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Double-bass (balalaika)
My creative biography is also closely connected with this instrument. Therefore I would like to tell you something about it. It is the largest in the family of Russian balalaikas, and is a most powerful and deep instrument as regards dynamics and sound. The heart of any chord is the bass.
Sometimes this bass turns into a pedal, from time to time it transforms into fragments of thematic material, but never loses its main function. The bass is the support; the beginning of all beginnings.
Like other balalaikas, the double-bass has three strings, but their tuning system is different - Å A D. Such a tuning system expands the range of the instrument (From contraoctave E to small octave G). People play double-bass with a big plectrum, which softens and deepens the sound.
The low tuning system of the instrument implies the necessity of thick strings, to make sounds from which can be difficult. To get a nice sound from the strings, it is necessary to press correctly and firmly on them with one or two fingers of the left hand, and to pluck softly but deeply and firmly with the right hand.
The technique of playing this instrument is being constantly developed and improved. Right now, the double-bass balalaika draws the attention of soloists as well as practising teachers, who are developing the school of playing the double-bass.
In 1999, I was also invited by a well-known band "BALALAIKA" (the Komi Republic, Syktyvkar city) as the double-bass player to take part in a tour around Sweden where many performances were planned on different concert stages, including a performance with one of the world best accordionists Oleg Sharov.
A funny thing happened before one of the performances. Just before going onstage I accidentally dropped the double-bass and as the neck is under such strong tension from the thick metallic strings, the fingerboard was broken. The concert was suddenly under threat of cancellation, but fortunately we found some Scotch Tape nearby, the fingerboard was stuck back on, In fact I managed to play the concert well enough so that no one noticed anything.
In 2003, during the tour of "NORD-QUARTET" around the USA, we loaded our luggage and instruments on to the conveyer belt at the New York airport and before take-off we received them from another belt. Everything was there except for my double-bass. We got the entire staff on it, and before taking off we were assured that the double-bass was being loaded onto the plane. It appeared that they wanted to send it on another aircraft travelling in the opposite direction. Fortunately, everything turned out well.
I am happy that through my profession, I have the opportunity to not only earn my living but also get real pleasure from doing so :)
I first came across this instrument in 1986, when studying in the Tverskoy musical college when I was invited as a guitarist to become a member of the fantastic group "NEDELKA" under the guidance of Alexander Nekrasov.
Sometimes the main double-bass player of the group was unable to play at a concert or come to a rehearsal, in which case I took his place by the leader's request. As a result, I was able to learn to play this instrument quite well.
Soon, especially for me, the bass balalaika (an instrument which duplicates the function of a double-bass, but is smaller in size) was introduced into the group.
Thus, in this group, I played two instruments, interchanging the guitar with the bass or double-bass balalaika.
I have only pleasant memories from the time spent in this group. It is difficult to calculate the number of concert performances we have given in the cities and out-of-the-way places in Russia. Our performances in Budapest (Hungary) in 1988 also remain strong in my memory. We were well received by the audience. That was my first experience of performing abroad.
Unfortunately, no audio or video records of the performances remain from that time, although sometimes would like to get back to that world, which now exists only in my memories.
The next group where I played the double-bass balalaika, was the quartet "BARINYA" which later became the trio "PROMENADE". This was in 1990, when studying in the Petrozavodsk branch of the St.Petersburg State Conservatory of Music. Whilst part of this group, I played the double-bass balalaika in the orchestra "ONEGO" of the Karelian State Philharmonic Society.
Playing in the orchestra "ONEGO" was very interesting as well as intensive. Well-known world musicians performed with this group: V.Gridin (button-accordeon), A.Gorbachyov (balalaika) and many others.
From 1999, I have been a soloist in the group "NORD-QUARTET", with which I have given a great number of concert performances in Russia and abroad. This group has also received a wide variety of awards and victories at festivals and competitions.
"NORD"-QUARTET" (demo-video)
Sometimes you can play pizzicato with your thumb. It is necessary in compositions with a light texture, which demand gentle, clear and weightless sounds.
The size and shape of the instrument is such that it is necessary to stand while playing, and a metal pin is fastened to the instrument which rests on the floor while playing. So neither the body, nor the deck of the instrument touch the clothes of the performer. This gives the huge vibrant effect and results in a strong, long, and deep sound.
The tone parameters of a double-bass balalaika enable the deep abyss of an ocean storm to be recreated, the patter of rain drops, and the thud of hoofs, as well as many other "colours".
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