Bass guitar

A bass guitar in its padded case. The two knobs on the front are for controlling the volume (loudness or softness) and tone of the bass.

A bass guitar[1] (also called an electric bass[2][3][4] or bass) is a string instrument which is related to the electric guitar. The bass guitar is shaped like an electric guitar, but it is bigger and longer than an electric guitar. The bass guitar has many of the same parts as a normal electric guitar. However, the bass guitar produces lower tones than the electric guitar.

The bass guitar is used to play low musical sounds called "bass lines" in many styles of music such as rock, pop, country, jazz fusion and many more.

  1. According to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, an "Electric bass guitar [bass guitar] [is] an Electric Guitar, usually with four heavy strings tuned E'–A'–D–G." The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London, 2001)
  2. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians defines the term bass thus: "Bass (iv). A contraction of Double bass or Electric bass guitar." Ibid.
  3. The proper term is "electric bass", and it is often misnamed "bass guitar", according to Tom Wheeler, The Guitar Book, pp 101–2. Guitars by Evans and Evans, page 342, agrees.
  4. Although "electric bass" is one of the common names for the instrument, "bass guitar" or "electric bass guitar" are commonly used and some authors claim that they are historically accurate (e.g., "How The Fender Bass Changed The World" in the references section).

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