![]() ![]() ![]() In 1542, Silvestro Ganassi invented the Bass Viola De Gamba. Why does the bass only have 4 strings in the first place? ![]() 6-strings have also been utilized to great effect in jazz and by solo bassists as these genres allow for more experimental and dynamic playing. In genres like progressive metal where bassists play heavy riffs, melodic parts, and solos, 6-strings are thus more common. This means that you have the benefit of a deeper string like the 5-string, while also having a higher melodic reach. Many bassists thus prefer playing a 5-string over having a tuned down 4-string.Ħ-strings are commonly tuned BEADGC. The 5-string is thus common in heavier genres like death metal, where guitars are tuned lower. This instrument has been utilized by modern acts such as Katzenjammer, providing them with a unique look and sound.ĥ-strings are generally tuned BEADG, which means they have an even deeper range than the 4-string which is tuned EADG. A historic example of a 3-string is the Russian Balalaika bass. In modern music, 3-strings are generally more of a stylistic choice than a practical one. Here are the main reasons people play basses with an unconventional amount of strings: While 4-string basses are by far the most common, many bassists prefer having more strings. The 4-string has offered them enough flexibility to make complex bass lines that also remain in the range that’s expected of a bassist in a band.įor these reasons, we can now see why the most common basses have 4 strings, rather than 5 or 6. ![]() Lastly, Melodic bass players such as Paul McCarthy, Geddy Lee, and Cliff Burton have all been able to make incredible bass lines with the 4-string. In addition to not being needed in a band setting, playing multiple strings on the bass at once can be unpleasant to the ear, particularly in the lower range. The result of this is that deep bass chords sound muddy and are hard to distinguish melodically as opposed to the guitar. As the bass rarely plays chords and instead plays individual notes, there is less need for more strings than on a guitar, which mainly plays chords.įurthermore, the bass is tuned an octave lower than the guitar. Thus, the bass often plays deep grooves or root notes that work as a bridge between percussion and melody. In most modern genres the bass thus needs to work together with the drums, as well as the guitar or piano. The bass is also a bridge instrument, which means it fulfills a role both in the melodic and rhythmic sections in a band setting. Thus, bassists generally play one note at a time, which requires fewer strings. Guitars are tuned in a range where we can easily hear chords whereas basses are tuned in a deeper range where chords become muddy. Why do basses have fewer strings than guitars? This design has remained the staple for what we associate with the bass guitar since.Ĥ string instruments are common in classical music, and the bass is one of many modern instruments that are based on the orchestra.īut why has it remained this way? There are 6-string basses out there, so why is not everyone just playing those? Fender developed the 4-string Precision Bass in 1951 as an alternative for upright bass players. The electric bass guitar is based on the upright double bass, which has 4-strings. Guitars have 6 strings, and there are basses with 3,5,6, and even 15 strings, yet we mainly think of the bass as a 4-string instrument. It took me several years of playing before I actually questioned why this was the case. Like many other bassists, my first instrument was a 4-string. ![]()
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