Best of 2014: The Top 10 Lowdown with Dr. D Columns

Donovan Stokes

Every other Monday, Dr. Donovan Stokes brings offers up his latest prescription for improving ourselves as bassists. We’re lucky to have someone with his vast knowledge and status as an educator.

Here are the top 10 most popular Lowdown columns published in 2014.

Improving Troublesome Passages: Five Tips for Bass Players

1. Improving Troublesome Passages: Five Tips for Bass Players

From the speed in which we practice troublesome passages, to taking it apart, here are 5 tips on breaking down troublesome musical passages…

Freelance Gigs: Five Tips for Bass Players

2. Freelance Gigs: Five Tips for Bass Players

When you’re working as a freelance musician, it is important to remember some key things so you’ll be called again on a later date. Here are 5 tips to keep in mind…

Musical Goals and Self Evaluation

3. Musical Goals and Self Evaluation

The end of the year is a time for evaluation for many of this. To encourage you to self-evaluate, Dr. D has shared some examples for musical evaluation for us to consider…

Avoiding Injury: Five Tips for Bass Players

4. Avoiding Injury: Five Tips for Bass Players

As bassists, our health is important, and paying attention to our routine is paramount to avoiding injury. Here are five tips to keep in mind to staying healthy and injury free…

Things to Know About the Bridge on Your Upright Bass

5. Things to Know About the Bridge on Your Upright Bass

Having a properly set up bridge on your upright is an important factor in the playability, sound and the long-term health of your instrument. Here are some things every upright player should know…

Five Things to Remember to When Moving from Electric to Upright Bass

6. Five Things to Remember to When Moving from Electric to Upright Bass

The electric bass and the double bass are cousins, and it seems intuitive that one plays both instruments. But the instruments differ enough to create challenges when switching. Dr. D has the prescription for making the switch…

Getting Back in the Practice Room: Regaining Inspiration

7. Getting Back in the Practice Room: Regaining Inspiration

Everyone who stays at this music thing for a time will likely find themselves lacking in motivation at some point or another. If practicing has become a chore, or if you can’t even bring yourself to pick up the instrument, perhaps some of these strategies might bring some fire back into your musical life…

Starting Back Up on Bass After a Long Break

8. Starting Back Up on Bass After a Long Break

Even those of us who maintain a regular practice routine may find ourselves taking an extended period of time away from our instrument. When that happens, we can expect to find our technique slightly eroded. Dr. D has the remedy…

A Few Tips from a Traveling Bassist

9. A Few Tips from a Traveling Bassist

Performing on the road as an upright bassist can be both a rewarding and challenging experience. Here are a few tips Dr. D has learned and picked up from colleagues, to help things go smoothly…

How Much Should I Practice?

10. How Much Should I Practice?

“How Much Should I Practice?” This is a question Dr. D often gets from both serious and amateur bassists. While there is no single answer for everyone, Dr. D does have an excellent prescription for all of us to consider…

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