Beginner Bass 2: 50 Melodies in Half Position for Double Bass (arr. Heyes)

About the Book

BEGINNER BASS 2 is a collection of 50 short, fun, and accessible melodies in Half Position for the beginner bassist. A range of keys, time signatures, and musical styles is included, alongside interesting bowing and rhythmic challenges, making these ideally suited as study or sight-reading repertoire for the beginner bassist of any age.

Dynamics are at the discretion of the student and teacher and bowings should be amended as needed. The main aim is accessibility and enjoyment, with the collection featuring pieces for different ability levels but remaining in Half Position.

The melodies do not need to be taught in any specific order, and the book could be taught alongside any method or book of etudes. Some of the melodies can also be played an octave higher for bassists beginning to play in thumb position.

The book also includes scales, arpeggios and dominant sevenths which are playable in half position.

Contents

1. Solo from Symphony No 1 — Gustav Mahler
2. National Anthem — 18th-century Patriotic Song
3. Czech Song No.2 — Václav Bech
4. Au Clair de la Lune — French Folk Song
5. French Folk Song — Traditional Tune
6. Early One Morning — English Folk Song
7. Blow the Man Down — Sea Shanty
8. Searching for Lambs — Somerset Folk Song
9. Moravian Song No.1 — Václav Bech
10. Michael Row the Boat Ashore — Spiritual
11. The Soldier's March — Robert Schumann
12. London Bridge is Falling Down — English Nursery Rhyme
13. Tortoises — Camille Saint-Saëns
14. A Mysterious Waltz — David Heyes
15. Lavender's Blue — Nursery Rhyme
16. Pastoral Symphony (Messiah) — G.F. Handel
17. What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor? — Sea Shanty
18. Frère Jacques — Nursery Rhyme
19. The Elephant — Camille Saint-Saëns
20. Czech Song No.1 — Václav Bech
21. Stepping Stones — David Heyes
22. More Stepping Stones — David Heyes
23. When the Saints Go Marching In — Spiritual
24. Russian Song No.1 — Václav Bech
25. Lightly Row — German Folk Song
26. It was a Lover and his Lass — Thomas Morley
27. Way Out West — David Heyes
28. Roses from the South — Johann Strauss II
29. Old French Song — Peter Tchaikovsky
30. The Bluebells of Scotland — Scottish Folk Song
31. Ode to Joy — Ludwig van Beethoven
32. Bobby Shaftoe — Nursery Rhyme
33. Czech Song No.5 — Václav Bech
34. Snakes & Ladders — David Heyes
35. Lullaby (Wiegenlied) — Johannes Brahms
36. The Grand Old Duke of York — English Traditional Song
37. Rock-a-Bye Baby — Nursery Rhyme
38. Czech Song No.3 — Václav Bech
39. Andulko (Little Angel) — Czech Folk Song
40. Strawberry Fair — English Folk Song
41. Girls and Boys, Come Out to Play — Nursery Rhyme
42. Sumer is icumen in — Medieval English Round
43. The Ash Grove — Welsh Traditional Tune
44. Barbara Allen — English Folk Song
45. The British Grenadiers — English Traditional Song
46. John Barleycorn — Somerset Folk Song
47. Michael Finnigan — English Traditional Song
48. Skip to my Lou — American Folk Song
49. The Gift to be Simple — Shaker Song
50. The Great Gate of Kiev — Modest Mussorgsky