# The Bass's Own Voice, Double bass

Extended techniques, jazz pizzicato, and slap bass

The double bass straddles classical and jazz with total authority, it is equally at home in a Mahler symphony and a bebop trio. These lessons develop the full spectrum of techniques that make you fluent in both worlds.

Advanced · 5 lessons · approximately 120 minutes of material (not a mastery deadline).

## Before this module
- [Living in the Upper Register](/learn/bass/living-upper-register), Extended thumb position and the extreme high range

## What this module covers
1. **Advanced Jazz Pizzicato, Groove & Swing**, Walking bass, swing feel, and the language of jazz pizzicato (24 min)
2. **Slap Bass Technique**, The percussive slap technique used in rockabilly, jazz, and folk traditions (24 min)
3. **Col Legno & Extended Bow Techniques**, Tapping and scraping with the wood of the bow for percussive effects (24 min)
4. **Left-Hand Pizzicato**, Plucking strings with the left hand while the bow continues (24 min)
5. **Multiphonics & Percussive Effects**, Contemporary extended techniques that push the bass beyond conventional sound (24 min)

## Practise with a free reference
- [Free metronome](/tools/metronome), Use a steady pulse while you count or repeat a short phrase.
- [Double bass first-position chart](/charts/bass), A lower-position reference only; it does not show every accidental, extension or shift in this module.

## What comes next
- [Three Centuries of Style](/learn/bass/three-centuries), Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and jazz-era bass playing

## Where should I start with the bass's own voice?
The curriculum places Living in the Upper Register before this module. Review those topics if they are unfamiliar. The first lesson is “Advanced Jazz Pizzicato, Groove & Swing”: Walking bass, swing feel, and the language of jazz pizzicato. The order is a study guide, not proof that every learner needs the same pace.

## How long is the the bass's own voice module?
The 5 listed lessons total approximately 120 minutes of material. That estimate describes lesson content, not the practice time needed to become comfortable with extended techniques, jazz pizzicato, and slap bass. Revisit one task at a time and use feedback from a teacher where physical technique is involved.

## What can I try here without an account?
The the bass's own voice description, lesson sequence and prerequisite links are public. There is no full worked lesson sample for this module yet. The linked public tools and references are free. A free account includes the complete five-lesson foundation module in each instrument and five lessons in music theory, with saved progress and no expiry. Later lessons require the relevant paid package.

## Continue in Arco
The complete five-lesson foundation module in each instrument and five music theory lessons are free with an account, including saved progress and no time limit. Later lessons require the relevant paid package. Public samples do not assess your physical technique or certify exam readiness.

[See packages and pricing](/pricing) · [Back to the double bass curriculum](/learn/bass)

Canonical source: https://arcosounds.com/learn/bass/own-voice