One of the most popular position systems on the double bass these days is the Rabbath position system.
I think the Rabbath system is brilliant.
I think of these not only as positions, but regions on the bass. That seems to help well when explaining this to people.
Here’s a quick breakdown and what notes you’re covering on the G string:
- first position – first finger on the note A
- second position – between C and D, over the “tuning harmonics”
- third position – first finger on D – using pivoting, we can get all the way from D to G
- fourth position – thumb on G octave harmonic
- fifth position – thumb on D above the octave harmonic
- sixth position – thumb on the second G octave harmonic
