Azz Say La V: May 2011

Bass guitar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The bass guitar^[1] (also called electric bass,^[2]^[3]^[4] or simply bass; /ˈbeɪs/) is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb (by plucking, slapping, popping, tapping, or thumping), or by using a pick.

The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a longer neck and scale length, and four, five, or six strings. The four-string bass—by far the most common—is usually tuned the same as the double bass,^[5] which corresponds to pitches one octave lower than the four lower strings of a guitar (E, A, D, and G).^[6] 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 lines. Like the electric guitar, the bass guitar is plugged into an amplifier and speaker for live performances.

Since the 1950s, the bass guitar has largely replaced the double bass in popular music as the bass instrument in the rhythm section. While the types of basslines 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, metal, pop, punk rock, country, blues, and jazz. It is used as a soloing instrument in jazz, fusion, Latin, funk, and in some rock and metal styles.

From:

http://www.tunemybass.com/tuning/bass_guitar_tunings.html

Standard Tunings for the Bass Guitar

Be sure to check out the online bass tuner on the home page if you need to tune.

4-String Bass Tuning

The standard tuning for a four-string bass from lowest pitch to highest (thickest string to thinnest) is:
E – A – D – G

5-String Bass Tuning

The most common standard tuning for a five-string bass from lowest pitch to highest (thickest string to thinnest) is:

B – E – A – D – G

This tuning has one lower pitched string added to the standard 4-string tuning giving you 5 lower notes.

Some people tune a 5-string bass adding a higher string instead:

E – A – D – G – C

This tuning gives you 5 higher notes.

6-String Bass Tuning

The standard tuning for a six-string bass from lowest pitch to highest (thickest string to thinnest) is:

B – E – A – D – G – C

8-String Bass Tuning

An eight-string bass is really like a 4-string bass, but with a second string doubling each of those four strings. The doubling string is tuned an octave higher. The result is:

E(e) – A(a) – D(d) – G(g)

This gives off a very full, thick sound. The same idea is used on a 12-string guitar.

Piccolo Bass Tuning

A piccolo bass is a standard bass tuning up an octave. You need to buy special strings for this! It can be pretty fun playing an octave higher. It’s not very bass-like. It’s like the bottom 4 strings of a guitar.

Bass Guitar Guide

From:

www.musicgearreview.com

Types of Bass Guitars

There are a number of different types of basses, but the two most common groups are the stand-up basses (or string bass) and bass guitars(both acoustic and electric). You may have seen a stand-up bass, this is the enormous instrument that the player stands on it’s end and plays standing up. This instrument is widely used in classical applications and sometimes in blues or jazz bands. Increasingly, the stand-up bass is being used in acoustic groups that tend to play more popular music as well. Most common, however, is the bass guitar. Bass guitars come in two primary variants – the electric bass and the acoustic bass. There are even acoustic-electric bass guitars.

Electric Bass Guitars

Electric bass guitars function on the same principle as electric guitars where the body is normally solid, and electronic pickups are used to capture the string vibrations and transmit them to an amplifier which then increases the volume of the signal. Electric bass guitars are most common in the 4 string variant, but are increasingly being found in 5 and 6 string models. These instruments are still tuned an octave lower, however the additional strings provide the accomplished player with more options for expanding their playing. As noted, electric basses require bass guitar amplifiers to amplify their signal. Bass Guitar amplifiers have some of their own unique features and more information can be found on our bass guitar amplifiers category page.

Acoustic Bass Guitars

Similar to the acoustic guitar, the acoustic bass guitar has a large sound cavity that is normally constructed of wood and a sound-hole that projects the sound made by plucking or strumming the strings. Acoustic bass guitars are sometimes thought of as impractical to a band that is playing out as their projection is somewhat limited, however the quality and resonance of the tone is what keeps many bass players interested. Many groups that like to put on an acoustic show will include an acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, and bongos or congas for percussion. You can also mic an acoustic bass if you’re going for an interesting sound.

Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitars

Add a piezo or other pickup to an acoustic bass and guess what you’ve got? That’s right, acoustic basses also come in an acoustic-electric variant which really gives you the flexibility to run through a pa system or amplifier, as well as gain the benefits of the acoustic tone. We’ve seen several jazz bands taking this approach, and again, normally amplified bands that appeared on MTV’s series Unplugged. Ideally, this is the model that you would want if you are looking for the benefits of both.

Azz Say La V

Bass guitar

Bass Guitar Tunings

From:

http://www.tunemybass.com/tuning/bass_guitar_tunings.html

Standard Tunings for the Bass Guitar

4-String Bass Tuning

5-String Bass Tuning

6-String Bass Tuning

8-String Bass Tuning

Piccolo Bass Tuning

Bass Guitar Anatomy

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