Fund Joseph's Paris Trip to Learn from a Bass Legend

TL:DR - François Rabbath is a self-taught double bassist who changed the world of our instrument. Unfortunately, recordings of many of his pieces are hard to find onlne. I decided to record an album of some of these pieces - for Rabbath's legacy, for my own education, and for my bass students. And now I get to study with him across the Atlantic.

Hi!

My name is Joseph Fisher-Schramm. I play music for a living, which means I kind of have three jobs in a trench coat. I also started a game company with some friends and am writing a novel. I like to make things, and I also really like my friends and other artists.

All of this started when I was 10. Following the standard Texas public school route, I picked up the double bass. (I was supposed to start on viola, but I cried all class because I wanted to play bass.) The 19 years since have been fun and chaotic - I went to college for music, I've played in all sorts of places and styles, I've worked as a stage hand and a booking agent and a record producer and an educator. Not to mention the fiction writing and the game universe stuff.

In college, my double bass private teacher introduced me to the work of François Rabbath. In short, Rabbath is a self-taught double bassist with a harrowing story of developing his own technique, traveling the world, teaching many of the world's best bassists, and composing extraordinary music and instructional books. I fell in love with his music immediately, to the point of including one of his pieces on a recent album of mine.

When discussing Rabbath recently with a bassist friend, I was reminded of the disappointing fact that much of his wonderful compositions and recordings are hard to access. While many pieces are widely recorded, or have performances on YouTube, I am deeply fortunate to own some of his albums on vinyl or CD - and these albums are generally out of print and/or stuck on these physical media. As a teacher, I was bummed to not be able to show some of these pieces easily to my students. I decided to record an album of some of these pieces - for Rabbath's legacy, for my own education, and for my bass students. Not to mention any other music fan.

When seeking lessons and advice on this album idea from a former student of Rabbath's, they said, "Have you considered taking a short trip to Paris?" And surprisingly enough, Rabbath himself (though 93, is still playing, teaching, and learning himself) is willing to hear my interpretations of his work and teach me.

I am still in shock. Not to mention that I've never been to Europe. Nor can I afford to. But it would be silly to not figure it out.

I am planning to be in Paris for 8 days in late October, studying and practicing. All of my learning from this experience, besides making this future album the best it can be, will improve every artistic venture I pursue for the rest of my life. I already feel his studying helping my teaching, my overall focus, and my personal drive.

I would be honored and so grateful if you helped me get there. I will be doing a few benefit concerts in my area and livestreams on my YouTube channel, if you want to ask questions or share this around!

Thanks for taking the time to read all this! I hope you have a good day.