Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn the double bass
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The double bass is the largest of the bowed string instruments, played with the bow or plucked, and it holds up the bass line in orchestras, jazz bands, bluegrass, country and pop. Adult string classes in the UK and US take beginners on it alongside violins and cellos.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsWith othersUK and US
What starting is like
Berkshire Maestros, a UK music service, says the double bass, also called the contra bass or upright bass, takes strength in body, mind and fingers; learners work on intonation and a relaxed posture, and short, regular practice sessions are key. It adds that in an ensemble everyone hears you first, and everyone has to tune to you.
Benslow Music's Late Starter Strings is designed for adults new to their instrument and includes the double bass, taught at the tutor's home, with instrument hire at £10 a month. In the US, the Museum of Making Music's Fundamentals 1 is for adults with little to no experience on violin, viola, cello or bass, and Tennessee Tech's String Project runs Monday-evening adult beginner classes on the upright acoustic bass that end in a concert in May; it does not provide instruments.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Benslow Music | Late Starter Strings; weekly term-time lessons for adults, one-to-one, in pairs or in a group of three | £24 for 30 minutes one-to-one, or £12 each in a group of three (45 minutes); hire £10 a month |
| Surrey Arts, Surrey | Individual lessons for adults at any level | £16.10 for 20 minutes, £23 for 30 minutes |
| Museum of Making Music (US) | North Coast Strings Fundamentals 1; Tuesdays 4pm to 5.15pm, 15 September 2026 to 16 January 2027 | $200 |
| Ronald Sachs Violins, Atlanta | Double bass rental; two months up front; damage protection and sales tax extra | $70 a month |
How to start
- Find an adult beginners' string class or lessons that name the double bass, at a music centre, music school or community string project.
- Hire a bass for the first months rather than buying one; some schemes rent to adult learners.
- Practise in short, regular sessions, as Berkshire Maestros advises, working on tuning and a relaxed posture.
Where to go
- Benslow Music: Late Starter Strings, including double bass UK
- Surrey Arts: music lessons for adults, including double bass UK
- Museum of Making Music: North Coast Strings for adults US
- Tennessee Tech String Project: adult beginners US
We opened these links on 10 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Questions people ask
Can I learn double bass as an adult?
Yes. Benslow Music's Late Starter Strings is designed for adults new to their instrument, and the Museum of Making Music's Fundamentals 1 is for adults with little to no experience on violin, viola, cello or bass.
Is the double bass hard to learn?
Berkshire Maestros says it takes strength in body, mind and fingers, and that short, regular practice sessions are key to progress.
How much does it cost to rent a double bass?
Benslow Music lists hire at £10 a month for its Late Starter Strings pupils, and Ronald Sachs Violins in Atlanta lists bass rental at $70 a month, before damage protection and sales tax.
Is the upright bass the same as the double bass?
Yes. Berkshire Maestros says the double bass is also called the contra bass or upright bass.
Where this comes from: Berkshire Maestros (Berks Music Trust), Double bass; Benslow Music, Late Starter Strings Instrumental Lessons; Surrey County Council, Music lessons for adults; Museum of Making Music, North Coast Strings fall session 2026; Tennessee Tech, The String Project, Adult Beginners; Ronald Sachs Violins, String instrument rentals. Opened 10 November 2026.
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