# Two Voices at Once, Double bass

Double stops and chordal playing

Double stops on the bass are rare in orchestral writing but essential in the solo repertoire, and intonation demands are severe at this string length. These lessons give you the hand strength and precision to manage them.

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

## Before this module
- [The Bow Unleashed](/learn/bass/bow-unleashed), Advanced bow strokes and off-string technique

## What this module covers
1. **Open-String Double Stops**, Using open strings to build double stop fluency and intonation (24 min)
2. **Stopped Double Stops, Thirds & Octaves**, The most common double stop intervals in the bass solo repertoire (24 min)
3. **Fifths & Unisons**, The resonant fifth and the intonation-refining unison double stop (24 min)
4. **Chordal Passages in the Repertoire**, Applying double stop technique to actual passages from bass solo works (24 min)
5. **Intonation in Double Stops on a Large Scale**, The particular demands of tuning two notes when the fingerboard is enormous (24 min)

## Practise with a free reference
- [Double bass tuner](/tools/tuner/bass), Check the open-string reference before comparing stopped notes.
- [Double bass first-position chart](/charts/bass), A lower-position reference only; it does not show every accidental, extension or shift in this module.
- [Public scale references](/learn/scales), Read pitch sequences and play reference examples. Available routines do not establish an exam syllabus requirement.

## What comes next
- [Thumb Position](/learn/bass/thumb-position), The upper register, where the bass becomes a cello

## Where should I start with two voices at once?
The curriculum places The Bow Unleashed before this module. Review those topics if they are unfamiliar. The first lesson is “Open-String Double Stops”: Using open strings to build double stop fluency and intonation. The order is a study guide, not proof that every learner needs the same pace.

## How long is the two voices at once 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 double stops and chordal playing. 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 two voices at once 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/two-voices