BASS GUITAR, AKA THE FUNK STICK!

Ok, well, the bass guitar doesn't always play funk music, but I happen to love that nickname: funk stick. I am going to write about the electric bass today, as opposed to the stringed stand up basses you often see in jazz or classical music. Look below to see what a typical electric bass guitar looks like:

In the 1930s, an inventor named Paul Tutmarc from Seattle, invented the first electric bass. The main differences between Tutmarc's bass and the upright bass are the following:

• The electric bass is much smaller and easier to transport
• The electric bass is held horizontally rather than vertically
• The electric bass is electrically amplified
• The electric bass has frets, which makes it easier to stay in tune

Typically, the electric bass has 4 strings, but there are variations with 5, 6 or 7 strings, which allows for more range than a 4-string.

The bass has a much lower range than the standard 6-string electric guitar, and is also played differently for the most part. Most of the time, bassists will play with a pick or pluck the strings with their fingers. 6-strings can also be played with a pick or fingers, but bassists tend to play one note at a time more often than chords, which 6-string guitarists do all the time. If you listen carefully though, you can hear bassists playing chords once in a while.

Now, check out one of my favorite bassists, Les Claypool, who does a lot of advanced and interesting techniques...and he grooves hard at the same time. Achieving technique and great groove to keep the people dancing is one of the highest goals for musicians to reach. Check out Les here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAkvBqp8R8E

...and learn to play like Les by taking lessons here: http://www.earthtonemusic.org/

Also, check out Earthtone School of Music on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EarthoneMusic

Tim Kurteff-Schatz