# Notating alternative notes for double basses with no C extension



## Lassi Tani (Sep 15, 2022)

Hi all! I have a score, which has double basses playing below the E string. I've read that not all double bass players use the C extension by default, and an alternative note an octave higher should be marked in the score. What's the standard way of marking it in orchestral scores? I'm using Sibelius.


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## Rob (Sep 15, 2022)

we usually leave that to the player, so no additional marking... but if I had to, I'd probably note it as a smaller parenthesyzed note one octave above on the same stem...


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## Bollen (Sep 15, 2022)

What Rob said...


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## JJP (Sep 15, 2022)

An added note may lead to a question from the section, which is something I try to avoid. 
Your best bet is to check with the ensemble performing the music to verify the range. Otherwise, as mentioned above, leave it to the players. If they don't have the extension, they will play it an octave up.


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## Bollen (Sep 16, 2022)

JJP said:


> An added note may lead to a question from the section, which is something I try to avoid.
> Your best bet is to check with the ensemble performing the music to verify the range. Otherwise, as mentioned above, leave it to the players. If they don't have the extension, they will play it an octave up.


Most instrumentalists that play instruments that can have extended ranges (e.g. bass, clarinet) are used to seeing notes below their standard range with another note bracketed. However, if you don't put anything they might just decide for themselves and ruin a perfectly beautiful voicing. Say you have a 5th (low C and G) and the basses that play the C all jump an octave above, that powerful sound you expected will suddenly sound like a muddy mess, since 4ths don't have the same LIL tolerance.


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## JJP (Sep 16, 2022)

Bollen said:


> Say you have a 5th (low C and G) and the basses that play the C all jump an octave above, that powerful sound you expected will suddenly sound like a muddy mess, since 4ths don't have the same LIL tolerance.


5ths at the bottom of the contrabass register? That's already a muddy mess.


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## Bollen (Sep 17, 2022)

JJP said:


> 5ths at the bottom of the contrabass register? That's already a muddy mess.


Sure, perhaps that wasn't the best of examples, but as someone who spends an inordinate amount of time working out the best possible voicings, I don't like the idea of a random musician just changing it on a whim. Rather give them an option decided by me or silence.

In any case, you wouldn't disagree that this:
View attachment C7 5th.mp3

Is much better than this:
View attachment C7 4th.mp3


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## JJP (Sep 17, 2022)

The question is about practical notation. If the contrabass doesn’t have the lower pitch, nothing we write will produce that pitch. There is no choice but to play an octave up or not at all.

If the instrument does have that pitch, they will play it. However, adding an alternate pitch may lead to a question about what is desired. (“Should we divide?“ “Is that an alternate cue note?” “Is that an optional double-stop?”) I prefer to avoid any questions for the player.

When I am faced with this situation, I try to find out exactly what instruments are being used. If that’s not possible, orchestrate conservatively to avoid the lower pitch or enable the octave to be transposed without serious problems.

In this case the OP has a score that already has this pitch, which I assume means they can’t re-orchestrate, so there’s really no option. Write the part as-is and avoid unnecessary questions.


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## Lassi Tani (Sep 17, 2022)

Rob said:


> we usually leave that to the player, so no additional marking... but if I had to, I'd probably note it as a smaller parenthesyzed note one octave above on the same stem...


Thanks Rob! That makes sense.


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