The Bass Guitar and Why it Rocks!

This post will introduce you to the bass guitar, touch on its history, its evolution and mention some of the amazing bass players that have graced the instrument. Read on to learn more about the electric bass guitar.

Welcome to the world of the low frequencies; if you're reading this then you've taken an interest in the electric bass and have decided to pursue it further. Maybe this post will reaffirm your decision to play the bass, or perhaps it will be the final argument for you to start playing it now.

It's a pretty cool instrument. It may not be as flashy as a drum kit, or command as much attention as a pimped out electric guitar, but it has a subdued, laid-back vibe all its own. A standard bass guitar has four strings and is tuned E-A-D-G; an octave below the lowest strings on a guitar to provide a sonic foundation for the melody to build upon.

While you may give up the fame and glory of the spotlight when you choose to become a bass player, you gain full control of the key of the music, and full dominion over the bass frequencies.

Bass Guitar Frequencies Move People

This is almost a mystical power that most people won't even realize that you have. Many won't even realize that it is the bass player and the way he chooses to play certain notes, leave others out, and the space and rhythms in between these that are hypnotizing them into dancing. It is a great responsibility that you take on - called the groove - without it; any music you play will be lame.

So besides this, why take on the bass guitar? What is it about the electric bass that is cool, or should be attractive to someone just starting out that just wants to play SOMETHING? 

Well, getting up and running with a bass is much easier than most other instruments. You don't have to have four-way independence as with drums, you don't have to memorize all the chord fingering patterns like you would with a guitar, and you don't have to spend years to get a sound that doesn't sound like a cat being tortured as you would with a violin. By comparison, you can pick up just about any bass guitar and start playing bass lines almost immediately - the good news is that the easier it is to play an instrument along to music you like when you're starting out, the more likely you'll stay with the instrument for good.

Another great reason why the electric bass is cool is that EVERYONE needs a bass player. You make the other band members sound good, and there are many styles of music out there that use the acoustic bass or electric versions. That means that if you're a good bass player, you're willing to work hard, learn and you have a great attitude -you're going to have many more job opportunities than many other musicians would have.

Being a bassist is as much a state of mind as it is a position in the band. You need to put the song and the other musicians before yourself. You are the glue between the rhythm and the melody - you straddle the line between the drummer and the guitarist, giving the music that third dimension that makes music so exciting. If you're willing to put your ego on the back burner, you can become a truly great bassist that is in demand.

Is playing the bass guitar easier than most instruments? Yes it is, but to master any instrument is virtually impossible. Playing the electric bass is initially much easier than guitar; you can outline chords one finger at a time as opposed to learning the fingerings for each chord. You also have fewer strings to change than the guitarist, but keep in mind that bass strings are thicker - so in some ways, playing high tempo music on them is more difficult because you need to play just as fast as the guitarists but with thicker strings. This means that you're moving more mass in the same amount of time or energy.

What you may not know about the bass guitar is:

There is something to be said for a simple bass line that does what it's supposed to do, get some asses out of the chairs at the bar.

Electric basses can be beautiful and expensive, they can break your heart and if you get used to playing them - playing bass guitars can indeed be habit forming!

The Fender bass guitar was responsible for making rock n' roll music come to life in the fifties - the bass could now be heard (as well as felt!) and helped to drive the new-fangled rock n roll bands mercilessly into the spotlight.

The electric bass guitar started out with 4 strings and remained that way for several decades, before evolving to 5, 6, 8 and even 12 stringed versions beginning in the mid-70s. These multi-stringed basses owe a large debt of thanks to Anthony Jackson who helped open the door to more than 4 string basses by commissioning the first six string bass guitar to be built in the 1970s!

Some famous bass guitarists include Paul McCartney, Sting, Geddy Lee, Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, Flea, Les Claypool, Victor Wooten, Billy Sheehan, Stanley Clarke and John Entwistle.

You can get started with a bass guitar kit that includes a bass, a bass amp, a guitar strap, an instrument cable and a tuner for around $250 or you can even rent a bass guitar from many major music instrument retailers. Even if you don't know of any teachers in your town, you can surf YouTube and find plenty of lessons for free that can get you started. There's no good reason to sit on the fence anymore, playing the electric bass can be an affordable hobby that can actually make you some extra money if you choose to play out in bands.

Choosing to play the bass has given me plenty of opportunity to learn and grow as a musician and a human being. It's allowed me to experience the thrill of performing in front of large audiences while sharing the stage with some amazing bands and meeting terrific people. Playing bass guitar is a great way to be creative, relieve stress and have fun!

So what are you waiting for? Get out there, find an electric bass and start playing today!

Michael Ippersiel has been playing and performing on the electric bass for more than 18 years. If you'd like to learn more about the bass guitar or about how to buy your first bass guitar you can visit the author at his site: Bass Guitar Rocks.com.

Bass Guitar Necks For Small Hands

Have you been thinking about playing the electric bass but have been told that your hands may be too small? Have you been told to play guitar or perhaps even a ukulele instead? If despite all this you're still yearning to play the bass guitar, hope is not lost. All you really need is to find bass guitar necks for small hands.

Now I don't care if you're a small adult, a child, a woman or a man. Plenty of people feel intimated by the size of a bass guitar. The body and neck are significantly longer than a guitar and if you happen to be small in stature, you'll also notice that bass guitars are often heavier than their smaller six-stringed cousins.

But hope is not lost. Consider these options before giving up on your chance to play the electric bass even if you have small hands.

1. Avoid basses with more than four strings: Sorry for being painfully obvious here, but if you have small hands you definitely don't want to experiment with a five or six string bass in the early going. Stick with a four string and gradually work your way up from there if needed.

2. Avoid basses with a reputation for having thick necks: These include Fender Precision basses and almost any Gibson electric basses. This is a general rule, but I still recommend you play as many different basses and necks that you can because the width and depth can vary considerably from model to model.

3. Regular scale basses with thin necks: Check out Fender Jazz basses and Ibanez Soundgear four string basses. These basses are known for having fast necks that are easier to manage.

4. Explore short scale basses with thin necks: These bases are usually somewhere in the 30 inch scale length area, it'll still sound like a bass but will not be quite as long - a great option for a child that hasn't quite grown into a full sized bass guitar just yet. Investigate the Squier Bronco bass and the Fender Mustang bass guitar.

5. Go custom: Not for the faint of heart, but if you've decided to stick with the bass guitar thing and your hands just aren't getting any bigger, you should look into getting a custom bass guitar or custom bass guitar neck made to measure for you. One company specializing in smaller instruments is Birdsong Guitars and their prices are very reasonable for the amount of detail they put into their guitars. Lastly, you can attempt to shave down a regular bass guitar neck - it's a cheaper option then getting a custom made bass neck, but you'll need to pay a skilled luthier or repair person to do the work. It's also risky because if you shave off too much - you can't get it back.

The very last option for learning how to play bass with small hands is to just get used to it. There's a certain amount of pain involved in learning to play any instrument, if your desire is strong and you employ an intelligent approach (never play through pain on a regular basis or you're going to damage your body - perhaps permanently) chances are you'll find a way to adapt to the instrument.

Where there's a will there's a way!

So if somebody writes off your ability to learn how to play the electric bass just because your hands are on the small side, don't believe them. Today there are many options for those who are looking for bass guitar necks for small hands!

Want to learn more about how to find the right bass guitar neck for you and other electric bass related questions? Visit my site http://www.bassguitarrocks.com for more bass tips.

The History Of The Bass Guitar

In this material we take a look at the history of the electric bass guitar. When talking about bass history the first person that people normally think of is Leo Fender. He is credited with introducing the world to the Precision bass in 1951. The bass was called a Precision bass because of the accuracy of the notes. Players were able to play notes that were perfectly in tune because of the presence of frets on the electric bass guitar. To many people, this was the first real electric bass. This bass was mass-produced and very recognizable when it was created by Fender and up to this day it still is.

But while we give Leo Fender his dues for creating the modern electric bass, it must be said that way before 1951 there were at least five other prototypes that resembled the design of today's electric bass guitar. In talking about the history of the bass guitar we must talk about the double bass. In fact, today's bass is a direct descendant of the double bass, dating way back to the 17th century. Although it was really in the 20th century that one with a more practical design was created.

When talking about bass guitar history mention must be made of Lloyd Loar, known for designing the first electric double bass in the 1920s while working for Gibson. The bass used an electro-static pickup but there was no practical way of hearing it play. Unfortunately, bass amplification still had a long way to go.

The evolution of the bass guitar now takes us to the early 1930s when Paul Tutmarc built a more practical bass in terms of size. The first one came with a pickup and was the size of a cello but was too heavy, so the designed was changed to that of a guitar. This 42 inches long solid body bass was made of black walnut and came with piano strings and a pickup.

A few years later, in the mid 1930s, established firms like Lyon & Healy, Rickenbacker and Gibson began selling basses that, although less bulkier than the standard double bass, were still tall, unfretted and upright.

Around 1940 was the first time a large distributor handled the electric bass. The distributor was L.D.Heater Music Co. in Portland Oregon, and the basses were manufactured by Paul Tutmarc. This was a fretted instrument that was no longer to be played upright, but horizontal. It came with a pickup and was much smaller than earlier versions.

It was only then that Leo Fender came up with the modern electric bass. As said at the beginning of our discussion on bass guitar history, it was the year 1951. In the year 1957 the pickguard and headstock were redesigned and the pickup was changed to a split pickup. This took us to the year 1960 when the Jazz bass was designed. Unlike the Precision bass, it came with two separate pickups. The modern bass guitar became very popular.

The first 6 string bass was created in 1959 by Danelecto and the first 5 string in 1964 by Fender. The first fretless was created in 1965 by Ampeg, and in 1968 an 8 string bass by Hagstroem. Carl Thompson is credited with building the first fretless 6 string bass in 1978.

Many developments have taken place since then. For instance, Ned Steinberger introduced a headless bass in 1979. In 1987, the Guild Guitar Corporation launched the fretless Ashbory bass. This bass used silicone rubber strings and a piezoelectric pickup to achieve a "double bass" sound. The bass was very short, only 18 inches long.

Throughout the years, pickups have also evolved. In addition to single coil pickups, you now have several others such as humbuckers, hybrid pickups, passive and active pickups. These seem to be capable of producing every tone imaginable, from pure signals to the grittiest dirt sounds.

The electric bass seems to have become more popular today than ever before. For instance, when someone refers to a bass it's more common to think of the electric bass than the upright acoustic.

Mantius Cazaubon is a successful author and publisher of Bass Guitars Guide. A resource for reviews, information and tips on buying bass guitars online.

Be One With Your Bass Guitar Chords

So you think you have it in you to join the ranks of Flea, D'arcy, and George Harrison and play bass? Well, you have a long way to go, so you better start now.

Learning the basics

If you want to go into bass guitar playing, decide which bass you will play. You have a choice - the 4-stringed bass guitar, or five, six, seven, and even more strings. Beginners usually go for the 4-stringed bass guitar. The next step would be choosing the right bass guitar and learning the bass guitar chords.

A bass player who knows his bass guitar chords has an edge. His understanding of chord music theory will enable him to make his bass line definitive and very interesting. He knows the note to play and when to play it. Knowing bass guitar chords entails the mastery of all basic chords with emphasis on the 6th and 7th chords for bass guitar. A bass guitar chords lesson includes the entire basic chords, important 6th and 7th chords, the 12 keys, chord map, charts, and neck patterns. The bass guitar chords are composed of three or more notes played together, and each type of chord has a formula.

He also has to master the 12 different notes - A, B flat, C, D flat up to A flat. Not all songs, however, use these notes because the notes of a song are dictated by the song's key. Mastery of the musical patterns equips the bass guitarist with the skill to learn songs off record. He will then be able to pinpoint accurately what scales were used and the chord patterns and changes that went with it.

An initiation to bass guitar chords diagrams and notations

There are hundreds of bass guitar chords. There are even more ways to play them. You can play the "happy" notes or the major chords, or sound the minor notes for the "sad" tones. You can jazz up the tones by moving up a half step (augment) or go down a half step (diminish). Playing the bass guitar chords offer endless possibilities of combinations of note chords.

Any beginner will benefit from learning to read bass guitar chords tablature or tab. This is a method of music notation. The illustrations show where to put your fingers, the frets and the strings. They also show horizontal lines, and each string is noted according to its placement. You will also see notations like O and X or a number. An O denotes that you play the string on the chord without depressing it. An X means you don't play the string at all. A number on a string denotes that the string should be played in the fret specified.

A beginner should be able to memorize the chords and practice playing until he is comfortable with his guitar. Eventually his hand movement will take on the dexterity that marks a great bassist. He will also learn the slaps, riffs, and slides, as well as the use of the pick.

Buying and playing your bass guitar

An electric or acoustic bass guitar should be comfortable to play. You must able to manage its weight, and the neck of the bass guitar should be navigable by your hands. Get the guitar from reputable dealers who can give you a warranty. If you are opting for a used bass guitar, you can be sure it is reliable if it was played for years. However, bear in mind that used guitars do not come with a warranty and these may have unsuitable modifications.

Playing the bass guitar is a physical thing. It is therefore practical to do warm-up exercises before striking the first bass guitar chords. Find a comfortable position that will not strain your hands. Relax, and your bass guitar music will be just as smooth as it is fluid. In time, you'll be giving Flea a run for his money.

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Take Bass Guitar Lessons to Learn Bass Guitar Playing Tips

You normally hear guitarists say that what they do is to make their guitars sing. How about the bassists? Well, what they should do is to make their bass guitars dance.

You see, the bass, together with the drums, is the one giving rhythm to the band's sound. What's more important is that it also keeps what it provides. It is safe to say that without the depth of the bass' resonance, the overall sound of the band will be wispy and flimsy.

While it may be dismissed as just providing this thick drone to complement the sounds of the guitar, the bass need not be limited to this. Remember about "dancing"? The bassist's job is to lay out a solid sonic foundation but at the same time be creative with the chords and their progression so as to liven up the songs.

To make this possible, you need to accustom yourself with the different bass playing techniques, which you could get an introduction to--and later on study--if you enroll in bass guitar lessons.

Others would say that it is best to discover the art of bass playing on your own (with the help sometimes of instructional videos, books, magazines, advice from fellow musicians, etc.), but attending a class is actually more reliable since it involves the help of a professional teacher and the time to study and practice in this learning method is more focused. Also, there is a system to follow so students will find it easier to progress from one lesson to another.

As far as techniques go, here are some tips in playing the bass that both the rookie and the advanced player can benefit from.

Be beat-oriented

As earlier mentioned, the bass guitar and drums go together. As such, a great bass player should know how to make, keep, and follow a steady beat--in a crafty way, no less. Since the bass guitar is tasked for time-keeping, it is important for the bassist to be keen about both unaccented and accented beats so that the flow of the song is well-calculated. They say to make music takes heart. Well, to make bass music, it takes heart, primarily the way it beats.

Master your guitar notes and chords

Bass guitar lessons may require you to revisit your guitar notes and chords. Bass guitars are usually tuned the way regular guitars are. The only difference is that the guitar has more strings than the bass. But then playing both is basically the same. So it will help if you are well-read when it comes to your notes and chords. Bass playing, though, is more concerned about the notes. As such, you should know the notes--and the tunings as well--of ordinary guitars to be able to deftly play the bass.

Place your fingers where they are due

Have you seen how Red Hot Chili Pepper's Flea rocks the bass? How frenzied his fingers on the fretboard! It will be easier for you to be more experimental with the way you play if you have complete control of your fingers as you do so. In particular, the fingers of your left hand should be accurate in hitting the bass guitar fretboard since this is what will determine the clarity of each note. But, of course, the right-hand fingers should not be left out since they are important when it comes to playing the bass using a holistic approach.

Work on your grip

The bass guitar is a sturdy musical equipment. You need strength to be able to play it. Thus, you should develop not just the dexterity of your fingers but also their power. When you play, you should be able to accurately press down the strings for the notes to come out as thick and whole. There are many exercise offered in bass guitar lessons that could help you develop finger strength and flexibility.

Cindee Daniel, who has a degree in Journalism, has been a casual yet big fan of music since he first listened to The Beatles when he was 10. He then came to discover other bands, most specifically from the punk, grunge, and post-grunge movements, and has since been interested in the scene. His exposure to music saw him writing music reviews for various websites and founding his own band, with him composing songs and performing drumming duties.

You may want to visit Bass Guitar Lessons for more information or you may call us directly at 619-231-8505.

Bass Guitar - The Anchor of a Band

A bass guitarist/bassist is like the anchor of a band. He/she outlines the harmony of the music being performed, while simultaneously indicating the rhythmic pulse of it. The bass guitarist is like the lifeblood of any band, and the bass guitar is his/her tool of choice, used to mesmerize audiences.

A bass guitar is a bass stringed instrument that is played with the fingers. It can be played by plucking, slapping, tapping, popping, or by picking the strings with a pick. The bass guitar looks somewhat similar to an electric guitar, but with a larger, heavier body, a longer scale length, and a longer neck. The bass guitar usually has four strings, tuned one octave lower in pitch than the four lower strings of a guitar.

electric guitars. As such, the bodies of bass guitars need to be made of lightweight materials so that the weight is manageable. If a bass guitar was made of metal, chances are that a lot of guitarists would find it difficult or even impossible to play it. The preferred materials are wood and graphite. Different kinds of wood may be used, including maple, alder, mahogany, rosewood, etc. The strings are usually made of steel.

Frets are raised metal strips inserted into the fingerboard that extends along the full width of the neck of the guitar. On a fretted bass guitar, these strips divide the fingerboard into segments that emit similar tones, called semitone segments. Fretless basses also exist. However, these have a distinct, unique sound, as the strings must be pressed down directly on the wood of the fingerboard. Fretless basses are somewhat lighter in weight, but many musicians prefer fretted basses, because they say it gives them greater control over the music quality.

Bass guitars are made to deliver loud pitches of sound. Hence, these can never be of acoustic type. Only an amplifier, and a good set of speakers plugged into the guitar can give the majestic bass guitar its true, deep sound. A bass guitar is heavy and cumbersome to carry around, because of all the supporting gadgets that come with it, not to mention the long cables that accompany all of the gadgets.

Bass guitars are expensive to purchase, and also tough to learn. But these are indispensable in any pop or rock band. A bass guitar can indeed be the most prized possession of a devoted bassist.

At World Music Supply, we offer bass guitars in all your favorite models and styles. From Strats (Stratocasters) to Teles (Telecasters), jazzy arch-tops to cool signatures, metal guitars, and even smaller sized guitars for those just beginning, we've got something for everyone, in top brands like Fender, ESP, B.C. Rich, and Jackson.