Bass guitar

A four-string instrument, normally tuned E to G an octave below the bottom four strings of a guitar, built to supply the low end and the rhythmic foundation of a band.

The longer scale and thicker strings mean the lowest notes speak at a useable tension. Because the job is support rather than melody, a bass player's decisions about note length matter as much as pitch: cutting a note short leaves space for the kick drum, while letting it ring ties the band together. Amplification usually favors a clean, largely uncoloured signal with a heavy bottom end and enough midrange to stay audible in a mix.

Example: playing root notes with a slightly muted, even length across a bar keeps a song's pulse steady while the guitars move around on top.

Bass guitar

See also