Basses

Basses is a family of low-pitched stringed instruments arranged to provide the foundation of harmony and rhythm in many musical styles. The term most commonly refers to the double bass (upright) and the electric bass guitar, but it can also describe acoustic basses and other bass-pitched instruments. Basses occupy the lowest range of the standard modern orchestra and popular ensembles, and their tones support both rhythmic grooves and melodic lines.

The double bass is the largest bowed string instrument. It is typically tuned in fourths to E1–A1–D2–G2 and can be played with a bow or plucked (pizzicato). The electric bass guitar is a solid-body instrument, usually with four strings tuned E1–G2, though five- and six-string models extend the range downward (five-strings commonly include a low B string, B0–E1–A1–D2–G2). Acoustic basses range from hollow-bodied designs to laminated, amplified instruments. Baritone basses are extended-range instruments tuned lower than the standard bass to reach deeper pitches in certain genres.

Construction and electronics vary by type. Electric basses typically use magnetic pickups and tone controls to shape the signal, while upright and acoustic basses rely on body resonance and, if amplified, dedicated pickups. Neck scale lengths, string tensions, and fingerboard radii influence playability and tone, with common configurations including four-string and extended-range variants.

Historically, the double bass has classical origins dating to the Renaissance, while the electric bass emerged in the early 1950s, with models such as the Fender Precision Bass and Jazz Bass shaping modern music. Basses are central to genres from jazz and soul to rock, funk, metal, and pop, with techniques ranging from fingerstyle and pickwork to slapping, popping, and arco (bowed) playing on the double bass.