| For the benefit of absolute novices to the guitar, we | | | | There are many ways of playing the guitar. In most |
| may begin with a mention of the fact that there are | | | | cases, it is played with the fingers - but use of a |
| basically three types of guitar - especially where it is | | | | plectrum in playing it is not completely unheard of |
| the modern 'electric guitar' we are looking at. The | | | | either. Where it is played with the fingers, the playing |
| first of these is what musicians sometimes refer to | | | | may involve thumping, tapping or simply plucking. |
| as the lead guitar (or the solo guitar, in some circles). | | | | The bass guitar is mainly used in playing what are |
| The second of these is what musicians sometimes | | | | musically known as 'bass-lines.' With a good and well |
| refer to as the rhythm guitar; though its usage is not | | | | tuned speaker, it is quite easy to make out those |
| universal. And the third is what is referred to as the | | | | bass-lines in any piece of music where the instrument |
| bass guitar, which is our focus here. | | | | is used. The bass-lines in turn act as harmonic |
| The guitar, by convention, has four strings (or wires, | | | | anchors, seeing that use of a lead guitar and rhythm |
| depending on your nomenclature) - whereas the | | | | guitar on their own could leave the music somewhat |
| other types of guitar have six strings. To be sure, | | | | unanchored, harmonically. This is where a subtle |
| there are some instruments classified as bass guitars | | | | 'feeling of incompleteness' as previously alluded, |
| that have five or six strings, but the standard is four. | | | | comes out in pieces of music where the bass guitar |
| As it turns out, these four strings that make the | | | | is not used. What we mean by saying that the bass |
| bass guitar represent notes E, A, D and G in the bass | | | | guitar serves as a harmonic anchor is that it helps to |
| cleff. | | | | 'keep it all together.' Therefore although its sound |
| Many music styles make use of the bass guitar. From | | | | may not be all that clear to the listener from the |
| rock music to pop music, punk, country, jazz and lot | | | | foreground, it is still playing a crucial role in terms of |
| of other styles in between, this is an instrument you | | | | anchoring the whole musical edifice. It is the same |
| will tend to hear in the background if you listen very | | | | way that the foundation of a house may not be |
| carefully. In some music styles such as fusion and | | | | very visible to the people using it - yet where we |
| heavy metal, the bass guitar actually steps from the | | | | know that the house would be very weak without |
| background, sometimes even acting as the soloing | | | | that (albeit invisible) foundation. |
| instrument. In some genres of music, the bass guitar | | | | Normally, the guitar is first connected to an amplifier |
| plays such a crucial role that a piece of music without | | | | and the output driven into a speaker, where the |
| its usage would sound incomplete in the ears of keen | | | | instrument is used in a live performance. |
| listeners. | | | | |