Please describe an instrument in words, you can write it in terms of playing and sound effects.
Bass (Bass) Bass is one of the generally indispensable instruments in the band. It mainly plays the bass part in the jazz band, and sometimes also performs as an improvised solo. Traditional jazz generally uses acoustic bass (double bass) to reflect its original flavor. In modern jazz (especially fusion jazz), electric bass or synthesized bass sounds from electronic synthesizers are often used to add a sense of modernity. "Walking Bass" is one of the most distinctive playing methods in jazz, which uses chord decomposition progression based on a stable rhythm.
The methods include upward decomposition, downward decomposition, and alternating upward and downward decomposition. Example: Upward decomposition 5 7 2 4 │ 5 6 b7 7 │ Downward decomposition 1 b7 5 3 │ 1 b7 5 3 │ Upward and downward decomposition alternately 1 3 5 b7 │ 1 5 3 1 │ Because this way of proceeding is like marching in a march. The pace, hence the name "marching bass".
The electric bass appeared around the 1920s. In almost a hundred years, its playing method and instrument structure have made great progress.
At first, it was manufactured based on the tuning of the string bass (double bass) and the structural principles of the guitar. In other words, it is a bass guitar tuned to the tune of a double bass. Later, due to the needs of performers in jazz music performance, the frets were removed. But in contemporary times, this kind of fretless electric bass (Fretless Bass) is commonly used in Soul, HipHop, R&B and other music.
In terms of playing method, electric bass has always been around the numerous modern music styles produced in the 20th century. The most common one is fingered bass, and almost all young people who play in electroacoustic bands can play it a few times. This playing method is suitable for almost all Pop music, and it is also the most important basic playing method for Jazz and Latin music. The simplest is also the most difficult to play, and it is also the most flexible way to play. There is also a way of playing that is played with a pick (Picked Bass), which is derived from the electric guitar. Its sound is brighter than that played by hand, and it is mostly used in rock and punk music. It should be noted that this method of using a pick is not suitable for playing fretless electric bass. There is also a playing method that best represents the characteristics of electric bass, which is the so-called slap bass. This is also a method of playing with fingers. Instead of using the fingertips for ordinary playing, you use the The thumb and other fingers strike and hook the strings. It has the brightest sound and is commonly used in Funk and Fusion music.
These are the three most commonly used methods for accompaniment. When playing solo (Solo), you can also use techniques such as string tapping and overtones, and you can also combine fingered and slap.
Among the common electric basses, there are four-string, five-string and six-string. Usually four strings are used or learned first. The four tuning notes are: first string - G, second string - D, third string - A, and fourth string - E. The first string is the highest and the fourth string is the lowest.
The characteristics of the four strings are:
The first string is brighter than the others and has a better sound. In ordinary playing, the middle and high positions have a better tone, and are often used in solo and fill positions. Overtones are also often played on the first string. Hooking and tapping the string are also commonly used on the first string, and occasionally hitting the string is also used.
The second string plays the role of connecting the first string and the third string, and connecting the upper and lower strings. The tone is full, but not suitable for root notes. Pop's Fill and Jazz's swimming patterns are often used.
The third string has the least distinctive timbre, but it is still the most commonly used string. Usually root note accompaniment, including string striking techniques. The hook string is not commonly used on the third string. During accompaniment, both the upper and lower thirds centered on the key of C can be played, and sometimes even the key of F can be played. But no matter how high the position is, it is not commonly used, because when the middle and high positions of the three-stringed string are used as accompaniment root notes, the sound head is not good and the tone is muddy. When it is low, you can play the A key in the open string position. If the quality of the piano and strings is not very good, you can play the A key in the four-string and five-position positions. Because the open string A of the third string sometimes seems a bit empty and scattered.
The fourth string has the deepest tone and is unpleasant to listen to in high positions, so it is usually not used. Solo unless necessary.
He is best at ordinary playing and hammering. You can go to A or even Bb when playing accompaniment. This string is used the most when playing Rock and Pop.
The five-string electric bass is based on the four strings and adds a lower B string. It will have a good effect when playing to the D note, and C# can also be played sometimes. C and B are less commonly used, and the pitch is already very blurry. The high position of the fifth string is also not commonly used. There are also pianos where a higher string is added to the upper string. But not common.
The six-string electric bass is based on the addition of a lower five-string electric bass and a higher C string. This kind of piano is often used for solo.
Due to the characteristics and difficulty of the music (that is, music theory, not performance technology): Rock often uses a four-string electric bass, Pop uses a five-string one, and Jazz uses a six-string one. But this is by no means inherent, just a general rule. Typical representative:
Mr.Big:Bill
NathanEast
ChickCorea's band:John?
Electric bass playing in the band Belongs to the highest status and is the most important. It’s the essence of the whole thing (drums next, guitar and keyboards third). So a band without a good bass player is not a qualified band. This conclusion - does not come from my personal opinion; it is different from the obvious sound of guitar and keyboard in the ears of a musician who has just been involved in an electro-acoustic band.
Before the birth of P-BASS, the band’s bass player could only use a huge DOUBLE BASS. This cello-like bass is very difficult to carry and very clumsy. Moreover, the volume of DOUBLE BASS is so small that many bass players are required during the performance, which is very incredible now. LEO FENDER discovered this problem and considered what instrument to use to replace the huge bass.
In the 1930s, an electrified bass appeared. This bass did not have a sound box and relied on a simple pickup to get the sound. The response to this bass after its appearance was not enthusiastic, at the same time. In the 1940s, due to the needs of music, many guitarists were forced to lose their jobs. Because of the popularity of dance music, the size of the band was forced to shrink, which made the guitar, which was still an accompaniment instrument at that time, useless. These unemployed bass players found LEO FENDER because they felt that DOUBLE BASS was too difficult to learn, and they needed an instrument that was simple and easy to learn.
LEO FENDER accidentally saw a Mexican Mariachi band in ORANGE County, USA. He suddenly discovered that a musician in the band was playing an instrument similar to a guitar (you can see this in the movie "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" Seeing this instrument) This scene inspired LEO a lot. It turns out that the bass can be played like a guitar. LEO got another inspiration from an instrument called MANDOBASS (MANDOBASS is an instrument similar to a mandolin. , played in the same way as a DOUBLE BASS) This instrument has frets like a guitar. Based on these conditions, LEO FENDER began to develop a new electric bass.
FENDER has become increasingly mature at this time, and the design of TELECASTER (or BORADCASTER) has been accepted by many people. LEO decided to use TELECASTER as a prototype. At the same time, LEO also recruited some bass players to help him develop bass guitars. The prototype was developed in a very short time. Since this is my first attempt, it will inevitably feel a bit patchwork. Since it was difficult to find tuners suitable for the strength of the bass strings, LEO had to install DOUBLE BASS tuners. In addition, the strings are also specially made by them. The headstock still uses TELECASTER's special small headstock. At this time, LEO has difficulty again. It is difficult to grasp the length of the neck because he needs to find a length that can be comfortably grasped by the bass player. And it can maintain good balance and be as long as possible. LEO borrowed a physics textbook from his secretary. His secretary's name was Elizabeth Nagel Hayzlett. She was a UCLA student.
By chance, LEO discovered the data of 34 inches and started experimenting with it. The results were satisfactory, so the effective length of the BASS neck was 34 inches. Made of maple wood. The accessories of the early model were a black pickguard, a removable bridge cover, a single-coil pickup, and the same set of volume and tone controls as the TELE. The whole instrument has been manufactured, and the next step is to name it. LEO named the new electric bass Precision electric bass. Precision means precision, because the frets on the neck make the bass The player can control the pitch very well. Play accurately. The Precision BASS was exhibited at the 1952 Musical Instrument Exhibition and immediately attracted the attention of many players. Because of its compact shape and convenient controls, the FENDER Precision BASS immediately became the choice of bass players. New favorite. FENDER company later changed the name of this bass to 51’ Precision-BASS. To commemorate its historical value. And become a member of the American FENDER CLASSIC (classic) series.