Double bass beginners should play in all left-hand positions

What are the most common problems you find in students looking to develop their playing skills?

Many students have had poor training before they come to college: perhaps they learnt with someone who doesn’t play the bass, or they taught themselves. I spent years teaching myself, and a lot of bad habits had formed before I found myself a good teacher.

The adjustment of the instrument is important too. I can remember when I first started I was struggling to play this thing – the strings were a mile off the fingerboard. The people who sold it to me just took it out of a box and stuck the bridge on without adjusting it properly, and King Kong couldn't have pushed the strings down. If the instrument isn’t set up properly, you’ll end up with the worst playing position you can possibly find.

Players end up weighed down by clutter: unnecessary ideas, motions and movements. When looking at technique I find that students often know some answers, but the most important thing to understand is the questions. Once they understand what the instrument wants and what they have to do to play it, things become much simpler.