That bass sounds like a cello!!!

@manny75586 Actually, Edgar has never tuned up a fifth. He keeps his bass in standard solo tuning (up a whole step) except for the low E . That's AEBE high to low. And his bass is certainly not half-size... His main bass (the Gabrielli seen in this video) is a fairly standard 3/4, maybe a little smaller in the lower bout, with a standard 41 1/2" or so string length. I have played this bass, and it certainly can sound like a bass if you want it too. His sound mainly comes from his playing style.

@rainhead07 Yes, I've become aware of that in recent months.

@manny75586 He probably uses this one to tour with, considering airlines charge enormous rates for 3/4s size basses and it's a nightmare trying to get them around. Bassists don't tune to 5ths to sound like a cello. I know Joel Quarrington and Red Mitchell do--it's just a personal preference of sound. The top plate vibrates differently under 5th's tuning's pressure. A bass can never sound exactly like a cello because a bass and cello are derived from different instrument families anyway.

@Mikeinatorable one final note, there has NEVER been a final determination which family the original double basses belonged to. (viol or violin) because there are basses made in both traditions. However, most basses since the 1800's have been made in the violin trad. However, whichever tradition they are built in, it only affects the rib structure not the way the soundboard is placed or sounds for that matter which is why the bass plays with the other violin family and doesnt sound out of place.

@sosome57 meyer is classically trained

@Mikeinatorable You need to read what I wrote again. I said 'tune a 5th UP' not 'tune to 5ths' People with smaller basses often have the G string tuned to D (as in the D below the treble staff) all of the other strings are tuned in that manner as well. So they are a 5th higher than they normally are but still tuned in 4ths and yes it is absolutely done to make a bass sound more cello-like. I also never said it will sound exactly like a cello I said sound more like one.

@Mikeinatorable I mean this as no disrespect to Edgar's abilities which are unquestionable, but his main bass is MAYBE a 1/2 bass. It is tiny and as such will sound more like a cello in any person's hands than a 4/4 bass is going to sound. In fact he has often played that bass tuned a 5th up to make it even more cello-esque. That said he makes the most of this tendency for his instrument to sound like a cello and makes gorgeous music with it.

Fairly certain

Are you sure this is from the Well-Tempered Clavier?

@TH3B3A57 When a bass player is playing Bach and purposefully trying to sound like a cello to match the sound Bach would have wanted, then that happens.

Yes, it's the F# major prelude from book II of the Well Tempered Clavier. Every recording of it I've ever heard is much, much faster. But Bach didn't leave any tempo indications, so who knows?

When I watch Thile play, I think, "Damn, I wish I had those calluses!" He's got to have some seriously callused fingers!

Very tentative performance, poor intonation. What's the big deal here?