“The double bass – it’s terribly temperamental.
It changes with the weather because it’s wood.
You have to talk to it.
You have to baby it.
Or it will decay and dry up.
It won’t stay vibrating.
It must vibrate to stay alive.”
– Trailblazing double bassist Orin O’Brien, the first woman to become a full-time member of the New York Philharmonic.
This quote above from The Netflix documentary Only Girl in the Orchestra got me good. Orin’s commitment to her craft is astounding. Go watch. It won the Oscar for best documentary short. Her story is beautifully rendered.
It must vibrate to stay alive.
Thought some of you may need this melodic reminder. Stay vibrating.
p.s. I believe the guy in the band (on the far right) is playing a double bass??? It’s the closest image I have taken that relates to the topic. I’m a music appreciator and not a musician (clearly). So go with it, people.
