Franz Simandl was a double-bassist and pedagogue most remembered for his book New Method for the Double Bass, known as the Simandl book, which is to this day used as a standard study of double bass technique and hand positions.

His approach uses the first, second, and fourth fingers of the left hand (the third and fourth operating together as one digit) for stopping the strings in the lower register of the instrument and divides the fingerboard into various positions.

The second volume of the method looks at the use of thumb position using the thumb, first, second and third fingers, to play solo, high register work and again dividing the fingerboard up into a concept of positions. The second volume also delves extensively in to the playing of harmonics.

Simandl's "New Method" of playing, now over a century old, is still common among classical double bassists. Modern adaptations of, extensions to, and challenges to New Method doctrines are acknowledged.

Simandl studied at the Prague Conservatory

Prague Conservatory

Prague Conservatory, sometimes also Prague Conservatoire, in Czech Pražská konzervatoř, is a Czech secondary school in Prague dedicated to teaching the arts of music and theater acting.- Instruction :...

 with Josef Hrabe before becoming the principal bassist in the Vienna Court Opera Orchestra

Vienna State Opera

The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...

. He was Professor of double-bass at the Vienna Conservatory from 1869 to 1910. His pupils include many of the leading bassists of his time such as Ludwig Manoly

Ludwig Manoly

Ludwig Manoly was a Hungarian-born double bassist who studied in Vienna and upon completing his studies, spent his life in the United States...

, who came to New York City becoming principal bass of the New York Philharmonic

New York Philharmonic

The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...

 and was an influential teacher.

The Simandl "family tree" of bass pedagogues extends for many generations. Prominent bassist/educators who can trace their lineage directly back to Simandl include Adolf Misek

Adolf Mišek

Adolf Mišek was a Czech double bassist and composer of the late romantic era.Born in Modletín , he left for Vienna at the age of 15 to study with Franz Simandl at the Vienna Conservatory...

, Richard Davis, Mark Dresser

Mark Dresser

Mark Dresser is an American double bass player and composer.-Biography:He has performed and recorded with many of the luminaries of "new" jazz composition and improvisation. For ten years he performed with the Anthony Braxton Quartet, as well as diverse groups led by Ray Anderson, Tim Berne,...

, Joseph Guastafeste, Greg Sarchet, Gary Karr

Gary Karr

Gary Karr b. November 20, 1941 in Los Angeles, California, is an American classical double bass virtuoso and teacher.- Biography :Although he comes from seven generations of bassists, he was not encouraged by them to go into music...

, Hermann Reinshagen, Karl E. H. Seigfried

Karl E. H. Seigfried

Karl E. H. Seigfried is a German-American jazz, rock, and classical bassist, guitarist, composer, bandleader, writer and educator based in Chicago....

, Ludwig Streicher

Ludwig Streicher

Ludwig Streicher was a contrabassist from Vienna, Austria. Familiar to many as the former principal bass of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and leading bass soloist, he is also known as a self-taught instructor and as the author of a popular contrabass textbook.-Career:Entering the Vienna Music...

, Bertram Turetzky

Bertram Turetzky

Bertram Turetzky is a contemporary American double bass soloist, teacher, and author of The Contemporary Contrabass , a book that looked at a number of new and interesting ways of playing the double bass including featuring it as a solo performance vehicle with no other instrumental...

, and Frederick Zimmermann

Frederick Zimmermann

Frederick Zimmermann was an American double bassist and teacher. He played in the New York Philharmonic from 1930-1966 serving as assistant-principal and principal and taught at the Juilliard School, Mannes College of Music, Columbia University, Manhattan School of Music, and New York University...

.

External links

• Prague School Family Tree