The Bass guitar, pronounced as "Base" Guitar, is a stringed instrument that came into being as the evolution of the double-bass and the guitar. Bass guitars traditionally have 4 strings though they are available in 5 and 6 string versions as well. Since the 1960s, bass guitars have been prominent as the bass instrument in the rhythm section of popular music. They play an important role in maintaining a harmonic foundation and providing a beat to the music. In Jazz music, the bass is also prominent as a solo instrument.
source:blirk.net
The Significance
The bass guitar is a relatively new instrument in the history of music. It is also a commonly overlooked instrument. This is because it is the backbone. You may not be able to hear the bass distinctively (unless you are a musician) but you can most definitely feel the bass. If the bass was removed from a piece of music, it would lose depth, fullness and punch. Listen to “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson to see what I mean.
The most memorable variant of the first bass guitar was designed and produced by Fender Musical Instruments in the 1950s. It started taking the place of Jazz and Blues bands and soon became a staple part of any band. Fender called this the “Precision Bass”. All companies that make bass guitars through this design still call them Precision Basses. Fender later released the Jazz Bass which quickly gained popularity due to its mellower sound and versatility in tone. Today both the Precision and Jazz Basses are the standard upon which most bass guitars are built.
Fender Precision Bass
Fender Jazz Bass
Now why is this so important? The bass players of most bands stand in the back and keep the music together and go mostly unnoticed. So what? Here’s the fact: along with the drums, it is the bass that makes you want to do something when you hear a piece of music. That pulsating rhythm that makes you want to dance, move your body or at the very least nod your head to the music is what the bass provides. Without the bass, slow music would turn into lullabies and faster or heavier music would sound unbalanced or even painful.
Learning to play a Base Guitar
So what now? Granted the bass is important. Why do we need to discuss this? Here’s another fact: there are not that many bass players out there, especially in India.
Guitars are cool. There are no two ways about that. They sound great; they look fun and often steal the show. It is no surprise that everyday new people, young and old, pick up a guitar and start learning. The bass is, as mentioned above, often overlooked and therefore it is not an obvious choice of instrument. Due to this there is a lack of bassists out there. I have run into plenty of musicians asking me if I could join their band or if I know another bassist that can. I usually have to say no because I am already playing with another band myself and there are not enough bassists out there.
The Key Point
If you are an aspiring musician or just want to pick up an instrument as a hobby, I urge you to consider the bass guitar. Some great musicians have grown this instrument to the point where it is no more just a background instrument. Aside from being an important instrument, it is great fun to play. It also feels great when you realize that it is you giving the music its bounce and groove. Try it out and you will never look back. A good bass guitarist on his/her own is the beat, the bass, the groove, the rhythm and even the melody of a song.
So what are you waiting for? Pick up your bass and groove along!
~ Rahul
[ Admin note: Rahul Chidambaran has about 10 years of experience in Music and provides classes for Guitar and a lot of other music instruments in Bangalore. To enroll for his classes you can see his UrbanPro profile here.
If you are not in Bangalore or not able to take classes from Rahul, you can post your guitar learning need here.
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