The Double Bass Click here to listen to the double bass (RealAudio file) Also known as the contrabass, the double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched member of the violin family. The double bass has a compass of about 2 1/4 octaves, and to avoid the constant use of leger lines, the notes are written an octave higher than the real sounds. The great length and thickness of the strings means that the fingers are more prone to insurmountable physical difficulties. In order to eliminate this problem, the strings are tuned in fourths instead of fifths - G D A and E - to avoid long finger stretches. Next instrument - the Flute Previous instrument - the Cello Back to the Orchestra construction of the double bass The Body: The double bass is usually about 1.8 m long, holding four (sometimes five) long, thick strings. The shape of a double bass closely resembles the early viol rather than its modern stringed counterparts, the upper sloping shoulders and flat back being the characteristic features. The absence of broad shoulders (as seen on the violin, viola and cello) allows the player to reach over and bow the strings Tuning: Another unique feature of the double bass is the tuning pegs that point towards the back of the instrument rather than jutting out at the sides. Because of high string tension, the tuning adjustment is done by a cogwheel mechanism Double bass players were the last to discard the convex bow, later adopting the new concave Tourte type. Bowing techniques, until recently, were very similar to viol bowing and today, there are two common ways of holding the bow: German - bow is held like a saw, and French - held like a cello bow