
will you be travelling with your S and renting a car in Indiana for the drive to Indiana U/Bloomington? Its about a 40 minute drive to the campus from the airport and while there is a private car service/shuttle or taxi's I don't know how they would feel about transporting a double bass.

Chopsticks81

That was the plan. I know bass trunks are large so I'd have to get a large SUV. I've read about bass players requesting handicapped-friendly taxis to get from A to B. I'm not sure how a shuttle might react. Could someone recommend a hotel that's within walking distance?

BassDad

In case SUV's are in short supply, a bass trunk will fit in most large minivans with the third row seat down and one of the two middle row seats taken out, folded up and stashed in the cargo area behind the other. You may or may not have to fold down the front passenger seat to get it to work. You still have the seat behind the driver for one passenger.

It may also fit in some large station wagons with all of the seats on the passenger side laid flat and the passenger sitting in the seat behind the driver.