‘Be natural and share your love for music’: Gary Karr’s Life Lessons

My grandfather’s best friend, Uda Demenstein, was my first teacher. In fact he taught three generations of bassists in my family. He lived just across the street and would work with me every day after school. He always stressed the importance of maintaining a satisfying sound, no matter how difficult the technical challenges. Although Uda had a strong influence on me, it was from my grandfather that I gained the wisest advice. After I played him a Simandl exercise, he scolded me mercilessly for playing it without ‘feeling’, saying that I should never do that again. I am positive my approach to the bass was a result of Uda’s training and my grandfather’s advice…