Arnold Schnitzer's guest appearances

Arnold Schnitzer

Contrabass Conversations

David Allen

Paul Simon

Brian Johnson

Willie Nelson

Henry Chen

William Parker

Steve Metcalf

Scott Dixon

John Davis

Chris West

Leonard Bernstein

Paul Johnson

Miles Brown

Kevin Brown

Rick Jones

OwlTail

Renowned double bass luthier Arnold Schnitzer recently released a book titled The Handy Double Bassist; Maintenance, Adjustments and Repairs for the Non-Luthier.  This book is available in print edition through the ISB Store as well as through the DBHQ digital store.   We dig into the inspiration for this book, what bassists can and can’t do on their own, strange tales from years of maintaining basses, and much more.  Enjoy, and check out our  conversation from 2016 to learn more about Arnold’s cool path into the bass building world.   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.   Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. Check out my  Beginner's Classical Bass course and  Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.   Thank you to our sponsors! Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio​, led by Micah Howard. Interested in studying with Micah? ​Read testimonials​  from his former students. Dorico - Unlock Dorico for iPad – For Life! Want to enjoy all of Dorico for iPad’s subscription-only features – including support for unlimited players, freehand annotations in Read mode with Apple Pencil, support for third-party Audio Unit plug-ins, and much more – but don’t want to pay a monthly or annual fee? Dorico for iPad now provides a lifetime unlock option, so you can access all current and future subscription-only features for a single, one-off in-app purchase. Visit the App Store today and unlock Dorico for iPad for life!    theme music by Eric Hochberg 

Renowned double bass luthier <a href="http://cellobass.com/index.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arnold Schnitzer</a> recently released a book titled The Handy Double Bassist; Maintenance, Adjustments and Repairs for the Non-Luthier.  This book is available in print edition through the <a href="http://www.isbstore.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ISB Store</a> as well as through the DBHQ digital store. We dig into the inspiration for this book, what bassists can and can’t do on their own, strange tales from years of maintaining basses, and much more.  Enjoy, and check out our <a href="https://contrabassconversations.com/2016/06/02/cbc-218-arnold-schnitzer-dirty-jobs-ergonomic-basses-maker-competitions/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> conversation from 2016</a> to learn more about Arnold’s cool path into the bass building world. <a href="http://smarturl.it/cbcpodcast?ck_subscriber_id=90309136" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe to the podcast</a> to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our <a href="https://gumroad.com/dbbpublications?sort=newest" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Online Sheet Music Store</a> with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists. <a href="http://contrabassconversations.com/app" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle</a>. Check out my <a href="https://courses.discoverdoublebass.com/p/beginners-classical-bass" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Beginner's Classical Bass course</a> and <a href="https://courses.discoverdoublebass.com/p/intermediate-advanced-classical-bass" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course</a>, available exclusively from <a href="https://discoverdoublebass.com/jasonheath" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discover Double Bass</a>. Thank you to our sponsors! <a href="https://www.micahbhoward.com/heath" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio​</a>, led by Micah Howard. Interested in studying with Micah? <a href="https://www.micahbhoward.com/pages/testimonials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">​Read testimonials​</a> from his former students. <a href="https://steinberg.net/dorico" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dorico</a> - Unlock Dorico for iPad – For Life! Want to enjoy all of Dorico for iPad’s subscription-only features – including support for unlimited players, freehand annotations in Read mode with Apple Pencil, support for third-party Audio Unit plug-ins, and much more – but don’t want to pay a monthly or annual fee? Dorico for iPad now provides a lifetime unlock option, so you can access all current and future subscription-only features for a single, one-off in-app purchase. Visit the App Store today and unlock Dorico for iPad for life! <ul> <li>theme music by <a href="https://erichochberg.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eric Hochberg</a></li> </ul>

997: Arnold Schnitzer on The Handy Double Bassist

Today we feature double bass luthier Arnold Schnitzer.  Arnold has had an interesting career path, from gigging around the East Coast as a youth to entering the corporate world and finally finding his way to the word of instrument repair.  We talk about a wide range of topics, including information versus knowledge, wisdom, and street smarts, and the perils and pitfalls of the information age. We also dig into Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs (there’s a great interview with him on the Tim Ferriss podcast) - this all starts about 20 minutes into the actual interview - and training people for the jobs that actually exist, and the “in-between” jobs.  This is quite a conversation—be sure to check this out.  There’s a lot of food for thought here. We also get deep into instrument construction, setup, maker competitions, wolf tones, and the Oberlin Bass Workshop, which Arnold serves on the faculty for and which sounds like a very cool event.  I know that you’re really going to enjoy this conversation with the always interesting Arnold Schnitzer! Interview Highlights Early Years  born in Miami Beach (South Beach), FL moved up to Far Rockaway, NJ when he was young - dad was in construction dad got them a boat but Arnold and siblings had to figure out money for gas and fix it up his story of getting this Bohemian bass in his late 30s while working corporate recruiting gig and making good money but hating the job and basically just figuring out on his own (consulting people along the way) how to take this old beater bass apart and totally reconstruct it  Information versus Knowledge  we talk about information vs. knowledge/wisdom/street smarts - this is an illuminating discussion Arnold is a jazz musician from way back, and he sees instrument repair as a constant improvisation we talk about Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs (there’s a great interview with him on the Tim Ferriss podcast) - this all starts about 20 minutes into the actual interview  alternate paths to going to college for x, y, z - people getting trained for the jobs that actually exist  traditional jobs are disappearing the in-between jobs are the ones that aren’t going away - electrician, plumber, instrument repair, air conditioning service - and these can pay really well! training people for jobs that have gone out of vogue   being a luthier does involve working with your hands, but it really involves working with your brain - problem solving with your command center  The Future of Employment   looking at predictions of jobs in the future and the rise of the worker less economy, think twice about going to college and racking up $100,000 in student loans musicians are the most conservative people on the planet… especially rock &amp; rollers  Double Bass Setup and Construction  ergonomic contrabass - thought it up while on painkillers wolf tones on the bass  all basses will have some wolfiness   clarity mainly comes from setup rather than construction  what brands of strings can help with clarity other adjustments that can be made to help with clarity   thoughts on maker competitions - judges are looking at basses through the eyes of the violin world motto of Oberlin Bass Society: “everyone teaches, everyone learns" 

Today we feature double bass luthier Arnold Schnitzer.  Arnold has had an interesting career path, from gigging around the East Coast as a youth to entering the corporate world and finally finding his way to the word of instrument repair.  We talk about a wide range of topics, including information versus knowledge, wisdom, and street smarts, and the perils and pitfalls of the information age. We also dig into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Rowe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mike Rowe</a>'s Dirty Jobs (there’s a great <a href="http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/05/04/mike-rowe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview with him on the Tim Ferriss podcast</a>) - this all starts about 20 minutes into the actual interview - and training people for the jobs that actually exist, and the “in-between” jobs.  This is quite a conversation—be sure to check this out.  There’s a lot of food for thought here. We also get deep into instrument construction, setup, maker competitions, wolf tones, and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oberlinbass/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Oberlin Bass Workshop</a>, which Arnold serves on the faculty for and which sounds like a very cool event.  I know that you’re really going to enjoy this conversation with the always interesting Arnold Schnitzer! Interview Highlights Early Years <ul> <li>born in Miami Beach (South Beach), FL</li> <li>moved up to Far Rockaway, NJ when he was young - dad was in construction</li> <li>dad got them a boat but Arnold and siblings had to figure out money for gas and fix it up</li> <li>his story of getting this Bohemian bass in his late 30s while working corporate recruiting gig and making good money but hating the job and basically just figuring out on his own (consulting people along the way) how to take this old beater bass apart and totally reconstruct it</li> </ul> Information versus Knowledge <ul> <li>we talk about information vs. knowledge/wisdom/street smarts - this is an illuminating discussion</li> <li>Arnold is a jazz musician from way back, and he sees instrument repair as a constant improvisation</li> <li>we talk about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Rowe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mike Rowe</a> of Dirty Jobs (there’s a great <a href="http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/05/04/mike-rowe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview with him on the Tim Ferriss podcast</a>) - this all starts about 20 minutes into the actual interview <ul> <li>alternate paths to going to college for x, y, z - people getting trained for the jobs that actually exist </li> <li>traditional jobs are disappearing</li> <li>the in-between jobs are the ones that aren’t going away - electrician, plumber, instrument repair, air conditioning service - and these can pay really well!</li> <li>training people for jobs that have gone out of vogue</li> </ul> </li> <li>being a luthier does involve working with your hands, but it really involves working with your brain - problem solving with your command center</li> </ul> The Future of Employment  <ul> <li>looking at predictions of jobs in the future and the rise of the worker less economy, think twice about going to college and racking up $100,000 in student loans</li> <li>musicians are the most conservative people on the planet… especially rock &amp; rollers</li> </ul> Double Bass Setup and Construction <ul> <li>ergonomic contrabass - thought it up while on painkillers</li> <li>wolf tones on the bass <ul> <li>all basses will have some wolfiness</li> </ul> </li> <li>clarity mainly comes from setup rather than construction <ul> <li>what brands of strings can help with clarity</li> <li>other adjustments that can be made to help with clarity</li> </ul> </li> <li>thoughts on maker competitions - judges are looking at basses through the eyes of the violin world</li> <li>motto of Oberlin Bass Society: “everyone teaches, everyone learns"</li> </ul>

218: Arnold Schnitzer on dirty jobs, ergonomic basses, and maker competitions