Are you familiar with acoustic bass guitars? You should be. They can give a song a wonderful sound and bass players who try them love them.
What’s the difference between an acoustic bass guitar and a typical acoustic guitar? On the surface they may seem almost identical (except for the strings) and they will sound similar. Looking closer, you will start to see some major differences. An acoustic bass is shaped differently. It has a larger hollow body and a much fuller neck. The fingerboard is wider has 20 frets opposed to the 19 frets an acoustic guitar will have. Usually, a bass guitar has only 4 strings though there are different versions, such as the 6 string acoustic guitar and the Mexican 12 string acoustic bass, also known as bajo sexto.
The four string bass is tuned identically to the double bass. This tuning, when compared with a 6-string guitar, will be octave lower than the lowest 4 strings, specifically E, A, D, and G. As 5 string bass will go up one more scale, and a 6 string will go up 2.
A key element to consider when you are playing a bass, whether it is acoustic or electric, is the type of strings. The most common strings are metal, and metal strings may can be found in roundwound, flatwound, groundwound, or halfwound types. However, a lot of acoustic bass players like nylon strings for a softer sound. Different coverings such as plastic or tapewound may also be used, but it pays to try out different string types when you can. You may be surprised by the tones you can achieve. Often it can be difficult to hear the notes being performed on an acoustic bass guitar. Despite a wider, deeper sound hollow I the body, the low pitch of the strings will reduce the overall volume. You will see acoustic bass player rig up their guitar with pickups so they can be plugged into an amplifier and heard over the other instruments.
Because bass guitars are not as common and popular as 6 string guitars you will need to do a little research before buying. Reviews on Amazon are a good source (they are reviews by buyers) and of the more popular blogs have good insights. It pays to look at some of the better music stores for information as well. While they are going to try to sell you a bass, they will have a lot of knowledge as to which manufacturer makes the best guitar for your needs. You should also check out the websites of some of the manufacturers. The information will obviously be slanted towards their products, but you should find a lot of useful details to help you choose the right bass. Because acoustic basses are more of a specialty item you should be able to narrow down your search quite quickly. As a last research suggestion, I would highly recommend finding a forum that specializes in acoustic basses and sign up. Bass players with a lot of experience will be posting ideas and suggestions that you can use.
Learning to play an acoustic bass is very different than playing a guitar. The fingering is different, the picking is different and the tabs are different. On the other hand, if you already play the guitar you will have an idea about the correct way to hold your bass and understand the keys and notes that come with each fret. Don’t forget-the bass player is the engine that drives the band!
Bass players tend to be in the background but they are the driving force for a songs rhythm. An acoustic bass will give you a more mellow sound but the concept is the same as an electric or upright bass. Lay down a rhythm, drive the song, fill the gaps and make the music sing.