Chords for The Elephant by Camille Saint-Saens double bass solo
Tempo:
104.6 bpm
Chords used:
Eb
Bb
F
A
Ab
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Probably the most famous piece of Camille Saint-Saëns is the Carnival of the Animals.
This is a piece that demonstrates different sections of the orchestra
and they're supposed to imitate the animal that's designated.
For the bass, he wrote a solo called The Elephant
and it's deceptively humorous in its composition
and it's certainly played often.
The elephant is, in this case, a very sophisticated elephant
and performances that add a certain amount of grotesqueness to the performance
I think does not do justice to this piece.
It's interesting that even though it's the most popular piece of his,
during his lifetime he would not allow it to be performed
with the exception of the cello solo called The Swan.
Here is The Elephant, Camille Saint-Saëns.
[Eb]
[D] [F]
[D]
[F] [C] [Eb]
[F] [Ebm] [D]
[G] [Bb] [Eb]
[C] [Abm]
[E] [Gb] [A]
[Gb]
[B]
[Bb] [Eb] [Eb]
[F] [Abm]
[F] [Bb]
[Db] [C]
[D] [D] [Eb] [Bb]
[F] [Eb]
[A] Probably the most important thing to consider when you're working on this solo
is what fingering you're going to do.
Of course you could do this
[Eb] [F]
and there's nothing wrong with that at all
and it does keep you in one position, it helps with intonation,
you can even continue on.
[Cm] [F]
[Bb] I prefer going up the A string, not to do this,
[Eb]
which unfortunately is too frequently done,
but to keep the color the same.
Now that downbeat that I just played [Bb] has an accent.
There is not an accent on the downbeat of the first note.
So don't do this.
[Eb] [Bb]
[Eb] [Bb]
[F] [Ab] It's really
Now here I stay on the D string for a while.
[G]
[F] [Bb]
Now the theme, [Eb] accent.
[F] [D]
[Bb]
[A] [G] Now the melody I do, starting on the D string with my first finger,
[Eb]
[G]
G sharp [Ab] with two.
[E]
[A] [Ab]
There's a lot of different ways that you could finger that.
[Gb]
[A] [Bb] [Ab] [A]
[Ab] Or
[A] [Ab] Or
[Am]
[A] Or
[Ab] [Gb] which is my preference.
Followed [Eb] by
[B] [C]
[B] Accent, accent, accent.
Change [Bb] bow.
[Eb]
Accent, [F]
[Bb] [Eb]
[F] accent.
[Bb]
[Db] Fortissimo, [Bb] which works really well on the A string.
[Db]
[C] [A] Now drop down a little in dynamic.
[C] [Ab] [C] [D] Accent.
[Bb] [F]
[Eb] And that could also be played here.
[Bb]
But you can dig in a little more if you're up [F] here.
[Eb] And the last two notes have [Bb] accents too.
[Eb] [Bb] [Eb] Or
[Bb] [Eb] Or
Any of those bowings work.
This is a piece that demonstrates different sections of the orchestra
and they're supposed to imitate the animal that's designated.
For the bass, he wrote a solo called The Elephant
and it's deceptively humorous in its composition
and it's certainly played often.
The elephant is, in this case, a very sophisticated elephant
and performances that add a certain amount of grotesqueness to the performance
I think does not do justice to this piece.
It's interesting that even though it's the most popular piece of his,
during his lifetime he would not allow it to be performed
with the exception of the cello solo called The Swan.
Here is The Elephant, Camille Saint-Saëns.
[Eb]
[D] [F]
[D]
[F] [C] [Eb]
[F] [Ebm] [D]
[G] [Bb] [Eb]
[C] [Abm]
[E] [Gb] [A]
[Gb]
[B]
[Bb] [Eb] [Eb]
[F] [Abm]
[F] [Bb]
[Db] [C]
[D] [D] [Eb] [Bb]
[F] [Eb]
[A] Probably the most important thing to consider when you're working on this solo
is what fingering you're going to do.
Of course you could do this
[Eb] [F]
and there's nothing wrong with that at all
and it does keep you in one position, it helps with intonation,
you can even continue on.
[Cm] [F]
[Bb] I prefer going up the A string, not to do this,
[Eb]
which unfortunately is too frequently done,
but to keep the color the same.
Now that downbeat that I just played [Bb] has an accent.
There is not an accent on the downbeat of the first note.
So don't do this.
[Eb] [Bb]
[Eb] [Bb]
[F] [Ab] It's really
Now here I stay on the D string for a while.
[G]
[F] [Bb]
Now the theme, [Eb] accent.
[F] [D]
[Bb]
[A] [G] Now the melody I do, starting on the D string with my first finger,
[Eb]
[G]
G sharp [Ab] with two.
[E]
[A] [Ab]
There's a lot of different ways that you could finger that.
[Gb]
[A] [Bb] [Ab] [A]
[Ab] Or
[A] [Ab] Or
[Am]
[A] Or
[Ab] [Gb] which is my preference.
Followed [Eb] by
[B] [C]
[B] Accent, accent, accent.
Change [Bb] bow.
[Eb]
Accent, [F]
[Bb] [Eb]
[F] accent.
[Bb]
[Db] Fortissimo, [Bb] which works really well on the A string.
[Db]
[C] [A] Now drop down a little in dynamic.
[C] [Ab] [C] [D] Accent.
[Bb] [F]
[Eb] And that could also be played here.
[Bb]
But you can dig in a little more if you're up [F] here.
[Eb] And the last two notes have [Bb] accents too.
[Eb] [Bb] [Eb] Or
[Bb] [Eb] Or
Any of those bowings work.
Key:
Eb
Bb
F
A
Ab
Eb
Bb
F
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
Probably the most famous piece of Camille Saint-Saëns is the Carnival of the Animals.
This is a piece that demonstrates different sections of the orchestra _ _
and they're supposed to imitate the animal that's designated.
For the bass, _ _ he wrote a solo called The Elephant
and _ _ it's _ deceptively humorous in its composition _ _
and it's certainly played often. _ _
The elephant _ is, in this case, a very sophisticated elephant
and _ performances that add a certain amount of grotesqueness to the performance
I think does not do justice to this piece.
It's interesting that even though it's the most popular piece of his,
during his lifetime he would not allow it to be performed
with the exception of the cello solo _ called The Swan. _ _ _
Here is The Elephant, Camille Saint-Saëns. _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _
_ [D] _ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
[F] _ _ [C] _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _ [Ebm] _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[G] _ _ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ [Eb] _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _ [Abm] _
_ _ [E] _ _ _ _ [Gb] _ [A] _
_ _ _ [Gb] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [B] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[Bb] _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _
[F] _ _ _ _ [Abm] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [F] _ _ _ [Bb] _
_ [Db] _ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _
[D] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [Eb] _ [Bb] _
_ _ [F] _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ Probably the most important thing to consider when you're working on this solo
is what fingering you're going to do.
Of course you could do this
[Eb] _ _ _ [F] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ and there's nothing wrong with that at all
and it does keep you in one position, it helps with intonation,
you can even continue on.
_ [Cm] _ _ _ _ _ [F] _ _
_ [Bb] _ _ I prefer going up the A string, not to do this,
[Eb] _ _
_ which unfortunately is too frequently done,
but to keep the color the same. _ _ _
_ Now that downbeat that I just played [Bb] has an accent.
There is not an accent on the downbeat of the first note.
So don't do this.
[Eb] _ _ _ [Bb] _
_ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _
[F] _ _ [Ab] It's really_
Now here I stay on the D string for a while.
_ _ _ [G] _ _
_ _ [F] _ _ _ _ [Bb] _
Now the theme, [Eb] _ _ accent. _ _
_ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _
[A] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ Now the melody I do, starting on the D string with my first finger,
_ _ _ [Eb] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _
G sharp [Ab] with two.
_ [E] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [A] _ _ [Ab] _
There's a lot of different ways that you could finger that.
_ [Gb] _ _
[A] _ _ [Bb] _ _ [Ab] _ _ [A] _ _
_ _ _ [Ab] Or_ _ _ _
[A] _ _ [Ab] Or_
_ _ [Am] _
[A] Or_
_ _ _ [Ab] _ [Gb] which is my preference.
_ Followed _ [Eb] by_ _
[B] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ [B] Accent, _ _ _ accent, _ _ accent. _ _ _ _
Change [Bb] bow.
_ _ _ [Eb] _ _
Accent, _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
_ _ [Bb] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _
_ [F] _ accent.
_ [Bb] _ _ _
_ _ [Db] Fortissimo, _ _ [Bb] which works really well on the A string.
[Db] _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ [A] Now drop down a little in dynamic.
[C] _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ [C] _ [D] Accent.
_ _ [Bb] _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
[Eb] _ And that could also be played here.
[Bb] _ _
_ But you can dig in a little more if you're up [F] here. _
_ [Eb] _ And the last two notes have [Bb] accents too.
_ [Eb] _ _ _ [Bb] _ [Eb] Or_ _
[Bb] _ [Eb] Or_ _ _ _ _
Any of those bowings work. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
Probably the most famous piece of Camille Saint-Saëns is the Carnival of the Animals.
This is a piece that demonstrates different sections of the orchestra _ _
and they're supposed to imitate the animal that's designated.
For the bass, _ _ he wrote a solo called The Elephant
and _ _ it's _ deceptively humorous in its composition _ _
and it's certainly played often. _ _
The elephant _ is, in this case, a very sophisticated elephant
and _ performances that add a certain amount of grotesqueness to the performance
I think does not do justice to this piece.
It's interesting that even though it's the most popular piece of his,
during his lifetime he would not allow it to be performed
with the exception of the cello solo _ called The Swan. _ _ _
Here is The Elephant, Camille Saint-Saëns. _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _
_ [D] _ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
[F] _ _ [C] _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _ [Ebm] _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[G] _ _ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ [Eb] _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _ [Abm] _
_ _ [E] _ _ _ _ [Gb] _ [A] _
_ _ _ [Gb] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [B] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[Bb] _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _
[F] _ _ _ _ [Abm] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [F] _ _ _ [Bb] _
_ [Db] _ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _
[D] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [Eb] _ [Bb] _
_ _ [F] _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ Probably the most important thing to consider when you're working on this solo
is what fingering you're going to do.
Of course you could do this
[Eb] _ _ _ [F] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ and there's nothing wrong with that at all
and it does keep you in one position, it helps with intonation,
you can even continue on.
_ [Cm] _ _ _ _ _ [F] _ _
_ [Bb] _ _ I prefer going up the A string, not to do this,
[Eb] _ _
_ which unfortunately is too frequently done,
but to keep the color the same. _ _ _
_ Now that downbeat that I just played [Bb] has an accent.
There is not an accent on the downbeat of the first note.
So don't do this.
[Eb] _ _ _ [Bb] _
_ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _
[F] _ _ [Ab] It's really_
Now here I stay on the D string for a while.
_ _ _ [G] _ _
_ _ [F] _ _ _ _ [Bb] _
Now the theme, [Eb] _ _ accent. _ _
_ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _
[A] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ Now the melody I do, starting on the D string with my first finger,
_ _ _ [Eb] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _
G sharp [Ab] with two.
_ [E] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [A] _ _ [Ab] _
There's a lot of different ways that you could finger that.
_ [Gb] _ _
[A] _ _ [Bb] _ _ [Ab] _ _ [A] _ _
_ _ _ [Ab] Or_ _ _ _
[A] _ _ [Ab] Or_
_ _ [Am] _
[A] Or_
_ _ _ [Ab] _ [Gb] which is my preference.
_ Followed _ [Eb] by_ _
[B] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ [B] Accent, _ _ _ accent, _ _ accent. _ _ _ _
Change [Bb] bow.
_ _ _ [Eb] _ _
Accent, _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
_ _ [Bb] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _
_ [F] _ accent.
_ [Bb] _ _ _
_ _ [Db] Fortissimo, _ _ [Bb] which works really well on the A string.
[Db] _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ [A] Now drop down a little in dynamic.
[C] _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ [C] _ [D] Accent.
_ _ [Bb] _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
[Eb] _ And that could also be played here.
[Bb] _ _
_ But you can dig in a little more if you're up [F] here. _
_ [Eb] _ And the last two notes have [Bb] accents too.
_ [Eb] _ _ _ [Bb] _ [Eb] Or_ _
[Bb] _ [Eb] Or_ _ _ _ _
Any of those bowings work. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _