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Bass Guitars Evolution

This is a musical instrument of the________________________________________
string family. At the same time, itBASSES & GUITARS
belongs to the guitar family, with aThough from the family of guitars, a
larger body and longer neck allowingbass guitar has striking differences
longer musical distance or scale length.from the guitar. The simplest and basic
It's fingered or picked to vibrate itsdifference is the pitch range of the
strings and therefore produce sound.instruments. Bass guitar plays notes an
This instrument is usually used with 4octave lower than a guitar.
strings, tuned one octave lower than theAnother unique difference is in the
guitarquality of sound produced by a bass. A
The bass guitar has been used by thebass guitar has a unique way of
music world for centuries. The 15thproducing sound if played with the
century "Viola da Gamba" was among thefingers or plucked. If played with the
earliest known bass instrument. It wasfingers using 2, 3 or 4 fingers, the
over 8 feet tall, with 6 to 7 strings,bass guitar can create different rhythms
tuned similar to the present day doubleand produce tonal differences that
bass. With a fretted neck, a bow waswouldn't be possible if the instrument
used to play it. This overall look ofis played with a pick.
"Viola de Gamba" has not changed in theAnother difference is the role the
next centuries. The size, shape, tone,instrument plays in a musical group.
parts, and woods were much the sameAlthough the bass is very critical in
although there were several variationsthe band, it normally would play a
in the number of strings.secondary role. Though the bass guitar
________________________________________could have solo acts and could play much
THE EVOLUTIONlike that of a guitar, traditionally
The succeeding centuries would use(what is usually expected by people), a
strings ranging from 3 to 7. Throughoutguitar is more visible or is more in the
Europe, 3 and 4 string basses were usedfrontline or spotlight.
for 300 years. Germany and Austria usedThough normally playing secondary roles,
4 to 5 strings until the 19th centurythese roles played by the bass guitar
while Italy, France and England usedvaries depending on the type of music.
mainly the 3-string configuration untilThe degree of prominence may also differ
the 1870's. The next decades saw thedepending on the genre. The bass guitar
dominance of the 4-string bass.is normally used to provide the
Starting from the 19th century, drasticlow-pitched bass lines in pop music and
changes were introduced initiated byjazz. It is used as a solo instrument in
Paul Tutmarc in the 1930's. He designedjazz, fusion, Latin, and funk styles.
a bass that was very similar to aRock and Roll, heavy metal, punk,
guitar, hand-held and carried and can bereggae, and soul also use bass guitar as
played horizontally. This concept wasa solo instrument.
followed in the 1950s and 1960s by LeoThe bass guitar plays varied roles for
Fender. The Leo Fender bass became theorchestral settings. Traditionally,
master model for the mass produced bassorchestral settings employ the double
guitar. In 1971, the boutique or highbass guitar but 20th century composers
end electric bass was introduced. In thehave started to use the electric bass
1979 new products were born such as the________________________________________
headless bass-the tuning machines are inFAMOUS BASSISTS
the bridge. In the 1980's otherSome of the famous bassists are Jimmy
innovations using new materials such asBlanton and Charles Mingus. Jimmy
graphite were marketed. In 1987, theBlanton was a virtuoso bassist playing
Ashbory bass was launched-ultra smallthe bass like a horn producing melodic
body, 100% portable/light weight, nylonlines. He is regarded as the first true
strings with an unexpected big bottomedmaster of the jazz bass. Charles Mingus
sound.was an American jazz credited with hot
________________________________________and soul feel jazz music. Other
MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTIONwell-known bass players are Stefan
The usual material used for basses isLessard, Victor Wooten, Flea and James
wood (most common is alder for the body,Jamerson. Stefan Kahil Lessard is the
or exotic woods such as bubinga, wenge,bassist for the Dave Matthews Band.
ovangkol, ebony or goncalo alves; mapleVictor Wooten is regarded as the most
or ash for the neck or graphite andinfluential bassist and is a member of
carbon fiber for lightweight necks; andthe Bela Fleck & the Flectones, a
rosewood for the fretboard). Apart fromGrammy-awarded group
aesthetic reasons, careful selection ofFlea or Michael Perter Balzary was born
material must be done because thein Melbourne Australia, migrated to the
material used has a significant effectU.S. and is a member of the famous L.A.
on the timbre of the bass guitar. Forband, Red Hot Chili Peppers. James
the final finish, lacquer, wax and oilJamerson is an influential bassist from
is used. With the advent of artificialthe band, Motown
materials such as luthite, unique________________________________________
production methods such as die-castingABOUT THE TECHNIQUES
can be employed to allow manufacture ofVarious methods are used in playing the
complex body shapes that would in turnbass. The "slap and pop" method
allow convenience in holding thepopularized in the 1960s till 1970s by
instrument.Larry Graham of the Sly and Family Stone
Most bass guitars have solid bodies butis produced by thumping a string with
can also have hollow chambers forthe thumb and snapping the strings with
increased resonance or to lessen thethe index or middle fingers. Such
weight of the instrument. But cautiontechnique produces percussive sounds.
must be noted as hollow bodies changeThis technique was further improved by
the tone and resonance of the bassStanley Clarke and Louis Johnson and is
guitar. For the strings, all-metalused by other bassist in other genres
(roundwound or flatwound) with coveringssuch as rock bassists Flea, JJ Burnel
of either tapewound or plastic coatings,and Les Claypool; jazz-fusion bassist
and non-metal strings made of nylon areVictor Wooten. Later on Wooten developed
used.other methods.



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