Are there musical numbers where the double bass is played humorously?

harmonica · 05-06-2021, 10:25 PM

I was writing music that I want to be funny, like the kind of music you hear in Curb Your Enthusiam, which is of course really silly sounding.

In that music, they play a tuba in a funny way, but I am not sure if I want a tuba. I was thinking maybe a string double bass instead, played with a bow, but is there any musical numbers where a double bass is played in a funny way? I have been looking but not able to find one even. Unless there is any?

Thanks for any advice on it! I really appreciate it!

CellolessCellist · 09-15-2021, 09:27 AM

Perhaps some inspiration might come from Božo Paradžik‘s double bass arrangement of pink panther?

harmonica · 09-15-2021, 02:32 PM

Oh I never thought of the pink panther theme as funny but maybe it is? I just thought of it as suave sounding more.

Plankton · 09-16-2021, 09:05 AM

Some of Les Claypool's performances could be considered humorous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97cSRzWw5uo

DianneW · 09-17-2021, 07:19 AM

harmonica · 09-17-2021, 08:36 AM

Okay thanks for the links! Well I was looking for examples of a funny double bass played with a bow and only one of the examples shows a bow. But can the double bass be played with a bow in a humorous way, or not really?

DianneW · 09-20-2021, 02:55 AM

Trashysnob? · 10-09-2021, 03:38 PM

new member so i cant post a link, but try "a very difficult piece for the double bass", i dont know if it's funny or horrifying, or both

Rahere · 12-20-2021, 05:55 AM

One of Malcolm Arnold's unfinished works was a Fantasy for Double Bass, and as almost all of his work had a certain humour to it, it might ge worth checking now it's been finished for him.

Rahere · 12-20-2021, 05:58 AM

Of course, the classic one is Saint-Saens anticiparion of Fantasia, putting Offenbach's can-can into the DB as the description of the elephant. It might make an encore to play it fast at the top of the fingerboard!

05-06-2021, 10:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
harmonica Groupie Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 17	Are there musical numbers where the double bass is played humorously? I was writing music that I want to be funny, like the kind of music you hear in Curb Your Enthusiam, which is of course really silly sounding. In that music, they play a tuba in a funny way, but I am not sure if I want a tuba. I was thinking maybe a string double bass instead, played with a bow, but is there any musical numbers where a double bass is played in a funny way? I have been looking but not able to find one even. Unless there is any? Thanks for any advice on it! I really appreciate it!

09-16-2021, 09:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
Plankton Just Keep Swimming... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: See signature... Posts: 7,766	Some of Les Claypool's performances could be considered humorous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97cSRzWw5uo __________________ See location...

09-15-2021, 09:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
CellolessCellist Groupie Join Date: Sep 2021 Posts: 1	Perhaps some inspiration might come from Božo Paradžik‘s double bass arrangement of pink panther?

09-15-2021, 02:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
harmonica Groupie Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 17	Oh I never thought of the pink panther theme as funny but maybe it is? I just thought of it as suave sounding more.

09-17-2021, 07:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
DianneW Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: S W France S. Deux Sevres Posts: 1,161

09-17-2021, 08:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
harmonica Groupie Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 17	Okay thanks for the links! Well I was looking for examples of a funny double bass played with a bow and only one of the examples shows a bow. But can the double bass be played with a bow in a humorous way, or not really?

09-20-2021, 02:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
DianneW Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: S W France S. Deux Sevres Posts: 1,161

10-09-2021, 03:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
Trashysnob? Groupie Join Date: Oct 2021 Posts: 12	new member so i cant post a link, but try "a very difficult piece for the double bass", i dont know if it's funny or horrifying, or both

12-20-2021, 05:55 AM	#9 (permalink)
Rahere Groupie Join Date: Dec 2021 Location: London Posts: 12	One of Malcolm Arnold's unfinished works was a Fantasy for Double Bass, and as almost all of his work had a certain humour to it, it might ge worth checking now it's been finished for him.

12-20-2021, 05:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
Rahere Groupie Join Date: Dec 2021 Location: London Posts: 12	Of course, the classic one is Saint-Saens anticiparion of Fantasia, putting Offenbach's can-can into the DB as the description of the elephant. It might make an encore to play it fast at the top of the fingerboard!