Bass guitar: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Electric plucked string instrument}} |
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{{Infobox Instrument |
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{{for|the magazine|Bass Guitar (magazine){{!}}''Bass Guitar'' (magazine)}} |
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|name=Bass guitar |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} |
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|names=Bass, electric bass guitar, electric bass. |
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{{Use American English|date=September 2017}} |
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|image=Stingray guitar.jpg |
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{{Infobox instrument |
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|image_capt=A [[Music Man (company)|Music Man]] [[Music Man StingRay|StingRay]] bass |
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| name = Bass guitar |
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|background=string |
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| names = Electric bass, bass |
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|classification=[[String instrument]] ([[pizzicato|fingered]] or [[plectrum|picked]]; rarely [[strummed]]) |
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| image = 70's Fender Jazz Bass.png |
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|hornbostel_sachs=321.322 |
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| image_capt = [[Fender Jazz Bass]] |
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|hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite [[chordophone]] |
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| background = string |
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|inventors=[[Paul Tutmarc]], [[Leo Fender]] |
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| classification = [[String instrument]] |
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|developed=1930s |
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| hornbostel_sachs = 321.322 |
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|range=[[File:Range contrabass.png|130px|center]]<div class="center">(a standard tuned 4-string bass guitar)</div> |
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| hornbostel_sachs_desc = Composite [[chordophone]] |
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|related = |
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| inventors = [[Paul Tutmarc]], [[Leo Fender]] |
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* [[Electric guitar]] |
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| developed = 1930s |
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| range = [[File:Range bass guitar.png|200px|center]]<div class="center">Range of a standard tuned 4-string bass guitar (brackets: 5-string)</div> |
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| related = * [[Electric guitar]] |
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* [[Double bass]] |
* [[Double bass]] |
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* [[Acoustic bass guitar]] |
* [[Acoustic bass guitar]] |
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* [[Ukulele bass]] |
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|musicians = |
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* [[ |
* [[Fretless bass]] |
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* [[Electric upright bass]] |
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|articles = |
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}} |
}} |
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The '''bass guitar''', '''electric bass''' or simply '''bass''' ({{IPAc-en|b|eɪ|s}}) is the lowest-pitched member of the [[guitar]] family. It is a [[plucked string instrument]] similar in appearance and construction to an [[Electric guitar|electric]] or [[acoustic guitar]], but with a longer [[neck (music)|neck]] and [[Scale length (string instruments)|scale length]]. The bass guitar most commonly has four strings, though five- and six-stringed models are also relatively popular, and bass guitars with even more (or fewer) [[string (music)|strings]] or [[Course (music)|courses]] have been built. Since the mid-1950s, the bass guitar has largely come to replace the [[double bass]] in [[popular music]] due to its lighter weight, the inclusion of [[fret]]s (for easier [[Intonation_(music)|intonation]]) in most models, and, most importantly, its design for electric amplification. This is also because the double bass is acoustically compromised for its range (like the [[viola]]) in that it is scaled down from the optimal size that would be appropriate for those low notes. |
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The four-string bass guitar is usually tuned the same as the double bass, which corresponds to pitches one [[octave]] lower than the four lowest-pitched strings of a guitar (typically [[E (musical note)|E]], [[A (musical note)|A]], [[D (musical note)|D]], and [[G (musical note)|G]]). It is played primarily with the fingers or thumb, or with a [[plectrum|pick]]. |
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The '''bass guitar'''<ref>According to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, an "Electric bass guitar [bass guitar] [is] a Guitar, usually with four heavy strings tuned E1'-A1'-D2-G2." ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London, 2001)</ref> (also called '''electric bass''',<ref>The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians defines the term ''bass'' thus: "Bass (iv). A contraction of Double bass or Electric bass guitar." Ibid.</ref><ref>The proper term is "electric bass", and it is often misnamed "bass guitar", according to Tom Wheeler, ''The Guitar Book'', pp 101–2. ''Guitars'' by Evans and Evans, page 342, agrees.</ref><ref>Although "electric bass" is one of the common names for the instrument, "bass guitar" or "electric bass guitar" are commonly used and some authors claim that they are historically accurate (e.g., "How The Fender Bass Changed The World" in the references section).</ref> or simply '''bass'''; {{IPAc-en|icon|ˈ|b|eɪ|s}}) is a [[stringed instrument]] played primarily with the [[finger]]s or [[thumb]], by plucking, [[slapping]], popping, tapping, thumping, or [[guitar pick|picking]]. |
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The electric bass guitar is acoustically a relatively quiet instrument, so to be heard at a practical performance volume, it requires [[Bass amplifier|external amplification]]. It can also be used in conjunction with [[DI unit|direct input box]]es, audio interfaces, mixing consoles, computers, or bass effects processors that offer headphone jacks. The majority of bass [[Pickup (music technology)|pickup]] systems are electromagnetic in nature. |
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The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an [[electric guitar]], but with a longer [[neck (music)|neck]] and [[scale (string instruments)|scale]] length, and four, five, six, or eight [[strings (music)|strings]]. The four-string bass—by far the most common—is usually tuned the same as the [[double bass]],<ref>Bass guitar/Double Bass tuning E1=41.20 Hz, A1=55 Hz, D2=73.42 Hz, G2=98 Hz + optional low B0=30.87 Hz</ref> which corresponds to pitches one [[octave]] lower than the four lower strings of a guitar (E, A, D, and G).<ref>Standard guitar tuning E2=82.41 Hz, A2=110 Hz, D3=146.8 Hz, G3=196 Hz, B3=246.9 Hz, E4=329.6 Hz</ref> The bass guitar is a [[transposing instrument]], as it is notated in [[bass clef]] an octave higher than it sounds (as is the double bass) to avoid excessive [[ledger line]]s. Like the electric guitar, the bass guitar is plugged into an [[Bass instrument amplification|amplifier and speaker]] for live performances. |
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== Terminology == |
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Since the 1960s, the bass guitar has largely replaced the [[double bass]] in [[popular music]] as the bass instrument in the [[rhythm section]].<ref>Roberts, Jim (2001). [http://books.google.com/books?id=1m2kRBQscfoC&lpg=PA41&pg=PA56#v=onepage&q&f=false 'How The Fender Bass Changed the World' p. 56] "The surf/instrumental rock genres of the early 1960s were crucial proving grounds of the still-newfangled electric bass..."</ref> While the types of [[bassline]]s performed by the bassist vary widely from one style of music to another, the bassist fulfills a similar role in most types of music: anchoring the harmonic framework and laying down the beat. The bass guitar is used in many styles of music including [[rock music|rock]], [[heavy metal music|metal]], [[pop music|pop]], [[punk rock]], [[country music|country]], [[reggae]], [[gospel music|gospel]], [[blues]], and [[jazz]]. It is used as a soloing instrument in jazz, [[jazz fusion|fusion]], [[Latin music|Latin]], [[funk]], and in some rock and metal styles. |
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The ''New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' refers to this instrument as an "Electric bass guitar, usually with four heavy strings tuned E<sub>1</sub>'–A<sub>1</sub>'–D<sub>2</sub>–G<sub>2</sub>."{{sfn|Sadie|Tyrrell|2001|p=}} It also defines ''bass'' as "Bass (iv). A contraction of Double bass or Electric bass guitar." ''Mottola's Cyclopedic Dictionary of Lutherie Terms'' begins its definition of the instrument as "A bass guitar that produces sound primarily with the aid of electronic devices."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mottola |first1=RM |title=Mottola's Cyclopedic Dictionary of Lutherie Terms |date=2020 |publisher=LiutaioMottola.com |isbn=978-1-7341256-0-3 |pages=52}}</ref> According to some authors the proper term is "electric bass".{{sfn|Wheeler|1978|pp=101–102}}{{sfn|Evans|Evans|1977|p=342}} Common names for the instrument are "bass guitar", "electric bass guitar", and "electric bass"{{sfn|Bacon|Moorhouse|2016|p=}}{{page needed|date=August 2022}} and some authors claim that they are historically accurate.{{sfn|Roberts|2001|loc=References Appendix}} A bass guitar whose neck lacks [[Fret|frets]] is termed a [[fretless bass]]. |
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=== Scale === |
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{{Main|Scale length (string instruments)|l1 = Scale}} |
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The scale of a bass is defined as the length of the freely oscillating strings between the nut and the bridge saddles. On a modern 4-string bass guitar, 30" (76 cm) or less is considered short scale, 32" (81 cm) medium scale, 34" (86 cm) standard or long scale and 35" (89 cm) extra-long scale.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myths and Rumors on Scale Length - Premier Guitar |url=https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/bass-bench/bass-scale-length |access-date=September 17, 2023 |website=www.premierguitar.com |language=en}}</ref> |
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=== Pickup === |
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{{Main|Pickup (music technology)|l1=Pickup}} |
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[[File:Paul tutmarc.jpg|thumb|right|150 px|Musical instrument inventor Paul Tutmarc outside his music store in Seattle, Washington]] |
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Bass pickups are generally attached to the body of the guitar and located beneath the strings. They are responsible for converting the vibrations of the strings into analogous electrical signals, which are in turn passed as input to an [[instrument amplifier]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Veall |first=Dan |date=December 21, 2020 |title=Bass guitar pickups explained |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/bass-guitar-pickups-explained |access-date=March 1, 2022 |website=[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]]}}</ref> |
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In the 1930s, musician and [[inventor]] [[Paul Tutmarc]] from [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], developed the first electric string bass in its modern form, a [[fret]]ted instrument designed to be held and played horizontally. The 1935 sales catalog for Tutmarc's electronic musical instrument company, Audiovox, featured his "Model 736 Bass [[Fiddle]]", a four-stringed, solid-bodied, fretted electric bass instrument with a 30½-inch scale length.<ref>[http://www.bassic.ch/i_his_av.asp Model #736 Electric Bass Fiddle] (German text)</ref> The alteration to a "guitar" form made the instrument easier to hold and transport, and the addition of frets enabled bassists to play in tune more easily. Around 100 of these instruments were made during this period. |
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=== Strings === |
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Around 1947, Tutmarc's son, Bud, began marketing a similar bass under the Serenader brand name, prominently advertised in the nationally distributed L.D. Heater Co. wholesale jobber catalogue of '48. However, the Tutmarc family inventions did not achieve market success. |
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{{Main|String (music)|l1=Strings}} |
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Bass guitar strings are composed of a ''core'' and ''winding''. The core is a wire which runs through the center of the string and is generally made of steel, nickel, or an [[alloy]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koester |first=Thom |date=August 24, 2020 |title=What Are Guitar Strings Made Of? |url=https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/what-are-guitar-strings-made-of/ |access-date=February 17, 2022 |website=[[Sweetwater Sound]]}}</ref> The winding is an additional wire wrapped around the core. Bass guitar strings vary by the material and cross-sectional shape of the winding. |
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Common variants include roundwound, flatwound, halfwound (groundwound), coated, tapewound and taperwound (not to be confused with tapewound) strings. Roundwound and flatwound strings feature windings with circular and rounded-square cross-sections, respectively, with halfround (also referred to as halfwound, ground wound, pressure wound) strings being a hybrid between the two. Coated strings have their surface coated with a synthetic layer while tapewound strings feature a metal core with a non-metallic winding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Owens |first=Jeff |title=Bass Strings 101 |url=https://www.fender.com/articles/tech-talk/bass-strings-101 |access-date=February 17, 2022 |website=[[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Erskine |first=Damian |date=September 4, 2013 |title=Fretless Bass: A Guide for Choosing the Best Strings |url=https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/09/04/fretless-bass-a-guide-for-choosing-the-best-strings/ |access-date=September 17, 2023 |website=No Treble |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Anatomy of a Bass String - Premier Guitar |url=https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/bass-bench/bass-strings |access-date=September 17, 2023 |website=www.premierguitar.com |language=en}}</ref> Taperwound strings have a tapered end where the exposed core sits on the bridge saddle without windings.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Colin |date=November 8, 2022 |title=Bass Strings 101: The Ultimate Buyer's Guide |url=https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/best-bass-strings/ |access-date=September 17, 2023 |website=E-Home Recording Studio |language=en-US}}</ref> The choice of winding has considerable impact on the sound of the instrument, with certain winding styles often being preferred for certain musical genres.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brody |first=Mark |date=January 30, 2020 |title=Flatwound vs. Roundwound Bass Strings |url=https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/flatwound-vs-roundwound-bass-strings/ |access-date=March 1, 2022 |website=[[Sweetwater Sound]]}}</ref> |
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===1950s=== |
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[[File:Fender Bass Guitar Patent.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Design patent issued to Leo Fender for the second-generation [[Precision Bass]]]] |
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== History == |
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In the 1950s, [[Leo Fender]], with the help of his employee George Fullerton, developed the first mass-produced electric bass.<ref name="Slog1999">Slog, John J.; Coryat, Karl [ed.] (1999). ''The Bass Player Book: Equipment, Technique, Styles and Artists''. Backbeat Books. p. 154. ISBN 0-87930-573-8</ref> His [[Fender Precision Bass]], introduced in 1951, became a widely copied industry standard. The Precision Bass (or "P-bass") evolved from a simple, uncontoured "slab" body design similar to that of a [[Fender Telecaster|Telecaster]] with a [[single coil|single coil pickup]], to a contoured body design with beveled edges for comfort and a single four-pole "single coil pickup." This "split pickup", introduced in 1957, appears to have been two mandolin pickups (Fender was marketing a four string solid body electric mandolin at the time). Because the pole pieces of the coils were reversed with respect to each other, and the leads were also reversed with respect to each other, the two coils, wired in series, produced a [[humbucking]] effect (the same effect is achieved if the coils are wired in parallel). |
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=== 1930s === |
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[[File:Fender Jazz Bass.jpg|thumb|100px|right|A [[Fender Jazz Bass|Fender Standard Jazz Bass]] (front and back views)]] |
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[[File:Paul tutmarc.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Paul Tutmarc]], inventor of the modern bass guitar, outside his music store in Seattle, Washington]] |
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In the 1930s, musician and inventor [[Paul Tutmarc]] of [[Seattle]], Washington, developed the first electric bass guitar in its modern form, a [[fret]]ted instrument designed to be played horizontally. The 1935 sales catalog for Tutmarc's company Audiovox featured his "Model 736 Bass Fiddle", a solid-bodied electric bass guitar with four strings, a {{convert|30+1/2|in|mm|0|adj=on|abbr=off}} scale length, and a single [[Pickup (music technology)|pickup]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.vintageguitar.com/1782/audiovox-736/ |title=Audiovox #736: The World's First Electric Bass Guitar! |last=Blecha |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Blecha|website = [[Vintage Guitar (magazine)|Vintage Guitar]] |access-date=February 17, 2019|date=December 11, 2001 }}</ref> Around 100 were made during this period.{{sfn|Roberts|2001|pp=28–29}} |
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The "Fender Bass" was a revolutionary new instrument, one that could easily be played by an electric guitarist, could be easily transported to a gig, and could be amplified to just about any volume without [[Larsen effect|feeding back]]".<ref>Book review of ''How The Fender Bass Changed The World''. Available online at: http://blogcritics.org/books/article/how-the-fender-bass-changed-the/</ref> [[Monk Montgomery]] was the first bass player to tour with the Fender bass guitar, with [[Lionel Hampton|Lionel Hampton's]] postwar [[big band]].<ref>[[Nelson George|George, Nelson]] (1998). ''Hip Hop America''. [[Viking Press]]. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-670-87153-7</ref> Roy Johnson, and [[Shifty Henry]] with [[Louis Jordan]] & His [[Tympany Five]], were other early Fender bass pioneers.<ref name="Slog1999" /> [[Bill Black]], playing with [[Elvis Presley]], adopted the Fender Precision Bass around 1957.<ref name="Bacon2000" /> |
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Audiovox also sold their "Model 236" bass amplifier.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vintageguitar.com/1869/audiovox-and-serenader-amps/ |title=Audiovox and Serenader Amps – An Interview with Bud Tutmarc |website=[[Vintage Guitar (magazine)|Vintage Guitar]] |access-date=February 17, 2019|date=February 19, 2002 }}</ref> |
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=== 1950s === |
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Following Fender's lead, [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] released the first short scale [[violin]]-shaped electric bass with extendable end pin in 1953, allowing it to be played upright or horizontally. Gibson renamed the Electric Bass in 1958 as the [[EB-1]] <ref>[http://homepage2.nifty.com/eb-1/top.html Gibson EB-1<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> (The EB-1 was reissued around 1970, but this time without the end pin.) Also in 1958 Gibson released the maple arched top EB-2 described in the Gibson catalogue as ''A hollow-body electric bass that features a Bass/Baritone pushbutton for two different tonal characteristics''.<ref>[http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/EB2.php Gibson EB2 Bass Guitar<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 1959 these were followed by the more conventional-looking [[Gibson EB-0|EB-0 Bass]]. The EB-0 was very similar to a [[Gibson SG]] in appearance (although the earliest examples have a slab-sided body shape closer to that of the double-cutaway Les Paul Special). |
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[[File: |
[[File:Fender '51 Precision Bass, FGF museum.jpg|thumb|upright|left|An early [[Fender Precision Bass]]]] |
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In the 1950s, [[Leo Fender]] and [[George William Fullerton|George Fullerton]] developed the first mass-produced electric bass guitar.{{sfn|Slog|Coryat|1999|p=154}} The [[Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company]] began producing the [[Fender Precision Bass|Precision Bass]], or P-Bass, in October 1951. The design featured a simple uncontoured "slab" body design and a [[single coil pickup]] similar to that of a [[Fender Telecaster|Telecaster]]. By 1957 the Precision more closely resembled the [[Fender Stratocaster]] with the body edges beveled for comfort, and the pickup was changed to a [[humbucker|split coil]] design.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Owens |first1=Jeff |title=Legendary Lows: The Precision Bass Story |url=https://www.fender.com/articles/gear/legendary-lows-the-precision-bass-story |website=[[Fender (company)|Fender]] |access-date=January 7, 2020 |date=March 13, 2019}}</ref> |
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Whereas Fender basses had pickups mounted in positions in between the base of the neck and the top of the bridge, many of Gibson's early basses featured one [[humbucker|humbucking]] pickup mounted directly against the neck pocket. The [[Gibson EB-3|EB-3]], introduced in 1961, also had a "mini-humbucker" at the bridge position. Gibson basses also tended to be smaller, sleeker instruments; Gibson did not produce a 34" scale bass until 1963 with the release of the [[Gibson Thunderbird|Thunderbird]], which was also the first Gibson bass to use dual-humbucking pickups in a more traditional position, about halfway between the neck and bridge. A small number of other companies also began manufacturing bass guitars during the 1950s: [[Kay Musical Instrument Company|Kay]] in 1952, and [[Danelectro]] in 1956;<ref name="Bacon2000">Bacon, Tony (2000). ''50 Years of Fender''. Backbeat Books. p. 24. ISBN 0-87930-621-1</ref> |
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[[File:Fender Bass Guitar Patent.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Design patent issued to Leo Fender for the second-generation Precision Bass]] |
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1956 saw the appearance at the German trade fair "Musikmesse Frankfurt" of the distinctive [[Höfner 500/1]] violin bass made using violin construction techniques by Walter [[Höfner]], a second generation violin luthier.<ref>[http://www.fuenfhunderteins.de/history.htm history of the violin bass<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The instrument is often known as the "Beatle Bass", due to its endorsement by [[Paul McCartney]]. |
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The Fender Bass was a revolutionary instrument for gigging musicians. In comparison with the large, heavy [[upright bass]], which had been the main bass instrument in popular music from the early 20th century to the 1940s, the bass guitar could be easily transported to shows. When amplified, the bass guitar was also less prone than acoustic basses to unwanted [[audio feedback]].{{sfn|Roberts|2001|p=}} The addition of [[fret]]s enabled bassists to play in tune more easily than on fretless acoustic or [[electric upright bass]]es, and allowed guitarists to more easily transition to the instrument.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rogers |first1=Dave |last2=Braithwaite |first2=Laun |first3=Tim |last3=Mullally |date=May 13, 2013|title=1952 Fender Precision Bass |url=https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/1952_Fender_Precision_Bass |website=[[Premier Guitar]] |access-date=January 7, 2020}}</ref> |
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In 1953, [[Monk Montgomery]] became the first bassist to tour with the Fender bass, in [[Lionel Hampton]]'s postwar [[big band]].{{sfn|George|1998|p=91}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tamarkin |first=Jeff |title=Chops: Take Your Pick |url=https://jazztimes.com/features/columns/chops-take-your-pick/ |access-date=April 11, 2023 |website=JazzTimes |date=April 25, 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref> Montgomery was also possibly the first to record with the electric bass, on July 2, 1953, with [[the Art Farmer Septet]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Bass heroes: styles, stories & secrets of 30 great bass players: from the pages of Guitar player magazine|last=Mulhern|first=Tom|date=1993|publisher=GPI Books|isbn=0-585-34936-3|location=San Francisco|pages=165|oclc=47008985}}</ref> Roy Johnson (with Lionel Hampton), and [[Shifty Henry]] (with [[Louis Jordan]] and His [[Tympany Five]]), were other early Fender bass pioneers.{{sfn|Slog|Coryat|1999|p=154}} [[Bill Black]], who played with [[Elvis Presley]], switched from upright bass to the Fender Precision Bass around 1957.{{sfn|Bacon|2010|p=}} The bass guitar was intended to appeal to guitarists as well as upright bass players, and many early pioneers of the instrument, such as [[Carol Kaye]], [[Joe Osborn]], and [[Paul McCartney]] were originally guitarists.{{sfn|Roberts|2001|p=}} |
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In 1957 [[Rickenbacker]] introduced the model 4000 bass,<ref>[http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/axtbassarticle2.html Rickenbacker Bass Models and Specifications: The 4000 Series<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> the first bass to feature a neck-through-body design; the Fender and Gibson versions used bolt-on and glued-on necks. |
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Also in 1953, [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] released the first short-scale [[violin]]-shaped electric bass, the EB-1, with an extendable end pin so a bassist could play it upright or horizontally. In 1958, Gibson released the maple arched-top [[Gibson EB-2|EB-2]] described in the Gibson catalog as a "hollow-body electric bass that features a Bass/Baritone pushbutton for two different tonal characteristics". In 1959, these were followed by the more conventional-looking [[Gibson EB-0|EB-0 Bass]]. The EB-0 was very similar to a [[Gibson SG]] in appearance (although the earliest examples have a slab-sided body shape closer to that of the double-cutaway [[Gibson Les Paul|Les Paul]] Special). The Fender and Gibson versions used [[Bolt-on neck|bolt-on]] and [[Set-in neck|set]] necks. |
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===1960s=== |
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With the explosion of the popularity of rock music in the 1960s, many more manufacturers began making electric basses. |
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Several other companies also began manufacturing bass guitars during the 1950s. [[Kay Musical Instrument Company]] began production of the K162 in 1952, while [[Danelectro]] released the Longhorn in 1956. Also in 1956, at the German trade fair "Musikmesse Frankfurt" the distinctive [[Höfner 500/1]] violin-shaped bass first appeared, constructed using violin techniques by Walter [[Höfner]], a second-generation violin luthier.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Short History of Höfner |website=Höfner |url=https://www.hofner.com/info/about-hofner/hofner-history.html?___store=h00_en&___from_store=h00_de|access-date=January 1, 2021|archive-date=January 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118190729/https://www.hofner.com/info/about-hofner/hofner-history.html?___store=h00_en&___from_store=h00_de|url-status=dead}}</ref> Due to its use by [[Paul McCartney]], it became known as the "Beatle bass".{{sfn|Bacon|Moorhouse|2016|loc=eBook}} In 1957, [[Rickenbacker]] introduced the model 4000, the first bass to feature a [[neck-through]]-body design in which the neck is part of the body wood.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Modern Era of the electric Guitar|url=http://www.rickenbacker.com/history_modern.asp|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=[[Rickenbacker]] |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210120025437/http://www.rickenbacker.com/history_modern.asp |archive-date= Jan 20, 2021 }}</ref> The [[Burns London]] Supersound was introduced in 1958.{{sfn|Bacon|2010|p=}} |
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First introduced in 1960, the [[Fender Jazz Bass]] was known as the Deluxe Bass and was meant to accompany the [[Jazzmaster]] guitar. The Jazz Bass (often referred to as a "J-bass") featured two single-coil pickups, one close to the bridge and one in the Precision bass' split coil pickup position. The earliest production basses had a 'stacked' volume and tone control for each pickup. This was soon changed to the familiar configuration of a volume control for each pickup, and a single, passive tone control. The Jazz Bass' neck was narrower at the nut than the Precision bass (1½" versus 1¾"). |
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[[File:70's Fender Jazz Bass.jpg|thumb|100px|right|1970s Fender Jazz Bass with maple fretboard]] |
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Another visual difference that set the Jazz Bass apart from the Precision is its "offset-waist" body. Pickup shapes on electric basses are often referred to as "P" or "J" pickups in reference to the visual and electrical differences between the Precision Bass and Jazz Bass [[pick up (music technology)|pickups]]. |
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Significantly, Fender chose to label the headstock of this model with a decal noting Jazz Bass Electric Bass.<ref>[http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/adDetails/359 Vintage Fender advertisement (1966). - The Name that Makes the Difference<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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=== 1960s === |
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Fender also began production of the [[Fender Mustang Bass|Mustang Bass]]; a 30" scale length instrument used by bassists such as [[Tina Weymouth]] of [[Talking Heads]] and [[Bill Wyman]] of [[The Rolling Stones]] ("P" and "J" basses have a scale length of 34", a design echoed on most current production electric basses of all makes). In the 1950s and 1960s, the instrument was often called the "Fender bass", due to [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender]]'s early dominance in the market. |
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[[File:Gibson eb3 67.jpg|thumb|upright|right|[[Gibson EB-3]]]] |
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With the explosion in popularity of [[rock music]] in the 1960s, many more manufacturers began making electric basses, including [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]], [[Teisco]] and [[Guyatone]]. Introduced in 1960, the [[Fender Jazz Bass]], initially known as the "Deluxe Bass", used a body design known as an offset waist which was first seen on the [[Jazzmaster]] guitar in an effort to improve comfort while playing seated.<ref name="JeffOwens">{{cite web |last1=Owens |first1=Jeff |title=Jaco, Geddy and Flea Can't Be Wrong: The Story of the Jazz Bass |url=https://www.fender.com/articles/gear/jaco-geddy-and-flea-cant-be-wrong-the-story-of-the-jazz-bass |website=[[Fender (company)|Fender]]|date=June 12, 2019|quote=Most apparent was a feature borrowed from the Jazzmaster—an offset waist—that conveyed a sleeker and more curvaceous look to the Jazz Bass. In true Fender fashion, however, this was an innovation rooted not in form but in function—the sexier look was a by-product of the more practical consideration that the offset waist made the instrument more comfortable to play when seated |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202083709/https://www.fender.com/articles/gear/jaco-geddy-and-flea-cant-be-wrong-the-story-of-the-jazz-bass |archive-date= Dec 2, 2022 }}</ref> The Jazz bass, or J-Bass, features two single-coil pickups. |
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Providing a more "Gibson-scale" instrument, rather than the {{convert|34|in|mm|0|adj=on}} Jazz and Precision, Fender produced the [[Fender Mustang Bass|Mustang Bass]], a {{convert|30|in|mm|0|adj=on}} scale-length instrument.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mustang Bass|url=https://shop.fender.com/en-US/electric-basses/mustang-bass/?rl=en_US&rl=en_GB|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=s[[Fender (company)|Fender]]}}</ref> The [[Fender VI]], a 6-string bass, was tuned one octave lower than standard guitar tuning. It was released in 1961, and was briefly favored by [[Jack Bruce]] of [[Cream (band)|Cream]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jack Bruce - Equipment|url=http://www.jackbruce.com/2008/Gear/gear.htm|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=Jackbruce.com}}</ref> |
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Gibson introduced the short-scale (30.5") bass the [[Gibson EB-3]] in 1961, favoured by [[Jack Bruce]] of [[Cream (band)|Cream]]. |
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Gibson introduced its short-scale {{convert|30.5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} [[Gibson EB-3|EB-3]] in 1961, also used by Bruce.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vintageguitar.com/3568/the-gibson-eb-3/ |title=The Gibson EB-3 |last=Moseley |first=Willie G. |website=[[Vintage Guitar (magazine)|Vintage Guitar]] |access-date= September 5, 2017|date=March 10, 2010 }}</ref> The EB-3 had a "mini-humbucker" at the bridge position. Gibson basses tended to be instruments with a shorter 30.5" [[Scale length (string instruments)|scale length]] than the Precision. Gibson did not produce a {{convert|34|in|mm|0|adj=on}}-scale bass until 1963 with the release of the [[Gibson Thunderbird|Thunderbird]].<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Mullally|first1=Tim|last2=Braithwaite|first2=Laun|first3=Dave|last3=Rogers|date=March 5, 2017|title=Vintage Vault: 1964 Gibson Thunderbird Bass|url=https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/25335-vintage-vault-1964-gibson-thunderbird-bass|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=[[Premier Guitar]]}}</ref> |
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===1970s=== |
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[[File:Rickenbacker Bass 4001JG.jpg|thumb|100px|left|A Rickenbacker 4001 bass.]] |
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The 1970s saw the founding of [[Music Man (company)|Music Man]] Instruments by Tom Walker, Forrest White and Leo Fender, which produced the [[Music Man StingRay|StingRay]], the first widely produced bass with active (powered) electronics. This amounts to an impedance buffering pre-amplifier on board the instrument to lower the output impedance of the bass's pickup circuit, increasing low-end output, and overall frequency response (more lows and highs). Specific models became identified with particular styles of music, such as the Rickenbacker 4001 series, which became identified with progressive rock bassists like [[Chris Squire]] of [[Yes (band)|Yes]], and [[Geddy Lee]] of [[Rush (band)|Rush]], while the StingRay was used by [[Louis Johnson (bassist)|Louis Johnson]] of the funk band [[The Brothers Johnson]]. |
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The first commercial fretless bass guitar was the Ampeg AUB-1, introduced in 1966.{{sfn|Roberts|2001|p=125–126}} In the late 1960s, eight-string basses, with four octave paired [[Course (music)|courses]] (similar to a 12 string guitar), were introduced, such as the [[Hagström]] H8.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hagstromguitars.com/basses/retroscape/h8-ii-bass.html |title=Hagstrom H8-II Bass |website=[[Hagström]]|access-date=September 29, 2017}}</ref> |
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In 1971, [[Alembic Inc|Alembic]] established the template for what became known as "boutique" or "high-end" electric bass guitars. These expensive, custom-tailored instruments, as used by [[Phil Lesh]], [[Jack Casady]], and Stanley Clarke, featured unique designs, premium hand-finished wood bodies, onboard electronics for preamplification and equalization, and innovative construction techniques such as multi-laminate [[Neck-thru|neck-through-body]] construction and graphite necks. In the mid-1970s, Alembic and other boutique bass manufacturers, such as [[Tobias (bass guitar company)|Tobias]], produced four-string and five-string basses with a low "B" string. In 1975, bassist [[Anthony Jackson (musician)|Anthony Jackson]] commissioned luthier [[Carl Thompson (luthier)|Carl Thompson]] to build a six-string bass tuned (low to high) B0, E1, A1, D2, G2, C3. |
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=== 1970s === |
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In 1972, [[Alembic Inc|Alembic]] established what became known as "boutique" or "high-end" electric bass guitars.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alembic - History, Short Version|url=http://www.alembic.com/family/historys.html|access-date=February 4, 2021|website=[[Alembic Inc|Alembic]]}}</ref> These expensive, custom-tailored instruments, as used by [[Phil Lesh]], [[Jack Casady]], and [[Stanley Clarke]], featured unique designs, premium hand-finished wood bodies, and innovative construction techniques such as multi-laminate [[Neck-thru|neck-through-body]] construction and [[Carbon fiber reinforced polymer|graphite]] necks. Alembic also pioneered the use of onboard electronics for pre-amplification and equalization.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alembic Activators|url=http://www.alembic.com/prod/pickups.html|access-date=February 4, 2021|website=[[Alembic Inc|Alembic]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Fletcher|first=Tim|date=March 16, 2020|title=The History of Active Electronics|url=https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2020/03/the-history-of-active-electronics/|access-date=February 4, 2021|website=[[Bass Musician]]}}</ref> |
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[[File:Steinberger bass.jpg|thumb|100px| An early 1980s-era Steinberger headless bass]] |
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In the 1980s, bass designers continued to explore new approaches. [[Ned Steinberger]] introduced a headless bass in 1979 and continued his innovations in the 1980s, using [[graphite]] and other new materials and (in 1984) introducing the [[TransTrem]] [[tremolo arm|tremolo bar]]. In 1987, the Guild Guitar Corporation launched the fretless [[Ashbory bass]], which used silicone rubber strings and a piezoelectric pickup to achieve a "double bass" sound with a short 18" scale length. In the late 1980s, [[MTV Unplugged|MTV's "Unplugged"]] show, which featured bands performing with acoustic instruments, helped to popularize hollow-bodied [[acoustic bass guitar]]s amplified with pickups. |
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Active electronics increase the output of the instrument, and allow more options for controlling tonal flexibility, giving the player the ability to amplify as well as to attenuate certain frequency ranges while improving the overall frequency response (including more low-register and high-register sounds). 1976 saw the UK company [[Wal (bass)|Wal]] begin production of their own range of active basses.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://walbasses.co.uk/about-us/|access-date=December 31, 2020|website=[[Wal (bass)|Walbasses]]}}</ref> In 1974 [[Music Man (company)|Music Man]] Instruments, founded by Tom Walker, [[Forrest White]] and [[Leo Fender]], introduced the [[Music Man StingRay|StingRay]], the first widely produced bass with active (powered) electronics built into the instrument.<ref>{{Cite web|title=StingRay|url=https://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/stingray|access-date=February 4, 2021|website=[[Music Man (company)|Music Man]]}}</ref> Basses with active electronics can include a [[preamplifier]] and [[equalizer (audio)|knobs]] for boosting and cutting the low and high frequencies. |
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During the 1990s, as five-string basses became more widely available and more affordable, an increasing number of bassists in genres ranging from [[heavy metal music|metal]] to [[gospel music|gospel]] began using five-string instruments for added lower range—a low "B". As well, onboard battery-powered electronics such as preamplifiers and equalizer circuits, which were previously only available on expensive "boutique" instruments, became increasingly available on modestly priced basses. |
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In the mid-1970s, five-string basses, with a very low "B" string, were introduced. In 1975, bassist [[Anthony Jackson (musician)|Anthony Jackson]] commissioned luthier [[Carl Thompson (luthier)|Carl Thompson]] to build a six-string bass tuned (low to high) B0, E1, A1, D2, G2, C3, adding a low B string and a high C string.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bassmagazine.com/artists/partners-anthony-jackson-fodera-guitars|title=Partners: Anthony Jackson & Fodera Guitars|last=Roberts|first=Jim|date=July 23, 2019|newspaper=Bass Magazine - the Future of Bass|access-date=January 1, 2022}}</ref> |
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In the 2000s (decade), some bass manufacturers included [[digital signal processing|digital]] modelling circuits inside the instrument to recreate tones and sounds from many models of basses (e.g., [[Line 6 (company)|Line 6's]] Variax bass). Traditional bass designs such as the [[Fender Precision Bass]] and [[Fender Jazz Bass]] remained popular in the 2000s (decade); in 2011, a 60th Anniversary P-bass was introduced by [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender]], along with the re-introduction of the short-scale [[Fender Jaguar Bass]]. |
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==Design considerations== |
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Bass bodies are typically made of wood, although other materials such as [[graphite]] (for example, some of the [[Steinberger]] designs) have also been used. While a wide variety of [[tonewood|woods]] are suitable for use in the body, neck, and fretboard of the bass guitar, the most common type of wood used for the body is [[alder]], for the neck is [[maple]], and for the fretboard is [[rosewood (timber)|rosewood]]. Other commonly used woods include mahogany, maple, ash, walnut, and poplar for bodies, mahogany for necks, and maple and ebony for fretboards. |
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Other design options include finishes, such as lacquer, wax and oil; flat and carved designs; [[Luthier]]-produced custom-designed instruments; headless basses, which have tuning machines in the bridge of the instrument (e.g., [[Steinberger]] and [[Hohner]] designs) and several artificial materials such as [[luthite]]. The use of artificial materials (e.g., [[BassLab]]) allows for unique production techniques such as die-casting, to produce complex body shapes. While most basses have solid bodies, they can also include hollow chambers to increase the resonance or reduce the weight of the instrument. Some basses are built with entirely hollow bodies, which change the tone and resonance of the instrument. [[Acoustic bass guitar]]s are typically equipped with piezoelectric or magnetic pickups and amplified. |
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Instruments handmade by highly skilled [[lutherie|luthiers]] are becoming increasingly available. Exotic materials include woods such as [[bubinga]], [[wenge]], [[ovangkol]], [[ebony]] and [[goncalo alves]]. [[Graphite|Graphite composite]] is used to make lightweight necks<ref>There is a potted summary and description of graphite neck construction at http://wiki.basschat.co.uk/info:tech:use_of_composites_graphite_necks_in_bass_guitar_design.</ref><ref>e.g., [[Status (bass)|Status brand]] basses, which are made from graphite.</ref> Exotic woods are used on more expensive instruments: for example, Alembic uses cocobolo as a body or top layer material because of its attractive grain. Warwick bass guitars are also well known for exotic hardwoods: most of the necks are made of ovangkol, and the fingerboards wenge or ebony. Solid bubinga bodies are also used for tonal and aesthetic qualities. |
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A common feature of more expensive basses is "neck-through" construction. Instead of milling the body from a single piece of wood (or "bookmatched" halves) and then attaching the neck into a pocket (so-called "bolt-on" design), neck-through bases are constructed first by assembling the neck, which may comprise one, three, five or more layers of wood in vertical stripes, which are longer than the length of the fretboard. To this elongated neck, the body is attached as two ''wings,'' which may also be made up of several layers. The entire bass is then milled and shaped. Many players believe ''neck-through'' construction provides better sustain and a mellower tone than ''bolt-on'' neck construction. While neck-through construction is most common in handmade "boutique" basses, some models of mass-produced basses such as Ibanez's BTB series also have neck-through construction. Bolt-on neck construction doesn't necessarily imply a cheaply made instrument; virtually all traditional Fender designs still use bolt-on necks for instruments costing thousands of dollars, and many boutique luthiers will build bolt-on basses as well as neck-through. |
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The long scale necks on Leo Fender's basses—with a [[scale length]] (distance between [[nut (string instrument)|nut]] and [[bridge (instrument)|bridge]]) of 34 inches—set the standard for electric basses. However, 30 inch "short scale" instruments, such as the [[Höfner 500/1]] "violin bass" played by [[Paul McCartney]], and the [[Fender Mustang Bass]] are popular, especially for players with smaller hands. While 35", 35.5" and 36" scale lengths were once only available in "boutique" instruments, in the 2000s (decade), many manufacturers began offering these "extra long" scale lengths. This extra long scale provides a higher string tension, which may yield a more defined tone on the low "B" string of five- and six-stringed instruments (or detuned four-string basses). |
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===Fretted and fretless basses=== |
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[[File:Flatwound 01.JPG|thumb|170px|right|A fretless bass with flatwound strings; markers are inlaid into the side of the fingerboard, to aid the performer in finding the correct pitch.]] |
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Another design consideration for the bass is whether to use [[fret]]s on the fingerboard. On a fretted bass, the frets divide the fingerboard into [[semitone]] divisions (as on a guitar). The original Fender basses had 20 frets, but modern basses may have 24 or more. [[Fretless guitar|Fretless bass]]es have a distinct sound, because the absence of frets means that the string must be pressed down directly onto the wood of the fingerboard as with the [[double bass]]. The string buzzes against the wood and is somewhat muted because the sounding portion of the string is in direct contact with the flesh of the player's finger. The fretless bass allows players to use the expressive devices of [[glissando]], [[vibrato]] and microtonal intonations such as [[quarter tone]]s and [[just intonation]]. |
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Some bassists use both fretted and fretless basses in performances, according to the type of material they are performing, as with [[Pino Palladino]], whose performance on the fretless bass during the 1980s made him a highly desirable [[session musician|session player]] backing high profile musicians that included [[Eric Clapton]] and [[David Gilmour]]. However, the late 1990s showed a shift toward fretted basses as well, as he branched out into a wide variety of [[genres]]. While fretless basses are often associated with [[jazz]] and [[jazz fusion]], bassists from other genres use fretless basses, such as metal bassist [[Steve DiGiorgio]] and [[Colin Edwin]] of modern/progressive rock band [[Porcupine Tree]] as well as [[Tony Levin]], studio bassist & live bassist for [[Peter Gabriel]] throughout his post-[[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] solo career. |
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The first fretless bass guitar was made by [[Bill Wyman]] in 1961 when he converted an inexpensive Japanese fretted bass by removing the frets.<ref>Roberts, Jim (2001). 'How The Fender Bass Changed the World' or Jon Sievert interview with Bill Wyman, guitar player magazine December (1978)</ref><ref>Wyman's early fretless bass can be heard on [[The Rolling Stones]] songs such as "Paint It, Black" and "Mother's Little Helper" from 1966. He is seen recording with the instrument in the 1968 film ''[[Sympathy for the Devil (film)|One Plus One]]'' aka ''Sympathy for the Devil''.</ref> The first production fretless bass was the [[Ampeg]] AUB-1 introduced in 1966, and Fender introduced a fretless Precision Bass in 1970. Around 1970, [[Rick Danko]] from [[The Band]] began to use an Ampeg fretless, which he modified with Fender pickups—as heard on the 1971 ''[[Cahoots (album)|Cahoots]]'' studio album and the ''[[Rock of Ages (album)|Rock of Ages]]'' album [[live album|recorded live]] in 1971.<ref name="Bacon2010">Bacon, Tony (2010). ''60 Years of Fender''. Backbeat Books. p. 50. ISBN 0-87930-966-0</ref><ref>Trynka, Paul (1996). ''Rock Hardware''. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 113. ISBN 0-87930-428-6</ref> Danko said, "It's a challenge to play fretless because you have to really use your ear."<ref>Bacon, Tony; Moorhouse, Barry. (2008). ''The bass book: a complete illustrated history of bass guitars''. Hal Leonard Corporation, second edition. p. 96. ISBN 0-87930-924-5</ref> |
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In the early 1970s, fusion-jazz bassist [[Jaco Pastorius]] created his own fretless bass by removing the frets<ref>In interviews, Pastorius gave various versions of how he accomplished this; the versions mention the use of [[pliers]], a [[putty knife]], and, in at least one interview (''[[Guitar Player]]'' magazine, 1984) he states that he bought the instrument with the frets already removed, badly, with the slots where the frets once were not yet filled in.</ref> from a Fender Jazz Bass, filling the holes with wood putty, and coating the fretboard with epoxy resin.<ref>Pastorius used epoxy rather than varnish to obtain a glass-like finish suitable for the use of roundwound strings, which are otherwise much harder on the wood of the fingerboard.</ref> Some fretless basses have "fret line" markers inlaid in the fingerboard as a guide, while others only use guide marks on the side of the neck. |
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Tapewound (double bass type) and flatwound strings are sometimes used with the fretless bass so the metal string windings do not wear down the [[fingerboard]]. Some fretless basses have epoxy coated fingerboards to increase the fingerboard' durability, enhance [[sustain (music)|sustain]], and give a brighter tone. Although most fretless basses have four strings, five-string and six-string fretless basses are also available. Fretless basses with more than six strings are also available as "boutique" or custom-made instruments. |
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===Strings and tuning=== |
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{{Main|Bass guitar tuning}} |
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[[File:Bass guitar headstock.jpg|thumb|right|200 px|The tuning machines (with spiral metal [[worm gear]]s) are mounted on the back of the headstock on the bass guitar neck.]] |
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The standard design for the electric bass guitar has four [[strings (music)|strings]], tuned E, A, D and G, in fourths such that the open highest string, G, is an eleventh (an octave and a fourth) below middle C, making the tuning of all four strings the same as that of the [[double bass]]. This tuning is also the same as the standard tuning on the lower four strings on a six-string guitar, only an octave lower. String types include all-metal strings ([[roundwound]], [[flatwound]], [[Strings (music)#Halfwound, ground wound, pressure wound|halfwound, ground wound, and pressure wound]]); as well as metal strings with different coverings, such as tapewound and plastic-coatings. The variety of materials used in the strings gives bass players a range of tonal options. In the 1950s and early 1960s, bassists mostly used flatwound strings with a smooth surface, which had a smooth, damped sound reminiscent of a double bass. In the late 1960s and 1970s, roundwound bass strings similar to guitar strings became popular, though flatwounds also continue to be popular. Roundwounds have a brighter [[timbre]] with longer [[sustain (music)|sustain]] than flatwounds. |
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A number of other tuning options and bass types have been used to extend the range of the instrument. The most common are four, five, or six strings: |
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[[File:washburn xb600.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Washburn Guitars|Washburn]] XB600, a six string bass]] |
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* '''Four strings''' with alternative tunings to obtain an extended lower range.<ref>Tunings such as "BEAD" (this requires a low "B" string in addition to the other three "standard" strings), "[[Drop D tuning|D-A-D-G]]" (a "standard" set of strings, with only the lowest string detuned), and D-G-C-F or C-G-C-F (a "standard" set of strings, all of which are detuned) give bassists an extended lower range. A tenor bass tuning of "A-D-G-C" provides a higher range.</ref> Tuning in fifths e.g., CGDA gives an extended upper and lower range. [[File:Bassguitarnotes.svg|thumb|right|400px|Note positions on a right-handed four-string bass in standard EADG tuning. The dots below the frets are often inlaid into the wood of bass necks, as a visual aid to help the player find different positions.]] |
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* '''Five strings''' usually tuned B0-E1-A1-D2-G2, which provides extended lower range. Five string basses tuned to B-E-A-D-G (and sometimes A-D-G-C-F) are often used in contemporary [[hard rock|rock]] and [[heavy metal music|metal]] alongside [[seven string guitars]], [[baritone guitar]]s, and otherwise downtuned instruments. Another common tuning used on early five-string basses is E-A-D-G-C, known as "tenor tuning". This is still a popular tuning for [[jazz]] and solo bass. Other tunings such as C-E-A-D-G are used though rare. The fifth string provides a greater lower range (if a low B or A is used) or a greater upper range (if a high C string is added) than the four-string bass, and gives access to more notes for any given hand position. The earliest five string was created by [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender]] in 1965. The [[Fender Bass V]] had the E-A-D-G-C tuning, but was unpopular and discontinued in 1970. The common low B five string was created by [[Jimmy Johnson (bassist)|Jimmy Johnson]] as a custom instrument in 1975. He bought an EADGC 5-string [[Alembic Inc|Alembic]] bass, replaced the nut, and used a new, thick low B string from [[GHS (strings)|GHS]] to accommodate the instrument accordingly. [[Steinberger]] made a 5-string headless instrument called the L-2/5 in 1982, and later [[Yamaha]] offered the first production model as the BB5000 in 1984. |
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* '''Six strings''' are usually tuned B0-E1-A1-D2-G2-C3—like a four-string bass with an additional low "B" string and a high "C" string. Some players prefer B0-E1-A1-D2-F{{music|sharp}}2-B2, which preserves the intervals of standard guitar tuning and makes the highest and lowest string the same note two octaves apart. While less common than four or five-string basses, they appear in Latin, jazz, and other genres, as well as in studio work where a single instrument must be highly versatile. Alternative tunings for six-string bass include B-E-A-D-G-B, matching the first five strings of an acoustic or electric guitar, and EADGBE, completely matching the tuning of a six-string guitar but one octave lower allowing the use of guitar chord fingerings. Rarer tunings such as EADGCF and F#BEADG provide a lower or higher range in a given position while maintaining consistent string intervals. The original six-string bass was the LongHorn6{{citation needed|date=October 2011}}, created by Danelectro in 1958, as a guitar tuned down an octave (EADGBE). In 1974, [[Anthony Jackson (musician)|Anthony Jackson]] worked with [[Carl Thompson (luthier)|Carl Thompson]] to create the Contrabass guitar (BEADGC). Later, Jackson brought his ideas to [[Fodera]] in cooperation with Ken Smith to create a wider-spaced Contrabass guitar, which evolved to the modern six-string bass. |
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* '''[[Eight-string bass|Eight-]]''' and '''[[Twelve-string bass|twelve-string]]''' models are both built on the same [[course (music)|course string]] concept found on [[twelve-string guitars|twelve-string guitar]], where sets of strings are spaced together in groups of two or three, to be played simultaneously. |
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* '''[[Detuner]]s,''' such as the [[Hipshot]], are mechanical devices operated by the thumb on the fretting hand that allow one or more strings to be quickly detuned to a pre-set lower pitch. Hipshots are typically used to drop the "E"-string down to "D" on a four string bass.<ref>Hipshots are similarly used to drop the "B"-string down to a "B♭" on five or six string basses where it is advantageous when accompanying brass bands whose music is commonly in the key of "B♭". More rarely, some bassists (e.g., Michael Manring) add detuners to more than one string, or even more than one detuner to each string, to enable them to detune strings during a performance and have access to a wider range of chime-like harmonics.</ref> |
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====Alternative range approaches==== |
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[[File:7String.jpg|thumb|left|150px|A seven-string fretless bass]] |
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Some bassists have used other types of tuning methods to obtain an extended range or other benefits such as providing multiple octaves of notes at any given position, as well as a significantly larger tonal range. Instrument types or tunings used for this purpose include '''basses with fewer than four strings''' (one-string bass guitars,<ref>Japanese manufacturer Atlansia offers one-, two- and three-stringed instruments [http://www.atlansia.jp/BASS.NEW.HTML#P8]</ref> two-string bass guitars, three-string bass guitars [tuned to E-A-D])<ref>Session bassist [[Tony Levin]] commissioned [[Music Man (company)|Music Man]] to build a three-string version of his favorite [[Music Man StingRay|Stingray bass]]</ref> '''alternative tunings''' (e.g., tenor bass,<ref>Tuned A-D-G-C, like the top 4 strings of a six-string bass, or simply a standard four-string with the strings each tuned up an additional perfect fourth. Tenor bass is a tuning used by [[Stanley Clarke]], [[Victor Wooten]], and [[Stu Hamm]].</ref> [[piccolo bass]],<ref>Tuned "e-a-d-g" (an octave higher than standard bass tuning—the same as the bottom four strings of a guitar). This is used by jazz fusion bassists such as [[Stanley Clarke]].</ref> and guitar-tuned basses)<ref>The D-G-B-E tuning matches the first four strings (from highest to lowest) of a guitar, pitched two octaves lower.</ref> and '''8, 10, 12 and 15-string''' basses, which are built on the same principle as the [[12 string|12-string guitar]], where the strings are grouped into "courses" tuned in unison or octaves, to be played simultaneously.<ref>For example, an eight-string bass is strung Ee-Aa-Dd-Gg, while a 12-string bass might be tuned Eee-Aaa-Ddd-Ggg (four courses of three strings each). In the case of the 12-string, the standard pitch strings are augmented by two strings both an octave higher than the standard pitched string. Ten-string basses have octave strings added to the low-B of a five-string bass. A 15-string bass (tuned Eee Aaa Ddd Ggg Ccc) was developed by [http://www.jauqoiii-x.com/ Jauqo III-X] and produced by Warrior Guitars(the 15 string bass made for Jauqo III-X by Warrior was the world's first 15-string bass guitar ever made. A 1998 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6O0Lgyn6aE )</ref> |
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[[Extended-range bass|'''Extended Range Basses''']] (ERBs) are basses with six to twelve strings—with the additional strings used for range rather than unison or octave pairs. A seven-string bass (B0-E1-A1-D2-G2-C3-F3) was built by luthier Michael Tobias in 1987. This instrument, commissioned by bassist Garry Goodman, was an early example of a bass with more than six single course strings. Conklin builds eight- and nine-string basses.<ref>These have a low "F#" string below the "B" string, and the nine-string bass adds a low "F#" and a high "B♭" string.</ref> The Guitarbass is a ten-string instrument with four bass strings (tuned E-A-D-G) and six guitar strings (tuned E-A-D-G-B-E).<ref>The guitarbass has 10 strings on the same neck and body, but with separate scale lengths, bridges, fretboards, and pickups. It was created [http://www.microphoneheaven.com/guitarbass] by John Woolley in 2005, based on a prototype built by David Minnieweather.</ref> |
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Luthier Michael Adler built the first 11-string bass in 2004 and completed the first single-course 12-string bass in 2005. Adler's 11- and 12-string instruments have the same range as a grand piano.<ref>The Adler 12-string has the same range as the Bösendorfer 290 grand piano with 97 notes. This was made possible by Goodman developing an Ab4 string for the 32" scale.</ref> Sub-contra basses, such as C#-F#-B-E ("C#" being at 17.32 Hz (C♯0))<ref>(e.g., the Jauqo III-X from 2000 or the sub-bass guitar, E-A-D-G one octave below standard ("E" being at 20.6 Hz)</ref> have been created. [[Ibanez]] had released SR7VIISC in 2009, featuring a 30" scale and narrower width, and tuned as B-E-A-D-G-C-E; the company dubbed it a cross between bass and guitar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibanezrules.com/namm/2009/sr7.htm |title=IBANEZ RULES!! NAMM 2009 SR7 |publisher=Ibanezrules.com |date= |accessdate=2010-02-07| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100109080914/http://www.ibanezrules.com/namm/2009/sr7.htm| archivedate= 9 January 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> |
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In 2011 Warwick released a new Thumb NT 7 bass for Jeroen Paul Thesseling, featuring a 34" scale with sub-contra tuning F#-B-E-A-D-G-C. Yves Carbonne developed 10 and 12 string fretless sub-bass guitars.<ref>These extended range sub-basses, Legend X YC and Legend XII YC, were built by luthier from Barcelona [http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/ Jerzy Drozd]. The 12 string Legend XII YC uses a new B string tuned at 15,4 hertz.</ref><ref>[http://www.bass-musician-magazine.com/General/bass-musician-magazine-masthead-detail.asp?directory-id=807599636 Bass Musician Magazine: Yves Carbonne]{{dead link|date=June 2012}}</ref><ref>[http://www.bass-musician-magazine.com/General/bass-musician-magazine-detail.asp?year=2008&month=6&article-id=613057319 Bass Musician Magazine Article: "Why Fretless?"]{{dead link|date=June 2012}}</ref> |
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==Pickups and amplification== |
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:''For more information on pickups, see [[Pick up (music technology)]].'' |
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===Magnetic pickups=== |
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Most electric bass guitars use magnetic pickups. The vibrations of the instrument's ferrous metal strings within the magnetic field of the permanent magnets in magnetic [[pick up (music technology)|pickups]] produce small variations in the magnetic flux threading the coils of the pickups. This in turn produces small electrical voltages in the coils. These low-level signals are then amplified and played through a speaker. Since the 1980s, basses are often available with battery-powered "active" electronics that boost the signal, provide equalization controls to boost or cut bass and treble frequencies, or both. |
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[[File:Jazz Style PickUps.JPG|thumb|Dual "J"-style pickups|230px|left]] |
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* '''"Precision" pickups''' (which refers to the original Fender Precision Bass), which are also referred to as "P pickups", are two distinct [[single-coil]] pickups. Each is offset a small amount along the length of the body so that each half is underneath two strings. The pickups are reverse-wound with reversed magnetic polarity to reduce hum. This makes the 'P' pickup a [[humbucker|humbucking]] single coil pickup. Less common is the "single-coil P" pickup, used on the original 1951 Fender Precision bass.<ref>This is also known as the 'Vintage P' due to it being found on vintage basses before the invention of the split coil pickup. The "single-coil P" pickup is also used in the reissue and the Sting signature model.</ref> P-style pickups are generally placed in the "neck" or "middle" position, but some luthiers and performers have used P pickups in the bridge position, or in between two jazz pickups. |
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* '''"Jazz" pickups''' (referring to the original Fender Jazz Bass), also referred to as "J pickups", are wider eight-pole pickups that lie underneath all four strings. J pickups are typically [[single-coil]] designs, although there are a large number of humbucking designs. Traditionally, two of them are used, one of them near the bridge and another closer to the neck. As with the halves of P-pickups, the J-pickups are reverse-wound with reverse magnetic polarity. As a result they have hum canceling properties when used at the same volume, with hum cancellation decreasing when the pickups are used at unequal volume and altogether absent when each pickup is used individually. 'J' Style pickups tend to have a lower output and a thinner sound than 'P' Style pickups making it perfect for most rock music. Many bassists choose to combine a 'J' pickup at the bridge and a 'P' pickup at the neck, to be 'blended' together for a unique sound. |
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* '''"Dual Coil" ([[Humbucker]]) pickups''', also known as "DC pickups", have two signal producing coils that are reverse wound around opposed polarity magnets (similar in principle to the two individual J-pickups). This significantly reduces noise from interference compared to single coil pickups. Humbuckers also often produce a higher output level than single coil pickups. Dual coil pickups come in two main varieties; ceramic or ceramic and steel. Ceramic only magnets have a relatively harsher sound than their ceramic and steel counterparts, and are thus used more commonly in heavier rock styles. |
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** A well-known bass humbucker is the pickup used on the Music Man series of basses; it has two coils, each with four large polepieces. This style is known as the '''"MM" pickup''' for this reason, and many aftermarket pickup manufacturers and custom builders incorporate these pickups in their designs. The most common configurations are a single pickup at the bridge, two pickups similar in placement to a Jazz Bass, or an MM pickup at the bridge with a single-coil pickup (often a "J") at the neck. These pickups can often be "tapped", meaning one of the two coils can be essentially turned off, giving a sound similar to a single-coil pickup. |
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* '''"Soapbar" Pickups''' are so-named due to their resemblance to a bar of soap and originally referred to the Gibson [[P-90]] guitar pickup. The term is also used to describe any pickup with a rectangular shape and no visible pole pieces; most of the pickups falling into this category are humbucking. They are commonly found in basses designed for the rock and metal genres, such as [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]], [[ESP Guitars]], and [[Schecter Guitar Research|Schecter]], however they are also found on 5- and 6-string basses made popular by jazz and fusion music, such as Yamaha's TRB and various Peavey model lines. 'Soapbar pickups' are also called 'extended housing pickups'. |
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Many basses have just one pickup, typically a "P" or soapbar pickup. Multiple pickups are also quite common, two of the most common configurations being a "P" near the neck and a "J" near the bridge (e.g., Fender Precision Bass Special, Fender Precision Bass Plus), or two "J" pickups (e.g., Fender Jazz). A two-"soapbar" configuration is also very common, especially on basses by makes such as [[Ibanez]] and [[Yamaha]]. A combination of a J or other single-coil pickup at the neck and a Music Man-style humbucker in the bridge has become popular among boutique builders, giving a very bright, focused tone that is good for jazz, funk and thumbstyle. |
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Some basses use more unusual pickup configurations, such as a soapbar and a "P" pickup (found on some Fenders), [[Stu Hamm]]'s "Urge" basses, which have a "P" pickup sandwiched between two "J" pickups, and some of [[Bootsy Collins]]' custom basses, which had as many as 5 J pickups. Another unusual pickup configuration is found on some of the custom basses that [[Billy Sheehan]] uses, in which there is one humbucker at the neck and a split-coil pickup at the middle position. |
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The placement of the pickup greatly affects the sound. A pickup near the neck joint emphasizes the fundamental and low-order harmonics and thus produces a deeper, bassier sound, while a pickup near the bridge emphasizes higher-order harmonics and makes a "tighter" or "sharper" sound. Usually basses with multiple pickups allow blending of the output from the pickups, with electrical and acoustical interactions between the two pickups (such as partial phase cancellations) allowing a range of tonal effects. |
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===Non-magnetic pickups=== |
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The use of non-magnetic pickups allows bassists to use non-ferrous strings such as nylon, brass or even [[Ashbory bass|silicone rubber]], which create different tones. |
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* [[piezoelectricity|Piezoelectric]] pickups (also called "piezo" pickups) are non-magnetic pickups that use a [[transducer]] to convert vibrations in the instrument's body or bridge into an electrical signal. They are typically mounted under the bridge saddle or near the bridge and produce a different tone from magnetic pickups, often similar to that of an acoustic bass. Piezo pickups are often used in acoustic bass guitars to allow for amplification without a microphone. |
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* [[Pick up (music technology)#Optical|Optical pickups]] are another type of non-magnetic pickup. They use an infrared [[LED]] to optically track the movement of the string, which allows them to reproduce low-frequency tones at high volumes without the "hum" or excessive resonance associated with conventional magnetic pickups. Since optical pickups do not pick up high frequencies or percussive sounds well, they are commonly paired with piezoelectric pickups to fill in the missing frequencies. LightWave Systems builds basses with optical pickups. |
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===Amplification and effects=== |
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{{Main|Bass instrument amplification}} |
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[[File:Elbas.jpg|thumb|right|150px|This amplification setup is a "bass stack" approach, in which an amplifier (in this case a Hartke 5000) is plugged into separate speaker cabinets.]] |
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Like the [[electric guitar]], the electric bass guitar is often connected to an amplifier and a speaker with a [[patch cord]] for live performances. Electric bassists use either a "combo" amplifier, which combines an amplifier and a speaker in a single cabinet, or an amplifier and a separate speaker cabinet (or cabinets). In some cases, when the bass is used with large-scale [[Public Address|PA]] amplification, it is plugged into a [[DI unit|"DI"]] or ''direct box'', which routes the signal directly into a [[mixing console]], and thence to the main and monitor speakers. Recording may use a microphone setup for the amplified signal, a direct box that feeds the recording console, or a mix of both. |
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Various electronic [[bass effects]] such as [[preamplifier]]s, "stomp box"-style pedals and [[wikt:signal|signal]] processors and the configuration of the [[amplifier]] and [[Loudspeaker|speaker]] can be used to alter the basic sound of the instrument. In the 1990s and early 2000s (decade), signal processors such as [[Equalization filter|equalizer]]s, [[Distortion (music)|overdrive]] devices, and [[Audio level compression|compressors]] or [[limiter]]s became increasingly popular. Modulation effects like chorus, flanging, phase shifting, and time effects such as delay and looping are less commonly used with bass than with electric guitar, but they are used in some styles of music. |
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==Playing techniques== |
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===Sitting or standing=== |
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Most bass players stand while playing, although sitting is also accepted, particularly in large ensemble settings, such as jazz big bands or in acoustic genres such as folk music. Some bassists, such as [[Jah Wobble]], will alternate between standing or seated playing. It is a matter of the player's preference as to which position gives the greatest ease of playing and what a bandleader expects. When sitting, right-handed players can balance the instrument on the right thigh or like classical guitar players, the left. Balancing the bass on the left thigh usually positions it in such a way that it mimics the standing position, allowing for less difference between the standing and sitting positions. Balancing the bass on the right thigh provides better access to the neck and fretboard in its entirety, especially lower frets. |
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===Performing techniques=== |
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In contrast to the upright bass (or double bass), the electric bass guitar is played horizontally across the body, like an electric guitar. When the strings are plucked with the fingers ([[pizzicato]]), the index and middle fingers (and sometimes with the thumb, ring, and little fingers as well) are used. [[James Jamerson]], an influential bassist from the [[Motown]] era, played intricate bass lines using only his index finger, which he called "The Hook." There are also variations in how a bassist chooses to rest the right-hand thumb (or left thumb in the case of left-handed players). A player may rest his or her thumb on the top edge of one of the pickups or on the side of the fretboard, which is especially common among bassists who have an upright bass influence. Some bassists anchor their thumbs on the lowest string and move it off to play on the low string. Alternatively, the thumb can be rested loosely on the strings to mute the unused strings. |
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The string can be plucked at any point between the bridge and the point where the fretting hand is holding down the string; different [[timbre]]s are produced depending on where along the string it is plucked. When plucked closer to the bridge, the string produces more pronounced harmonics, giving a brighter tone. Closer to the middle of the string that harmonics are less pronounced, giving a more mellow tone. |
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Bassists trying to emulate the sound of a double bass sometimes pluck the strings with their thumb and use [[palm mute|palm-muting]] to create a short, "thumpy" tone. The late [[Monk Montgomery]] (who played in Lionel Hampton's band) and [[Bruce Palmer]] (who performed with [[Buffalo Springfield]]) use thumb downstrokes. The use of the thumb was acknowledged by early Fender models, which came with a "thumbrest" or "Tug Bar" attached to the pickguard below the strings. Contrary to its name, this was not used to rest the thumb, but to provide leverage while using the thumb to pluck the strings. The thumbrest was moved above the strings in 1970s models (as a true thumbrest) and eliminated in the 1980s. |
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===="Slap and pop"==== |
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{{Main|Slapping}} |
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The [[Slapping|slap and pop]] method, or "thumbstyle", most associated with [[funk music|funk]], uses tones and percussive sounds achieved by striking, thumping, or "slapping" a string with the thumb and snapping (or "popping") a string or strings with the index or middle fingers. Bassists often interpolate left hand-muted "[[dead note]]s" between the slaps and pops to achieve a rapid percussive effect, and after a note is slapped or popped, the fretting hand may cause other notes to sound by using "[[hammer on]]s", "[[pull off]]s", or a left-hand [[glissando]] (slide). [[Larry Graham]] of [[Sly and the Family Stone]] and [[Graham Central Station]] was an early innovator of the slap style, and [[Louis Johnson (bassist)|Louis Johnson]] of [[The Brothers Johnson]] is also credited as an early slap bass player. |
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Slap and pop style is also used by many bassists in other genres, such as rock (e.g., [[J J Burnel]] and [[Les Claypool]]), metal (e.g., [[Eric Langlois]], [[Martin Mendez]], [[Fieldy]] and [[Ryan Martinie]]), and fusion (e.g., [[Marcus Miller]], [[Victor Wooten]] and [[Alain Caron (bass player)|Alain Caron]]). Slap style playing was popularized throughout the 1980s and early 1990s by pop bass players such as [[Mark King (musician)|Mark King]] (from [[Level 42]]) and rock bassists such as with [[Pino Palladino]] (currently a member of the [[John Mayer Trio]] and bassist for [[The Who]]),<ref name="BassMag1">{{cite web|url=http://www.bassplayer.com/article/pino-palladino/nov-06/23886|title=The Master Stylist|last=Jisi |first=Chris|year=2006|work=Bass Player Magazine Online Edition|publisher= New Bay Media, LLC|accessdate=2008-12-27| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090202181732/http://www.bassplayer.com/article/pino-palladino/nov-06/23886| archivedate= 2 February 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> |
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[[Flea (musician)|Flea]] (from the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]) and [[Alex Katunich]] (from [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]]). [[Spank bass]] developed from the slap and pop style and treats the electric bass as a percussion instrument, striking the strings above the pickups with an open palmed hand. Wooten popularized the "double thump," in which the string is slapped twice, on the upstroke and a downstroke (for more information, see [[Classical Thump]]). A rarely used playing technique related to slapping is the use of wooden [[dowel]] "[[funk fingers]]", an approach popularized by [[Tony Levin]]. |
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====Picking techniques==== |
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The [[Guitar pick|pick]] (or [[plectrum]]) is used to obtain a more articulate attack, for speed, or just personal preference. Although the use of a pick is primarily associated with [[rock music|rock]] and [[punk rock]], picks are also used in other styles. Jazz bassist [[Steve Swallow]] only plays with a pick, while [[Pink Floyd]] bassist [[Roger Waters]] uses one for a heavier tone. Picks can be used with alternating downstrokes and upstrokes, or with all downstrokes for a more consistent attack. The pick is usually held with the index and thumb, with the up-and-down plucking motion supplied by the wrist. |
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There are many varieties of picks available, but due to the thicker, heavier strings of the electric bass, bassists tend to use heavier picks than those used for electric guitar, typically ranging from 1.14 mm–3.00 mm (3.00 is unusual). Different materials are used for picks, including plastic, nylon, and felt, all of which produce different tones. Felt picks are used to emulate a fingerstyle tone. |
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====Palm-muting techniques==== |
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Palm-muting is a widely used bass technique. The outer edge of the palm of the picking hand is rested on the bridge while picking, and “mutes” the strings, shortening the sustain time. The harder the palm presses, or the more string area that is contacted by the palm, the shorter the string’s sustain. The sustain of the picked note can be varied for each note or phrase. The shorter sustain of a muted note on an electric bass can be used to imitate the shorter sustain and character of an upright bass. Palm-muting is commonly done while using a pick, but can also be done without a pick, as when doing down-strokes with the thumb. |
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One prominent example of the pick/palm-muting combination is [[Paul McCartney]], who has consistently used this technique for decades. [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] also uses palm-muting; but often does so without a pick, using the thumb and first finger to pluck. |
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====Fretting techniques==== |
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The fretting hand—the left hand for right-handed bass players and the right hand for left-handed bass players—is used to press down the strings to play different notes and shape the tone or timbre of a plucked or picked note. The fundamental technique used in the fretting hand is known as "a finger per fret", where each finger in the fretting hand plays one fret in a given position.<ref>[http://basslessonsunlimited.com/Riley_Hagan.html Bass Lessons with Riley Hagan<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Also, the double bass technique can be used for fretting. This technique involves the use of four fingers in the space of three frets, especially in the lower positions. The main advantage of the "four fingers in three frets" technique is less tendon strain, leading to a diminished likelihood of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). <ref>[https://creativebasslessons.com/ Online Bass Lessons with George Urbaszek]</ref> The "four-in-three" technique is demonstrated in the image below (A bassist performing tapping). |
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The fretting hand can be used to change a sounded note, either by fully muting it after it is plucked or picked to shorten its duration or by partially muting it near the bridge to reduce the volume of the note, or make the note die away faster. The fretting hand is often used to mute strings that are not being played and stop the sympathetic vibrations, particularly when the player wants a "dry" or "focused" sound. On the other hand, the sympathetic resonance of harmonically related strings may be desired for some songs, such as ballads. In these cases, a bassist can fret harmonically related notes. For example, while fretting a sustained "F" (on the third fret of the "D" string), underneath an F major chord being played by a piano player, a bassist might hold down the "C" and low "F" below this note so their harmonics sound sympathetically. |
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The fretting hand can add [[vibrato]] to a plucked or picked note, either a gentle, narrow vibrato or a more exaggerated, wide vibrato with bigger pitch variations. For fretted basses, vibrato is always an alternation between the pitch of the note and a slightly higher pitch. For fretless basses, the player can use this style of vibrato, or they can alternate between the note and a slightly lower pitch. While vibrato is mostly done on [[stopped note|"stopped" notes]]—that is, notes that are pressed down on the fingerboard—open strings can also be vibratoed by pressing down on the string behind the nut. As well, the fretting hand can be used to "bend" a plucked or picked note up in pitch. To create the opposite effect, a "bend down", the string is pushed to a higher pitch before being plucked or picked and then allowed to fall to the lower, regular pitch after it is sounded. Though rare, some bassists may use a [[tremolo bar]]-equipped bass to produce the same effect. |
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In addition to pressing down one note at a time, bassists can also press down several notes at one time with their fretting hand to perform a chord. While chords are used less often by bassists than by electric guitarists, a variety of chords can be performed on the electric bass, especially with instruments with higher ranges such as six-string basses. Another variation to fully pressing down a string is to gently graze the string with the finger at the [[harmonic]] node points on the string, which creates chime-like upper partials. [[Glissando]] is an effect in which the fretting hand slides up or down the neck. A subtle glissando can be performed by moving the fretting hand without plucking or picking the string; for a more pronounced effect, the string is plucked or picked first, or, in a metal or hardcore punk context, a pick may be scraped along the sides of the strings. |
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The fretting hand can also be used to sound notes, either by [[pizzicato|plucking an open string]] with the fretting hand, or, in the case of a string that has already been plucked or picked, by [[hammer on|"hammering on"]] a higher pitch or [[pull off|"pulling off"]] a finger to pluck a lower fretted or open stringed note. Jazz bassists use a subtle form of fretting hand pizzicato by plucking a very brief open string [[grace note]] with the fretting hand right before playing the string with the plucking hand. When a string is rapidly hammered on, the note can be prolonged into a [[trill (music)|trill]]. |
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=====Two-handed tapping===== |
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[[File:Bass Guitar Tapping.JPG|thumb|right|170px|A bassist performing tapping, in which notes are sounded by striking the strings against the fretboard]] |
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In the two-handed [[tapping]] styles, bassists use both hands to play notes on the fretboard by rapidly pressing and holding the string to the fret. Instead of plucking or picking the string to create a sound, in this technique, the action of striking the string against the fret or the fretboard creates the sound. Since two hands can be used to play on the fretboard, this makes it possible to play interweaving [[counterpoint|contrapuntal]] lines, to simultaneously play a bassline and a simple chord, or play [[Guitar chord|chords]] and arpeggios. Bassist [[John Entwistle]] of [[The Who]] tapped percussively on the strings, causing them to strike the fretboard with a twangy sound to create drum-style [[fill (music)|fills]]. Players noted for this technique include [[Cliff Burton]], [[Billy Sheehan]], [[Stuart Hamm]], [[John Myung]], [[Victor Wooten]], [[Les Claypool]], [[Mark King (musician)|Mark King]] and [[Michael Manring]]. The [[Chapman Stick]] and [[Warr Guitars]] are string instruments specifically designed to be played using two-handed tapping. |
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{{Clear}} |
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==Uses== |
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===Popular music=== |
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[[Popular music]] bands and rock groups use the bass guitar as a member of the [[rhythm section]], which provides the [[chord (music)|chord]] sequence or "[[Chord progression|progression]]" and sets out the "[[beat (music)|beat]]" for the song. The rhythm section typically consists of a [[rhythm guitar]]ist or [[electric keyboard]] player, or both, a bass guitarist and a [[drummer]]; larger groups may add additional guitarists, keyboardists, or percussionists. |
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The types of [[bassline]]s performed by the bass guitarist vary widely from one style of music to another. Despite all of the differences in the styles of bassline, in most styles of popular music, the bass guitarist fulfills a similar role: anchoring the harmonic framework (often by emphasizing the roots of the chord progression) and laying down the beat (in collaboration with the drummer). The importance of the bass guitarist and the bass line varies in different styles of music. In some pop styles, such as 1980s-era pop and musical theater, the bass sometimes plays a relatively simple part, and the music forefronts the vocals and melody instruments. In contrast, in [[reggae]], funk, or hip-hop, entire songs may be centered on the bass groove, and the bassline is usually very prominent in the mix. |
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In traditional [[country music]], [[folk rock]], and related styles, the bass often plays the roots and fifth of each chord in alternation. In Chicago [[blues]], the electric bass often performs a [[walking bass]]line made up of scales and arpeggios. In [[blues rock]] bands, the bassist often plays [[blues scale]]-based riffs and chugging [[boogie]]-style lines. In [[heavy metal music|metal]], the bass guitar may perform complex [[riff]]s along with the rhythm guitarist or play a low, rumbling [[pedal point]] to anchor the group's sound. |
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The bass guitarist sometimes breaks out of the strict rhythm section role to perform [[bass run|bass breaks]] or bass solos. The types of basslines used for bass breaks or bass solos vary by style. In a rock band, a bass break may consist of the bassist playing a [[riff]] or [[lick (music)|lick]] during a pause in the song. In some styles of metal, a bass break may consist of "[[shred guitar]]"-style [[tapping]] on the bass. In a [[funk]] or funk rock band, a bass solo may showcase the bassist's percussive [[slap and pop]] playing. In genres such as [[progressive rock]], [[art rock]], or [[progressive metal]], the bass guitar player may play [[melody]] lines along with the [[lead guitar]] (or vocalist) and perform extended [[guitar solo]]s. Other contemporary musicians such as [[Edo Castro]] have taken the electric bass, including 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 strings, into a new and evolving genre centered entirely around the bass itself. |
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===Jazz and jazz fusion=== |
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The electric bass is a relative newcomer to the world of [[jazz]]. The [[big band]]s of the 1930s and 1940s [[Swing music|Swing]] era and the small combos of the 1950s [[Bebop]] and [[Hard Bop]] movements all used the [[double bass]]. The electric bass was introduced during the late 1960s and early 1970s, when rock influences were blended with jazz to create [[jazz-rock fusion]]. |
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The introduction of the electric bass in jazz fusion, as in the rock world, enabled the bass to be used in high-volume stadium concerts with powerful amplifiers, because it is much easier to amplify the electric bass than the double bass (the latter is prone to feedback in high-volume settings). The electric bass has both an accompaniment and a soloing role in [[jazz]]. In accompaniment, the bassist may perform [[walking bass]]lines for traditional tunes and "[[jazz standards]]", playing smooth quarter note lines that imitate the double bass. For [[latin]] or [[salsa music|salsa]] tunes and rock-infused jazz fusion tunes, the electric bass may play rapid, syncopated rhythmic figures in coordination with the drummer, or lay down a low, heavy groove. |
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In a jazz setting, the electric bass tends to have a much more expansive solo role than in most popular styles. In most rock settings, the bass guitarist may only have a few short bass breaks or brief solos during a concert. During a jazz concert, a jazz bassist may have a number of lengthy improvised solos, which are called "blowing" in jazz parlance. Whether a jazz bassist is comping (accompanying) or soloing, they usually aim to create a rhythmic drive and "timefeel" that creates a sense of "[[swing (jazz performance style)|swing]]" and "[[groove (music)|groove]]". For information on notable jazz bassists, see the [[List of jazz bassists]] article. |
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{{Clear}} |
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===Contemporary classical music=== |
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[[Contemporary classical music]] uses both the standard instruments of Western Art music (piano, violin, double bass, etc.) and newer instruments or sound producing devices, ranging from electrically amplified instruments to tape players and radios. The electric bass guitar has occasionally been used in contemporary classical music (art music) since the late 1960s. |
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Contemporary composers often obtained unusual sounds or instrumental timbres through the use of non-traditional (or unconventional) instruments or playing techniques. As such, bass guitarists playing contemporary classical music may be instructed to pluck or strum the instrument in unusual ways. |
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[[File:Alfred Schnittke April 6 1989 Moscow.jpg|thumb|150px|right| Russian and Soviet composer [[Alfred Schnittke]], pictured here in 1989, used electric bass for his Symphony no. 1 (1972).]] |
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American composers using electric bass in the 1960s included experimental classical music composer [[Christian Wolff (composer)|Christian Wolff]] (born 1934) (''Electric Spring 1'', 1966; ''Electric Spring 2'', 1966/70; ''Electric Spring 3'', 1967; and ''Untitled'', 1996); [[Francis Thorne]], a student of Paul Hindemith at Yale University (born 1922), who wrote (''Liebesrock'' 1968–69); and [[Krzysztof Penderecki]] (Cello Concerto no. 1, 1966/67, rev. 1971/72), ''[[The Devils of Loudun (opera)|The Devils of Loudun]]'', 1969; ''Kosmogonia'', 1970; and ''Partita'', 1971), [[Louis Andriessen]] (''Spektakel'', 1970; ''De Staat'', 1972–76; ''Hoketus'', 1976; ''De Tijd'', 1980–81 and ''[[De Materie]]'', 1984–1988). European composers who began scoring for the bass guitar in the 1960s included Danish composer [[Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen]] (born 1932) (''Symfoni på Rygmarven'', 1966; ''Rerepriser'', 1967; and ''Piece by Piece'', 1968); [[Irwin Bazelon]] (''Churchill Downs'', 1970). |
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In the 1970s, electric bass was used by the American conductor-composer [[Leonard Bernstein]] (1918–1990) for his ''[[Mass (Bernstein)|MASS]]'' (1971). American jazz pianist [[Dave Brubeck]] used bass guitar for his 1971 piece ''Truth Has Fallen''. [[Russia]]n and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] composer [[Alfred Schnittke]] used the instrument for his Symphony no. 1, 1972. In 1977, [[David Amram]] (born 1930) scored for electric bass in ''En memoria de Chano Pozo''. Amram is an American composer known for his eclectic use of jazz, ethnic and folk music. |
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In the 1980s and 1990s, electric bass was used in works by [[Hans Werner Henze]] (''El Rey de Harlem'', 1980; and ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'', 1981), [[Harold Shapero]], ''On Green Mountain (Chaconne after Monteverdi)'', 1957, orchestrated 1981; [[Steve Reich]]'s ''[[Electric Counterpoint]]'' (1987), [[Wolfgang Rihm]] (''Die Eroberung von Mexico'', 1987–91), [[Arvo Pärt]] (''Miserere'', 1989/92), [[Steve Martland]] (''Danceworks'', 1993; and ''Horses of Instruction'', 1994), [[Sofia Gubaidulina]] (''Aus dem Stundenbuch'', 1991), [[Giya Kancheli]] (''Wingless'', 1993), [[John Adams (composer)|John Adams]] (''[[I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky]]'', 1995; and ''Scratchband'', 1996/97), and [[Michael Nyman]] (various works for the [[Michael Nyman Band]]). |
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==Pedagogy and training== |
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The pedagogy and training for the electric bass varies widely by genre and country. Rock and pop bass has a history of pedagogy dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, when method books were developed to help students learn the instrument. One notable method book was [[Carol Kaye]]'s ''How to Play the Electric Bass''. |
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In the jazz scene, since the bass guitar takes on much of the same role as the double bass—laying down the rhythm, and outlining the harmonic foundation—electric bass players have long used both bass guitar methods and jazz double bass method books. The use of jazz double bass method books by electric bass players in jazz is facilitated in that jazz methods tend to emphasize improvisation techniques (e.g., how to improvise [[walking bass]]lines) and rhythmic exercises rather than specific ways of holding or plucking the instrument. |
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===Formal training=== |
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Of all of the genres, jazz and the mainstream commercial genres (rock, R&B, etc.) have the most established and comprehensive systems of instruction and training for electric bass. In the jazz scene, teens can begin taking private lessons on the instrument and performing in amateur big bands at high schools or run by the community. Young adults who aspire to becoming professional jazz bassists or studio rock bassists can continue their studies in a variety of formal training settings, including colleges and some universities. |
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Several colleges offer electric bass training in the US. The Bass Institute of Technology (BIT) in Los Angeles was founded in 1978, as part of the Musician's Institute. [[Chuck Rainey]] (electric bassist for [[Aretha Franklin]] and [[Marvin Gaye]]) was BIT's first director. BIT was one of the earliest professional training program for electric bassists. The program teaches a range of modern styles, including funk, rock, jazz, Latin, and R&B. |
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The [[Berklee College of Music]] in Boston offers training for electric bass players. Electric bass students get private lessons and there is a choice of over 270 ensembles to play in. Specific electric bass courses include funk/fusion styles for bass; slap techniques for electric bass; fingerstyle R&B; five- and six-string electric bass playing (including performing chords); and how to read bass sheet music.<ref name="berklee.edu">{{cite web|url=http://www.berklee.edu/departments/bass.html |title=BERKLEE | Bass Department |publisher=Berklee.edu |date= |accessdate=2010-02-07| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100213150119/http://www.berklee.edu/departments/bass.html| archivedate= 13 February 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> Berklee College alumni include [[Jeff Andrews]], [[Victor Bailey (musician)|Victor Bailey]], [[Jeff Berlin]], [[Michael Manring]], and [[Neil Stubenhaus]].<ref name="berklee.edu"/> The Bass Department has two rooms with bass amps for classes and ten private lesson studios equipped with audio recording gear. Berklee offers instruction for the four-, five-, and six-string electric bass, the fretless bass, and double bass. "Students learn concepts in Latin, funk, Motown, and hip-hop,...jazz, rock, and fusion."<ref name="berklee.edu"/> |
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In Canada, the [[Humber College]] Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning offers an Advanced Diploma (a three-year program) in jazz and commercial music. The program accepts performers who play bass, guitar, keyboard, drums, melody instruments (e.g., saxophone, flute, violin) and who sing. Students get private lessons and perform in 40 student ensembles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://postsecondary.humber.ca/music.htm |title=Humber College | Music |publisher=Postsecondary.humber.ca |date= |accessdate=2010-02-07| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100129053421/http://postsecondary.humber.ca/music.htm| archivedate= 29 January 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> |
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Although there are far fewer university programs that offer electric bass instruction in jazz and popular music, some universities offer Bachelor's degrees ([[B.Mus.]]) and Master of Music ([[M.Mus.]]) degrees in jazz performance or "commercial music", where electric bass can be the main instrument. In the US, the [[Manhattan School of Music]] has a jazz program leading to B.Mus. and M.Mus degrees that accepts students who play bass (double bass and electric bass), guitar, piano, drums, and melody instruments (e.g., saxophone, trumpet, etc.).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msmnyc.edu/undergrad/ |title=Manhattan School of Music: Undergraduate Studies |publisher=Msmnyc.edu |date= |accessdate=2010-02-07| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100107032831/http://www.msmnyc.edu/undergrad/| archivedate= 7 January 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}{{dead link|date=June 2012}}</ref> |
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In the Australian state of Victoria, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority has set out minimum standards for its electric bass students doing their end-of-year Solo performance recital. To graduate, students must perform pieces and songs from a set list that includes Baroque suite movements that were originally written for cello, 1960s Motown tunes, 1970s fusion jazz solos, and 1980s slap bass tunes. A typical program may include a Prelude by [[J.S. Bach]]; "Portrait of Tracy" by [[Jaco Pastorius]]; "[[Twisted (Annie Ross song)|Twisted]]" by [[Wardell Gray]] and [[Annie Ross]]; "What’s Going On" by [[James Jamerson]]; and the funky Disco hit "[[Le Freak]]" by Chic.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/musicsolo/units34soloworks/sololist/electricbass.pdf |title=Contemporary Double Bass |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2010-02-07}}</ref> |
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In addition to college and university diplomas and degrees, there are a variety of other training programs such as jazz or funk summer camps and festivals, which give students the opportunity to play a wide range of contemporary music, from 1970s-style jazz-rock fusion to 2000s-style R&B. |
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===Informal training=== |
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In other less mainstream genres, such as hardcore punk or metal, the pedagogical systems and training sequences are typically not formalized and institutionalized. As such, many players learn "by ear", by copying the basslines from records and CDs, and by playing in a number of bands. Even in non-mainstream styles, though, students may be able to take lessons from experts in these or other styles, adapting learned techniques to their own style. As well, there are a range of books, playing methods, and, since the 1990s, instructional DVDs (e.g., how to play metal bass). |
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==See also== |
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{{Portal|Guitar}} |
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== See also == |
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* [[Acoustic bass guitar]] |
* [[Acoustic bass guitar]] |
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* [[Fretless bass]] |
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* [[Bass instrument amplification|Bass amplifier]] |
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* [[Bass guitar tuning]] |
* [[Bass guitar tuning]] |
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* [[Bass instrument amplification]] |
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* [[Bassist]] |
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* [[Bass effects]] |
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* [[Electric upright bass]], a smaller, lighter, electrically amplified variant of the double bass |
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* [[Pickup (music technology)|Pickups]] |
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* [[Guitarrón mexicano]] |
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* [[List of bass guitar manufacturers]] |
* [[List of bass guitar manufacturers]] |
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* [[List of bass guitarists]] |
* [[List of bass guitarists]] |
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* [[Octobass]], an extremely large and rare bass instrument from the violin family used in [[orchestra]]s. |
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* [[Range_(music)|Range]] |
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* [[Washtub bass]] |
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== References == |
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==Footnotes and references== |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} |
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* {{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Jim|title=How The Fender Bass Changed the World|year=2001|publisher=Backbeat Books |location=San Francisco, CA|isbn= 0-87930-630-0}} |
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* {{cite document|surname1=Wheeler|given1=Tom|year=1978|title=The Guitar Book: A Handbook for Electric and Acoustic Guitarists|publisher=[[Harper & Row]]|id=ISBN 0-06-014579-X}} |
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== |
==Bibliography== |
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* {{cite book |last=Bacon |first=Tony |title=60 Years of Fender: Six Decades of the Greatest Electric Guitars |year=2010 |publisher=[[Backbeat Books]] |isbn=978-0879309664 }} |
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* {{cite document|surname1=Evans|given1=Tom|surname2=Evans|given2=Mary Anne|year=1977|title=Guitars: From the Renaissance to Rock|publisher=Facts On File|id=ISBN 0-87196-636-0}} |
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* {{cite |
* {{cite book |last1=Bacon |first1=Tony |last2=Moorhouse |first2=Barry |year=2016 |title=The Bass Book: A Complete Illustrated History of Bass Guitars |publisher=[[Backbeat Books]] |isbn=978-1-4950-0150-5 }} |
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* {{cite |
* {{cite book |last=Black |first=J. W. |year=2001 |title=The Fender Bass: An Illustrated History |publisher=[[Hal Leonard]] |isbn = 0-634-02640-2 }} |
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* {{cite book |last=Boyer |first=Paul |year=2013 |title=The Rickenbacker Electric Bass: 50 Years As Rock's Bottom |publisher=[[Hal Leonard]] |isbn=978-1-4768-8680-0 }} |
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* {{cite book |last1=Evans |first1=Tom |last2=Evans |first2=Mary Ann |title=Guitars: From the Renaissance to Rock |year=1977 |publisher=[[Facts On File]] |isbn=0-87196-636-0 }} |
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* {{cite book| last=George |first=Nelson |author-link=Nelson George |year=1998 |title=Hip Hop America | url=https://archive.org/details/hiphopamerica00georg | url-access=registration |publisher=[[Viking Press]] |isbn=978-0-670-87153-7 }} |
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* {{cite book |last=Roberts |first=Jim |title=How The Fender Bass Changed the World |year=2001 |publisher=[[Backbeat Books]] |location=San Francisco, California |isbn=0-87930-630-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/howfenderbasscha0000robe }} |
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* {{cite book |last1=Sadie |first1=Stanley |last2=Tyrrell |first2=John |title=The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians |edition=Second |year=2001 |location=London }} |
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* {{cite book |last1=Slog |first1=John J. |last2=Coryat |first2=Karl |year=1999 |title=The Bass Player Book: Equipment, Technique, Styles and Artists |publisher=[[Backbeat Books]] |isbn=0-87930-573-8 }} |
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* {{cite book |last=Trynka |first=Paul |title=Rock Hardware |year=1996 |publisher=[[Hal Leonard]] |isbn=0-87930-428-6 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/rockhardware40ye00tryn }} |
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* {{cite book |last=Wheeler |first=Tom |year=1978 |title=The Guitar Book: A Handbook for Electric and Acoustic Guitarists |publisher=[[Harper & Row]] |isbn=0-06-014579-X }} |
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==External links== |
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{{Commons category|Bass guitars}} |
{{Commons category|Bass guitars}} |
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{{Wikibooks|Guitar|Bass Guitar}} |
{{Wikibooks|Guitar|Bass Guitar}} |
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* [http://www.weirdomatic.com/weird-bass-guitars.html Weird Bass Guitars] (Images) |
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* Bass fingering chart http://www.alfred.com/img/pdf/BOP/FingeringCharts/Electric_Bass.pdf |
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{{Bass (sound)}} |
{{Bass (sound)}} |
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{{Guitars}} |
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Latest revision as of 16:42, 13 December 2024
 | |
| String instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Electric bass, bass |
| Classification | String instrument |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 321.322 (Composite chordophone) |
| Inventor(s) | Paul Tutmarc, Leo Fender |
| Developed | 1930s |
| Playing range | |
 Range of a standard tuned 4-string bass guitar (brackets: 5-string) | |
| Related instruments | |
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (/beɪs/) is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and scale length. The bass guitar most commonly has four strings, though five- and six-stringed models are also relatively popular, and bass guitars with even more (or fewer) strings or courses have been built. Since the mid-1950s, the bass guitar has largely come to replace the double bass in popular music due to its lighter weight, the inclusion of frets (for easier intonation) in most models, and, most importantly, its design for electric amplification. This is also because the double bass is acoustically compromised for its range (like the viola) in that it is scaled down from the optimal size that would be appropriate for those low notes.
The four-string bass guitar is usually tuned the same as the double bass, which corresponds to pitches one octave lower than the four lowest-pitched strings of a guitar (typically E, A, D, and G). It is played primarily with the fingers or thumb, or with a pick.
The electric bass guitar is acoustically a relatively quiet instrument, so to be heard at a practical performance volume, it requires external amplification. It can also be used in conjunction with direct input boxes, audio interfaces, mixing consoles, computers, or bass effects processors that offer headphone jacks. The majority of bass pickup systems are electromagnetic in nature.
Terminology
[edit]The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians refers to this instrument as an "Electric bass guitar, usually with four heavy strings tuned E1'–A1'–D2–G2."[1] It also defines bass as "Bass (iv). A contraction of Double bass or Electric bass guitar." Mottola's Cyclopedic Dictionary of Lutherie Terms begins its definition of the instrument as "A bass guitar that produces sound primarily with the aid of electronic devices."[2] According to some authors the proper term is "electric bass".[3][4] Common names for the instrument are "bass guitar", "electric bass guitar", and "electric bass"[5][page needed] and some authors claim that they are historically accurate.[6] A bass guitar whose neck lacks frets is termed a fretless bass.
Scale
[edit]The scale of a bass is defined as the length of the freely oscillating strings between the nut and the bridge saddles. On a modern 4-string bass guitar, 30" (76 cm) or less is considered short scale, 32" (81 cm) medium scale, 34" (86 cm) standard or long scale and 35" (89 cm) extra-long scale.[7]
Pickup
[edit]Bass pickups are generally attached to the body of the guitar and located beneath the strings. They are responsible for converting the vibrations of the strings into analogous electrical signals, which are in turn passed as input to an instrument amplifier.[8]
Strings
[edit]Bass guitar strings are composed of a core and winding. The core is a wire which runs through the center of the string and is generally made of steel, nickel, or an alloy.[9] The winding is an additional wire wrapped around the core. Bass guitar strings vary by the material and cross-sectional shape of the winding.
Common variants include roundwound, flatwound, halfwound (groundwound), coated, tapewound and taperwound (not to be confused with tapewound) strings. Roundwound and flatwound strings feature windings with circular and rounded-square cross-sections, respectively, with halfround (also referred to as halfwound, ground wound, pressure wound) strings being a hybrid between the two. Coated strings have their surface coated with a synthetic layer while tapewound strings feature a metal core with a non-metallic winding.[10][11][12] Taperwound strings have a tapered end where the exposed core sits on the bridge saddle without windings.[13] The choice of winding has considerable impact on the sound of the instrument, with certain winding styles often being preferred for certain musical genres.[14]
History
[edit]1930s
[edit]
In the 1930s, musician and inventor Paul Tutmarc of Seattle, Washington, developed the first electric bass guitar in its modern form, a fretted instrument designed to be played horizontally. The 1935 sales catalog for Tutmarc's company Audiovox featured his "Model 736 Bass Fiddle", a solid-bodied electric bass guitar with four strings, a 30+1⁄2-inch (775-millimetre) scale length, and a single pickup.[15] Around 100 were made during this period.[16] Audiovox also sold their "Model 236" bass amplifier.[17]
1950s
[edit]
In the 1950s, Leo Fender and George Fullerton developed the first mass-produced electric bass guitar.[18] The Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company began producing the Precision Bass, or P-Bass, in October 1951. The design featured a simple uncontoured "slab" body design and a single coil pickup similar to that of a Telecaster. By 1957 the Precision more closely resembled the Fender Stratocaster with the body edges beveled for comfort, and the pickup was changed to a split coil design.[19]
The Fender Bass was a revolutionary instrument for gigging musicians. In comparison with the large, heavy upright bass, which had been the main bass instrument in popular music from the early 20th century to the 1940s, the bass guitar could be easily transported to shows. When amplified, the bass guitar was also less prone than acoustic basses to unwanted audio feedback.[20] The addition of frets enabled bassists to play in tune more easily than on fretless acoustic or electric upright basses, and allowed guitarists to more easily transition to the instrument.[21]
In 1953, Monk Montgomery became the first bassist to tour with the Fender bass, in Lionel Hampton's postwar big band.[22][23] Montgomery was also possibly the first to record with the electric bass, on July 2, 1953, with the Art Farmer Septet.[24] Roy Johnson (with Lionel Hampton), and Shifty Henry (with Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five), were other early Fender bass pioneers.[18] Bill Black, who played with Elvis Presley, switched from upright bass to the Fender Precision Bass around 1957.[25] The bass guitar was intended to appeal to guitarists as well as upright bass players, and many early pioneers of the instrument, such as Carol Kaye, Joe Osborn, and Paul McCartney were originally guitarists.[20]
Also in 1953, Gibson released the first short-scale violin-shaped electric bass, the EB-1, with an extendable end pin so a bassist could play it upright or horizontally. In 1958, Gibson released the maple arched-top EB-2 described in the Gibson catalog as a "hollow-body electric bass that features a Bass/Baritone pushbutton for two different tonal characteristics". In 1959, these were followed by the more conventional-looking EB-0 Bass. The EB-0 was very similar to a Gibson SG in appearance (although the earliest examples have a slab-sided body shape closer to that of the double-cutaway Les Paul Special). The Fender and Gibson versions used bolt-on and set necks.
Several other companies also began manufacturing bass guitars during the 1950s. Kay Musical Instrument Company began production of the K162 in 1952, while Danelectro released the Longhorn in 1956. Also in 1956, at the German trade fair "Musikmesse Frankfurt" the distinctive Höfner 500/1 violin-shaped bass first appeared, constructed using violin techniques by Walter Höfner, a second-generation violin luthier.[26] Due to its use by Paul McCartney, it became known as the "Beatle bass".[27] In 1957, Rickenbacker introduced the model 4000, the first bass to feature a neck-through-body design in which the neck is part of the body wood.[28] The Burns London Supersound was introduced in 1958.[25]
1960s
[edit]
With the explosion in popularity of rock music in the 1960s, many more manufacturers began making electric basses, including Yamaha, Teisco and Guyatone. Introduced in 1960, the Fender Jazz Bass, initially known as the "Deluxe Bass", used a body design known as an offset waist which was first seen on the Jazzmaster guitar in an effort to improve comfort while playing seated.[29] The Jazz bass, or J-Bass, features two single-coil pickups.
Providing a more "Gibson-scale" instrument, rather than the 34-inch (864 mm) Jazz and Precision, Fender produced the Mustang Bass, a 30-inch (762 mm) scale-length instrument.[30] The Fender VI, a 6-string bass, was tuned one octave lower than standard guitar tuning. It was released in 1961, and was briefly favored by Jack Bruce of Cream.[31]
Gibson introduced its short-scale 30.5-inch (775 mm) EB-3 in 1961, also used by Bruce.[32] The EB-3 had a "mini-humbucker" at the bridge position. Gibson basses tended to be instruments with a shorter 30.5" scale length than the Precision. Gibson did not produce a 34-inch (864 mm)-scale bass until 1963 with the release of the Thunderbird.[33]
The first commercial fretless bass guitar was the Ampeg AUB-1, introduced in 1966.[34] In the late 1960s, eight-string basses, with four octave paired courses (similar to a 12 string guitar), were introduced, such as the Hagström H8.[35]
1970s
[edit]In 1972, Alembic established what became known as "boutique" or "high-end" electric bass guitars.[36] These expensive, custom-tailored instruments, as used by Phil Lesh, Jack Casady, and Stanley Clarke, featured unique designs, premium hand-finished wood bodies, and innovative construction techniques such as multi-laminate neck-through-body construction and graphite necks. Alembic also pioneered the use of onboard electronics for pre-amplification and equalization.[37][38]
Active electronics increase the output of the instrument, and allow more options for controlling tonal flexibility, giving the player the ability to amplify as well as to attenuate certain frequency ranges while improving the overall frequency response (including more low-register and high-register sounds). 1976 saw the UK company Wal begin production of their own range of active basses.[39] In 1974 Music Man Instruments, founded by Tom Walker, Forrest White and Leo Fender, introduced the StingRay, the first widely produced bass with active (powered) electronics built into the instrument.[40] Basses with active electronics can include a preamplifier and knobs for boosting and cutting the low and high frequencies.
In the mid-1970s, five-string basses, with a very low "B" string, were introduced. In 1975, bassist Anthony Jackson commissioned luthier Carl Thompson to build a six-string bass tuned (low to high) B0, E1, A1, D2, G2, C3, adding a low B string and a high C string.[41]
See also
[edit]- Acoustic bass guitar
- Fretless bass
- Bass guitar tuning
- Bass instrument amplification
- Bass effects
- Pickups
- List of bass guitar manufacturers
- List of bass guitarists
References
[edit]- ^ Sadie & Tyrrell 2001.
- ^ Mottola, RM (2020). Mottola's Cyclopedic Dictionary of Lutherie Terms. LiutaioMottola.com. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-7341256-0-3.
- ^ Wheeler 1978, pp. 101–102.
- ^ Evans & Evans 1977, p. 342.
- ^ Bacon & Moorhouse 2016.
- ^ Roberts 2001, References Appendix.
- ^ "Myths and Rumors on Scale Length - Premier Guitar". www.premierguitar.com. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Veall, Dan (December 21, 2020). "Bass guitar pickups explained". Bass Player. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ Koester, Thom (August 24, 2020). "What Are Guitar Strings Made Of?". Sweetwater Sound. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Owens, Jeff. "Bass Strings 101". Fender. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Erskine, Damian (September 4, 2013). "Fretless Bass: A Guide for Choosing the Best Strings". No Treble. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ "The Anatomy of a Bass String - Premier Guitar". www.premierguitar.com. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Colin (November 8, 2022). "Bass Strings 101: The Ultimate Buyer's Guide". E-Home Recording Studio. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Brody, Mark (January 30, 2020). "Flatwound vs. Roundwound Bass Strings". Sweetwater Sound. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ Blecha, Peter (December 11, 2001). "Audiovox #736: The World's First Electric Bass Guitar!". Vintage Guitar. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- ^ Roberts 2001, pp. 28–29.
- ^ "Audiovox and Serenader Amps – An Interview with Bud Tutmarc". Vintage Guitar. February 19, 2002. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- ^ a b Slog & Coryat 1999, p. 154.
- ^ Owens, Jeff (March 13, 2019). "Legendary Lows: The Precision Bass Story". Fender. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Roberts 2001.
- ^ Rogers, Dave; Braithwaite, Laun; Mullally, Tim (May 13, 2013). "1952 Fender Precision Bass". Premier Guitar. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ George 1998, p. 91.
- ^ Tamarkin, Jeff (April 25, 2019). "Chops: Take Your Pick". JazzTimes. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^ Mulhern, Tom (1993). Bass heroes: styles, stories & secrets of 30 great bass players: from the pages of Guitar player magazine. San Francisco: GPI Books. p. 165. ISBN 0-585-34936-3. OCLC 47008985.
- ^ a b Bacon 2010.
- ^ "A Short History of Höfner". Höfner. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ Bacon & Moorhouse 2016, eBook.
- ^ "The Modern Era of the electric Guitar". Rickenbacker. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ Owens, Jeff (June 12, 2019). "Jaco, Geddy and Flea Can't Be Wrong: The Story of the Jazz Bass". Fender. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022.
Most apparent was a feature borrowed from the Jazzmaster—an offset waist—that conveyed a sleeker and more curvaceous look to the Jazz Bass. In true Fender fashion, however, this was an innovation rooted not in form but in function—the sexier look was a by-product of the more practical consideration that the offset waist made the instrument more comfortable to play when seated
- ^ "Mustang Bass". sFender. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ "Jack Bruce - Equipment". Jackbruce.com. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ Moseley, Willie G. (March 10, 2010). "The Gibson EB-3". Vintage Guitar. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
- ^ Mullally, Tim; Braithwaite, Laun; Rogers, Dave (March 5, 2017). "Vintage Vault: 1964 Gibson Thunderbird Bass". Premier Guitar. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ Roberts 2001, p. 125–126.
- ^ "Hagstrom H8-II Bass". Hagström. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ "Alembic - History, Short Version". Alembic. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ "Alembic Activators". Alembic. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Fletcher, Tim (March 16, 2020). "The History of Active Electronics". Bass Musician. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ "About Us". Walbasses. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- ^ "StingRay". Music Man. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Roberts, Jim (July 23, 2019). "Partners: Anthony Jackson & Fodera Guitars". Bass Magazine - the Future of Bass. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
Bibliography
[edit]- Bacon, Tony (2010). 60 Years of Fender: Six Decades of the Greatest Electric Guitars. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0879309664.
- Bacon, Tony; Moorhouse, Barry (2016). The Bass Book: A Complete Illustrated History of Bass Guitars. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-4950-0150-5.
- Black, J. W. (2001). The Fender Bass: An Illustrated History. Hal Leonard. ISBN 0-634-02640-2.
- Boyer, Paul (2013). The Rickenbacker Electric Bass: 50 Years As Rock's Bottom. Hal Leonard. ISBN 978-1-4768-8680-0.
- Evans, Tom; Evans, Mary Ann (1977). Guitars: From the Renaissance to Rock. Facts On File. ISBN 0-87196-636-0.
- George, Nelson (1998). Hip Hop America. Viking Press. ISBN 978-0-670-87153-7.
- Roberts, Jim (2001). How The Fender Bass Changed the World. San Francisco, California: Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-630-0.
- Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John (2001). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (Second ed.). London.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Slog, John J.; Coryat, Karl (1999). The Bass Player Book: Equipment, Technique, Styles and Artists. Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-573-8.
- Trynka, Paul (1996). Rock Hardware. Hal Leonard. ISBN 0-87930-428-6.
- Wheeler, Tom (1978). The Guitar Book: A Handbook for Electric and Acoustic Guitarists. Harper & Row. ISBN 0-06-014579-X.
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