The Bass Guitar Cordially Explained

Chances are that if you're writing a piece of music that calls for a low-pitched instrument, you're not going to have many choices. Luckily, the bass guitar is an instrument that can be put to a variety of uses in modern music.

A bass guitar is very much like a regular guitar, although many differences are apparent. While both bass and normal guitars can be acoustic, electric bass guitars are widely preferred over acoustic versions. Bass guitars are usually limited to only four strings, which are tuned one octave lower than the lowest four strings on a normal guitar. In addition, the frets of a bass guitar may be removed. This has been copied by guitar players over time, but interestingly enough bassists were the first to try it.

One thing that makes the bass guitar so appealing to so many people is that there are many ways to play it. One method, called fingerstyle, involves the player using only their fingers to fret the notes on the neck and pluck the strings. Fingerstyle is a popular method mainly because of the many tones one can create using it.

Like a normal guitar, a bass guitar can also be played with a guitar pick. Any normal guitar pick can work on a bass guitar as well, and it is known to create a more percussive tone which many say is more pronounced and distinct than a bass guitar played fingerstyle.

Usage of Modern Bass Guitars

Unlike the guitar, which has great potential for harmonic and melodic uses, the bass guitar is mainly classified as a rhythmic instrument. For example, in modern rock, a genre that electric bass guitars are prevalent in, the drums and bass are often used to set up the heartbeat of the piece and drive it along. Rock bassists often simply play single notes in a uniform rhythm in order to keep the pace and harmony of the song simultaneously. In faster, heavier rock genres such as hard rock or heavy metal, bass players are often heard playing blisteringly fast sixteenth notes and using distortion and feedback just like their lead guitar playing counterparts.

Another genre in which the bass guitar has gained much acclaim is jazz. Using swing rhythms, jazz bass guitarists can create exceptionally creative bass lines that push the music forward. The walking bass line, used by nearly all jazz bass players since the days of the upright bass, is a trademark example of jazz bass playing. By playing chord tones on every beat of every measure and swinging the notes ever so slightly, walking bass lines can really propel jazz pieces in a creative way.

Although the bass guitar may seem like an instrument that lacks versatility, looks can be deceiving. The bass guitar can be played in a variety of ways and is used to fill roles in many different musical genres.

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