Plucked & fretted · Plucked (fretted) · Guitar family
Bass Guitar
Tuned like the double bass (E1 A1 D2 G2) and also written an octave higher.
Quick facts
| Family | Plucked & fretted — Plucked (fretted) |
|---|---|
| Hornbostel–Sachs | 513 |
| Pitched in | C |
| Transposition | Sounds a octave lower than written |
| Written range | E2 – G5 |
| Sounding range | E1 – G4 (41.20 – 392 Hz) |
| Clef | Bass |
| Other names | Bassgitarre, ba, bajo, bas-gitara, basgitaar, bass, besi qita, bgt, bs, gitar bas |
Player's notes
- Tuned like the double bass (E1 A1 D2 G2) and also written an octave higher.
- Five- and six-string models add a low B and a high C.
About the bass guitar
The bass guitar, also known as the electric bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar but with a longer neck and scale length. The electric bass guitar most commonly has four strings, though five-, six-, and seven-stringed models are also built. The electric bass guitar was invented in the mid-1950s to replace the double bass in popular music due to its lighter weight, smaller size and easier portability, most models' inclusion of frets for easier intonation, and electromagnetic pickups for amplification.
The electric bass guitar is usually tuned the same as the double bass, corresponding to pitches one octave lower than the four lowest-pitched strings of a guitar, typically E, A, D, and G (5-string models typically add a low B, and 6-string models typically add a high C). It is played with the fingers, thumb or with a pick.
Because the electric bass guitar is a quiet instrument acoustically, it requires external amplification, generally via electromagnetic or piezo-electric pickups. It can also be used with direct input boxes, audio interfaces, mixing consoles, computers, or bass-effects processors which offer headphone jacks.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article “Bass guitar”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Listen
Recordings from Wikimedia Commons, found via Openverse.
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the bass guitar?
The practical written range of the bass guitar is E2 to G5, which sounds E1 to G4 (41.2 Hz to 392 Hz at A4 = 440 Hz).
Is the bass guitar a transposing instrument?
Yes. The bass guitar is pitched in C: sounds a octave lower than written. A written C sounds C.
What clef does the bass guitar read?
The bass guitar reads bass clef.
How is the bass guitar classified?
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system the bass guitar is classified as 513.
Related instruments
Guitar
Standard tuning E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4; written an octave higher than it sounds.
Ukulele
Standard re-entrant tuning G4 C4 E4 A4 ('My Dog Has Fleas').
Mandolin
Four pairs of strings tuned like a violin: G3 D4 A4 E5.
Banjo
Five-string banjo in open G: g4 D3 G3 B3 D4, with a short drone string.
Harp
47 strings tuned diatonically; seven pedals set each pitch class flat, natural or sharp.