Bassist

A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), keyboard bass (synth bass) or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or trombone. Many musical genres tend to be associated with at least one or more of these instruments.

Overview

Since the 1960s, the electric bass has been the standard bass instrument for funk, R&B, soul, rock, reggae, jazz fusion, heavy metal, country and pop. The double bass is the standard bass instrument for classical music, bluegrass, rockabilly, and most genres of jazz. Low brass instruments such as the tuba or sousaphone are the standard bass instrument in Dixieland and New Orleans-style jazz bands. Tuba players are sometimes conflated with bassists, due to the instrument being used to double a part for the double bass in early music recordings. Tubists who tend to fill the role of a bassist include Howard Johnson, Herbie Flowers and Steve Brown among others.

Despite the associations of different bass instruments with certain genres, there are exceptions. Some rock bands and bassists used a double bass, such as Lee Rocker of Stray Cats, Barenaked Ladies and Tiger Army. Larry Graham, Bernard Edwards, Mick Hogan, Andy Fraser, and Mel Schacher used an electric bass guitar. Some funk, R&B and jazz, fusion groups use synth bass or keyboard bass rather than electric bass. Stevie Wonder, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell have used a synth bass. Some traditional jazz bands use double bass or electric bass instead of a tuba; Bill Johnson and Steve Brown was one of the earliest double bassists in the New Orleans traditional jazz genre. In some jazz groups and jam bands, the basslines are played by a Hammond organ player, who uses the bass pedal keyboard or the lower manual for the low notes. Keyboard driven bass also occurs occasionally in rock bands, such as Atomic Rooster, and the Doors whose keyboardist Ray Manzarek notably used a Fender Rhodes piano bass with his left hand.

Electric bass players

Electric bassists play the bass guitar. In most rock, pop, metal and country genres, the bass line outlines the harmony of the music being performed, while simultaneously indicating the rhythmic pulse. In addition, there are many different standard bass line types for different genres and types of song (e.g. blues ballad, fast swing, etc.).

Bass lines often emphasize the root note, with a secondary role for the third, and fifth of each chord being used in a given song. In addition, pedal tones (repeated or sustained single notes), ostinatos, and bass riffs are also used as bass lines. While most electric bass players rarely play chords (three or more notes all sounded at the same time), chords are used in some styles, especially funk, R&B, soul music, jazz, rock, Latin and heavy metal music. Phil Lesh, a bassist for the rock band Grateful Dead was known for treating bass lines as counterparts, rather than emphasizing the root note. Lemmy Kilmister, bassist for rock bands Hawkwind and Motörhead, was described by some musicians and writers to have a playing style reminiscent of an acoustic guitarist, sometimes using chords.

Double bass players

The double bass is the standard bass instrument for classical music, bluegrass, rockabilly, and most genres of jazz.

Classical double bass players

See the List of contemporary classical double bass players.

Jazz double-bass players

See the List of jazz bassists, which includes both double bass and electric bass players.

Popular music double bass players

See the List of double bassists in popular music, which includes blues, folk, country, etc.

See also

* List of double bassists in popular music

References

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{{Bass (sound)

Occupations in music
Bass (sound)