Deep Dark Notes: A Beginner's Guide to Bass
Why Choose a Bass Guitar?
Everyone wants to be a flashy guitar player yet in a band setting the rock guitar will sound thinly weak without big brother bass. Electric bass guitar makes dancing throb and pulse while bringing out darker more intensive emotions in dirges.
Basses are deceptively simple. Though they have less strings, bass guitars requires just as much technique and even more subtlety. The instrument also asks more endurance. Like drummers, bass players are always in demand.
The instrument’s distinctive simplicity sets it apart. For instance, thicker strings are used to explore low frequencies of deep undertows, pulses or rumble. One can play an electric bass through a guitar amp, but this is not necessarily a good idea since you may blow some speakers. Bass usually has specially designed amps geared towards low frequencies.
Electric bass guitars can seem contradictory. First of all, the wonderful thing is a beginner can start playing rock and roll songs within weeks. The instrument also lends more to the possibility of self instruction. Another upside to a bass guitar is how easy the instrument lends to mastering. The bass can quickly lead you to other instruments because will give you a wonderful foundation of stringed instruments. It will even put together the puzzle of how full bands put songs together because you’ll have two different instrument perspectives.
On the downside, bass alone will sound awkward (unless you have crazy effects pedals). Also, the instrument can have a blending affect among a full band set up that makes it seem invisible, especially in rock. The instrument can get swallowed up under the frenzy of guitar and drums as it hustles underneath.
Explore different bass styles through listening to recordings or focusing on the bassist when attending live shows. Style is a big component. 1970’s country has great plodding bass lines. Look at German rock band Can or James Brown for example who both created concentrated bass rhythms like rampaging storms.
Basic Design Choice
Basses are often bigger and thicker then a guitar. Most usually have longer necks, which can pose problems at first. The reaching just takes getting used to. The fatter strings will also mean more difficulty in holding those frustrating strings down.
Choosing your bass can seem overwhelming among the endless range of choices available, yet fortunately these endless choices can be broken down into a handful of typical designs.
Precision basses (put out by Fender in the 1950s) have become the standard model for electric bass. The design has four strings, a simple volume and tone controls and no frills bolt on neck. The pickup is a hum bucker, which slightly differs if one gets a jazz model. The typical standard scale length is 34.
Many adaptations exist, which toy with the traditional design. Some names add an extra fifth string for even deeper sounds. Other designs change the scale length like the Hofner Violin Bass, which gave Paul McCartney his distinctive sound.
Most basses are made out of wood, yet some use synthetic like graphite. The beginner should stick with wood. Most necks are maple, yet some designs utilize exotic wood like Bubinga wood. Most bodies are solid, yet hollow bodies do exist which creates more resonance and sustain.
Most basses use magnetic pickups, yet other choices are available. A hum bucker variation is standard. Pickup will set your tone possibilities!
Choosing a Bass Guitar Amp
Be practical, so don’t go overboard with size and price on purchasing. A bass amp’s power relies more on wattage then speaker size, so this should be your focus. One should definitely not worry about a bass cabinet unless you have shows lined up at a stadium! Theoretically, bass amps are louder then guitar amps, though this is not absolute. The beginner should choose a simple practice amp, unless one is immediately involved with a learn as you go band. A band situation will demand a louder amp. Drums will drown everyone out.
Remember as always, name is not everything. The common Yamaha is not any better then a Behringer, Ampeg, or for that matter a mysterious no name. Always test the amp out before laying down the money.
Bass Strings
Differences exist among strings that’ll affect your sound. Flatwood strings have a more dampened sound. This leans you towards a more vintage sound. Roundwounds have a brighter sound and are also the most popular. Various different materials are out there to explore such as plastic and various metal.
Ready Set Growl and Rumble!
Armed with this information, you’ll be ready to make your purchase and get down to the real dirt. The deep possibilities of bass await you!
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Beginner’s Guide To Guitar Pickups: Finding that Right Sound
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Deep Dark Notes: A Beginner's Guide to Bass
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