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Video on Different Types of Playing Techniques 

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Video on Different Types of Playing Techniques 

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I can full heartily say that playing bass is one of the best decisions I have made. Nothing compares to the feeling of performing or even just learning a new piece of music. I will forever stand by the theory that music heals the soul. Playing bass has gotten me through tough times and difficult situations. Even if I'm just feeling slightly down, I'll pull out my bass, and after just a few minutes I feel better. Although bass players may be seen as an "extra" within the music scene by the outside world, we are so much more than that. Without the impeccable sound of the bass in a song, the sound just isn't the same.

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My name is Emma Strickland, and I have chosen to create this multi genre project about what it means to be a bass player and the expectations of your drive, skills and overall knowledge. I have chosen this topic not only because of how much I enjoy playing bass, but also because how it has shaped my life. As a kid, I always loved music and wanted to learn how to play the guitar. When I was around the age of 13, my grandpa bought me a guitar, but there was no one to teach me how to play and there wasn't as many resources as there are today when it comes to learning a new instrument. Due to this, I put it in my closest and gave up. In the 9th grade, my band teacher asked me if I wanted to learn how to play the bass guitar and he would teach me, so I said yes. Since then, I have not put the instrument down. You should expect to see an overview of what information is important for bass players to know, and also what a bass players lifestyle looks like.

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The Different Types of Electric Bass Guitars

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The Different Types of Electric Bass Guitars

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Interview with bass player, Michael Beck

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Interview with bass player, Michael Beck

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ES: Why did you decide to play bass?

MB: In the 4th grade when they gave me a chance to try instruments I really liked the cello, and then I asked if there was one neater than the cello and they said the bass, which no one else normally plays. Basically because no one else chose it. Then in 7th grade the band director said “I'm going to start a jazz band” and told me I should get an electric bass so I did. So then I took lessons at a music shop in the mall. I like the instrument a lot, one because I was the only person that played it which gave me freedom. I like to improvise and make up my own stuff, which you can’t do when other people are playing the same instrument.

ES: Do you consider yourself an orchestra bassist or an electric bassist?

MB: By the amount that I have played for the last 10 years you would certainly think I was an electric bass player. Because of life, the last time I was able to play upright was 10 years ago. In my mind I’m an upright player. But in actuality I have played more electric than I have played upright.

ES: What do you like most about the instrument?

MB: I enjoy the freedom that comes with playing bass. The bass has a unique job, form wise. Its main job is to hold down the tempo with the drummer, along with harmonizing with the guitarist. Other than that, you have complete freedom with what you play, depending on the genre. I also enjoy the deep tones that the bass produces, it's badass.

ES: What is your favorite genre to play?

MB: I'd probably have to say jazz. I definitely listen to more rock music, but there's something about playing jazz music that makes me feel fuzzy inside. Maybe it's because that's what I played as a kid or it could be because of the experimentation that jazz music allows you to do as a bassist.

ES: Do you think there is a distinction in personalities between people who play bass versus other instruments?

MB: Most bass players I have met are laid back and just go with the flow, whereas the guitarists I have met are in your face and like to show off. With that being said, the personalities aren't limited to each instrument. There have been a few bass players that I have met that want to show off and be in control. There are also plenty of guitarists that are laid back.

ES: What is the purpose of a bass player?

MB: Harmonically the purpose of a bass player is to hold down the bottom frequencies. In modern music, it’s about pulse, playing with the beat of the drummer and in harmony with the guitar. The bass is the interesting glue that holds the song together.

ES: What do you think makes a good bass player?

MB: I would say understanding the purpose of your part is first, which depends on many things such as genre. Rhythm would be second, and taste would be third. Being a bass player doesn’t mean showing off and playing a trillion notes. Also you should know a lot of scales. That’s important.

ES: How important do you think understanding music theory is to playing bass?

MB: I think that music theory is one the most important things to understand and or have experience with when it comes to playing bass. With that being said, it doesn't mean that you can't play bass unless you understand it or you can't start playing until you do. I think that most musicians start off messing around with instruments or covering songs which is completely okay. To create music is mainly where music theory comes in. Without a basis of what notes are to be played, I'd say it is almost impossible to create something that sounds cohesive, unless you have perfect pitch or are a natural music genius. In my opinion, bass players should have the most knowledge of music theory compared to everyone else within the band. Bass players can have a redundant job unless they are able to add in grace notes, leading tones, or walk from note to note. In order to do those things, you need to understand music theory.

ES: Why did you suggest that I should play bass?

MB: Well to start off, I saw a drive in you. I knew that if you ended up getting the instrument you wouldn't just let it sit around and collect dust, I knew you would practice. I also saw that you needed to be challenged, basically I could tell you were getting bored with what we were doing at the time in band. We also needed the part, and I knew that I'd enjoy teaching you how to play it. I figured it would be beneficial for the both of us.

ES: For you, is it more about the music or more about playing bass?

MB: Yes.

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Bass line - the part of music played by the bass guitar

Bottom frequencies - the lower notes/tone being played

Flat - lower in pitch; lowering pitch by a half step

Ex: B, Bb

Frets - the small raised metal bars across the long, thin part of a stringed musical instrument such as a bass guitar, that show you where to put your fingers on the strings to produce different notes

Genre - categories that sort songs/bands in to

Grace notes - notes without a fixed duration, which are intended to be played quickly

Harmony - combining different sounds together to create new, distinct sounds/ideas

Key/key signature - the arrangement of sharp or flat signs on particular lines and spaces within the musical staff; makes the entire piece of music correspond with what everyone else is playing

Leading tones - a note or pitch which resolves or "leads" to a note one semitone higher or lower

Music staff - lines and spaces where notes are placed;

5 lines and 4 spaces

Natural - the unaltered pitch of a note (not lowered or raised)

Octave - the interval between one musical pitch and another that has double its frequency (8 notes in a single octave)

Ex: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Pickup - a transducer that captures mechanical vibrations produced by musical instruments, usually stringed instruments such as the bass guitar, and converts these to an electrical signal that is amplified using an instrument amplifier to produce musical sounds through an amplifier

Rhythm - the pattern of sound/notes

Scales - sequences of notes, tones, or intervals dividing an octave

Ex: Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb

Sharp - higher in pitch; raising pitch by a chromatic semitone

Ex: C, C#

Treble - tones of high frequency or high in pitch

Walking - moving up a half step

Ex: F to F#

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Music theory helps us understand the structure and meaning behind a piece of music. Music theory also allows commercial music arts to improvise in a variety of ways by knowing what notes to add based on what key they are playing in. Without music theory, a piece of music would sound like random sounds and notes that don't go together.

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