The Bass Guitar
Regardless of the age of a piece of music, there has always been a musical line composed for a bass part. Whether it’s the big bowed orchestral bass, the huge bass pipes of a cathedral organ or the ultra low warm sound of a vintage synth bass, the bass line serves as a root and foundation for most music. Music would sound hollow and incomplete without a driving bass line. With styles of popular music changing and evolving, plus the increasing demands of the working musician for portability, playability and loud volume, there was a strong need for a new type of bass instrument. This is when the bass guitar came into play.
Though the very first electric bass guitar was invented in the 1930′s it never achieved the critical mass of popularity until the Fender bass guitars brought the electric bass to the masses. The equivalent prior instrument, the upright bass existed for hundreds of years prior to this. With a sound that was different from the familiar upright acoustic basses in use, the electric bass guitar offered a variety of tonal adjustments, playing techniques, sounds and all of this could be heard clearly and loudly with new electric amplification, which in and of itself offered some means of creative tonal adjustments and sound shaping. With it’s guitar like playing position the electric bass guitar differed from the hard to carry acoustic bass, electric bass strings also were not bowed like those of an acoustic and offered musicians a relatively easier to play and use highly portable instrument. From a distance, the electric bass guitar could easily be mistaken for an electric guitar as the both look very similar with the same solid body shape, however the bass usually has a longer neck. Also while similar to an acoustic guitar in playing position, the electric bass differs in it’s sound production. The bass guitar has pickups underneath it’s strings, the pickups send the sound to the amplifier which the bass is connected to and we hear the notes via the amp’s speakers. Tuned an octave lower than a guitar, the bass guitar initially had only 4 strings and to this day, that is the most common configuration. It is played with a variety of techniques including fingering, thumping, picking, slapping and thumbing. Advanced players can also play certain chords and creatively use harmonics. The Fender bass guitar is definitely a rhythm section instrument. When playing and interacting with a good drummer, a good bassist can help shape the flavor and pocket of the music in a way that non rhythm section instruments cannot. The electric bass is a special instrument and much more than a 4 string guitar.
How To Play Bass Guitar – Lessons for Beginners – Open Strings
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Guitar For The Practical Musician, July, 1991, Classic Song Transcriptions, Bass $12.50 |
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Mint condition DeArmond bass by Guild. This is the Starfire model. $417.00 |
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Hal Leonard Rage Against the Machine Bass Guitar Tab Songbook $17.99 |
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GLOW IN THE DARK SPEED KNOB FOR GUITAR / BASS SET SCREW $3.00 |
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THE MUSIC STAMP BASS GUITAR 5 FRET NECK INK STAMP MSB-1 $12.00 |
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Mini Bass Guitar THE POLICE STING Sunburst Memorabilia FREE Stand GIFT PRESENT $21.99 |
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MINIATURE GUITAR BASS “THE BEATLES” YELLOW SUBMARINE TRIBUTE BASS *FREE STAND $8.90 |
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Randy Rhoads – The Quiet Riot Years Guitar & Bass Tab Book (RARE) Tablature $20.00 |
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Tutor for the Bass Guitar(Lute)Bk 2 $11.99 |
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1979 CLIMB TO THE SUMMIT TOP OF THE LINE S.D. CURLEE BASS GUITAR AD $9.99 |
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1979 CLIMB TO THE SUMMIT WITH A S.D. CURLEE BASS GUITAR AD $9.99 |
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1979 CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THE SUMMIT S.D. CURLEE BASS GUITARS AD $9.99 |
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1977 THE B-301 GUILD BASS GUITAR AD $9.99 |
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1977 THE GREAT LONG SCALE BASS B-301 GUILD GUITAR AD $9.99 |
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EPIPHONE EB-3 ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR – EB3 – EB 3 – THE SG BASS THAT DEFINED ROCK $179.00 |
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1976 THE 470 GUITAR AND BASS ACOUSTIC AMPLIFIER AD $9.99 |
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RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE FOR BASS GUITAR TAB BOOK $15.95 |
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RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS BY THE WAY BASS GUITAR TAB BOOK $18.95 |
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THE ROLLING STONES BASS GUITAR TAB SHEET MUSIC BOOK $15.95 |
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KISS GENE SIMMONS THE PUNISHER B.C. RICH BASS GHS GUITAR STRINGS 8X11 AD $3.60 |
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THE JIMI HENDRIX CONCERTS GUITAR, BASS, DRUMS TABLATURE BOOK – RETAIL $24.95 $9.99 |
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THE 1983 FENDER SQUIER TELECASTER GUITAR AD 8X11 TELE STRAT P-BASS ADVERTISEMENT $3.60 |
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1967 The Grass Roots 2 photo Eko bass & guitar vintage print ad $9.99 |
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US Masters Magnus Performer 5 String bass Made in the USA $489.99 |
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Behind the Player: Tim Skold BASS GUITAR DVD $13.15 |
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Behind the Player: Duff McKagan BASS GUITAR DVD $13.15 |
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Behind the Player: Mike Inez BASS GUITAR DVD $13.15 |
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Bass for the Absolute Beginner BASS GUITAR BOOK $11.10 |
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Behind the Player: Robbie Merrill BASS GUITAR DVD $13.15 |
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Behind the Player: Paul Gray BASS GUITAR DVD $13.15 |
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Learn to Play the Alfred Way: Electric Bass GUITAR BOOK $9.25 |
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Queen – The Bass Guitar Collection* NEW by Queen $17.49 |
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Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon Bass Guitar Book CD $14.99 |
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The Beatles 1967-1970 Bass Guitar Tab Sheet Music Book $19.99 |
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Playing the Changes – Bass Guitar Improvisation Book CD $19.95 |
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Lennon & McCartney Bass Guitar The Beatles Tab Book CD $14.99 |
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THE WHO Guitar World Magazine June 1994 BECK NIRVANA JIMI HENDRIX SONG TABS BASS $6.10 |
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turn up the BASS because I’m a PLAYER Hobo Ladies Mens Music Guitar Singlet size $24.74 |
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turn up the BASS because I’m a PLAYER Hobo Ladies Mens Music Guitar Singlet size $24.74 |
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turn up the BASS because I’m a PLAYER Hobo Ladies Mens Music Guitar Singlet size $24.74 |
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turn up the BASS because I’m a PLAYER Hobo Ladies Mens Music Guitar Singlet size $24.74 |
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turn up the BASS because I’m a PLAYER Hobo Ladies Mens Music Guitar Singlet size $24.74 |
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turn up the BASS because I’m a PLAYER Hobo Ladies Mens Music Guitar Singlet size $24.74 |
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turn up the BASS because I’m a PLAYER Hobo Ladies Mens Music Guitar Singlet size $24.74 |
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turn up the BASS because I’m a PLAYER Hobo Ladies Mens Music Guitar Singlet size $24.74 |
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SVP dr. Tech MSB-S1 Metallic Blue 4-string Electric Bass Guitar $110.99 Brand: dr. TechMSB-L1 4-string Electric Bass GuitarModel: MSB-L1 |
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SVP dr. Tech MSB-R1 Metallic Red 4-string Electric Bass Guitar $113.99 Brand: dr. TechMSB-L1 4-string Electric Bass GuitarModel: MSB-R1 |
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SVP dr. Tech MSB-S1 Sunburst 4-string Electric Bass Guitar $110.99 Brand: dr. TechMSB-S1 4-string Electric Bass GuitarModel: MS-3 |
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SVP Dr. Tech MEB-001 4-string Black Electric Bass Guitar $148.99 This sleek electric bass guitar from Dr. Tech features a maple body with a rosewood fingerboard and a black finish. This musical instrument is ideal for teens and adults. |
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Right-handed Electric 46-inch Bass Guitar $122.99 Bass guitar is an ideal addition to your music collectionMusical instrument boasts a solid body and a 20-fret neckRight-handed guitar features two regulator knobs for volume and tone |
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