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Extended-range bass

April 10, 2024

An extended-range bass is an electric bass guitar with a wider frequency range than a standard-tuned four-string bass guitar.[1][2]

Terminology edit

One way that a bass can be considered 'extended-range' is to use a tuning machine mechanism that allows for instant re-tuning, such as the popular 'Xtenders' made by Hipshot detuners. When the player triggers the detuner, it drops the pitch of the string by a pre-set interval. A common use of detuners is to drop the low E to a low D. Detuners are more rarely used on other strings. Michael Manring uses basses with detuners on every string; this enables him to have access to a greater number of chime-like harmonics.

Another way to get an extended range is to add strings. The most common type of bass guitar with more than four strings is the five-string bass. Five-string basses often have a low-B string, extending the instrument's lower range. Less commonly, five-string instruments add a high C-string, extending the higher range. Less commonly, the six-string bass guitar is used. Most commonly, six-string basses add a low B and a high C, extending the range on the low end and the higher register, although other tunings are used. Basses have been made with seven, eight, nine, or even fifteen strings with extremely wide necks and custom pickups. These too, are considered extended-range basses.

Michael Manring's 'Hyperbass' by Zon guitars and Les Claypool's main Carl Thompson piccolo bass are both four string basses but with necks that exceed the standard 24 frets (20 to 24 being the 'standard' for most commercially available bass guitars). Les Claypool's piccolo bass has 29 frets whereas Manring's Hyperbass is a fretless instrument (however if it were a fretted bass it too would also exceed the 24th fret).[3]

Extended-range bass does not refer to bass guitars with double or triple courses of strings such as the eight-string bass guitar or twelve-string bass, both of which could be considered as standard four string basses but with the addition of piccolo bass strings, tuned in octaves. These strings are played in unison with the bass strings, thereby producing a natural chorus effect.

The Ibanez Ashula bass guitar, though having seven strings, would also not be considered as an extended-range bass because the first four strings - G D A (low)E - lie over a section of the fretboard that has frets whereas the last three strings - a lower G, D and A - lie over a fretless part of the same fretboard.

History edit

In 1956 Danelectro introduced their six-string bass (tuned EADGBE, an octave below a six-string guitar). Fender brought out the Fender Bass VI in 1961, also tuned EADGBE, an octave below a regular six-string guitar . In 1965, Fender introduced the first five-string bass guitar, the Fender Bass V, however unlike the modern 5 string, it had a high C instead of a low B, although, with the total number of frets on a Bass V being fifteen, the total range of the instrument was identical to a twenty-fret four string Fender bass.

In 1974, Anthony Jackson asked Carl Thompson to build him a six-string bass guitar tuned (from low to high) BEADGC, which he called a "contrabass guitar." Due to the close string spacing utilized to accommodate available pickups at the time, Jackson was unhappy with the instrument due to difficult playability. Carl Thompson also finished a five-string bass tuned BEADG in May 1976. And California builder Alembic delivered their first 5-string with a low B to Jimmy Johnson in 1976.

In the late 1980s, luthier Michael Tobias made the first bass with more than six single-course strings, a custom-order seven-string bass for bassist Garry Goodman, tuned BEADGCF.

In 1988, Atlanta luthier Bill Hatcher made a seven string bass tuned EADGBEA (the lowest six strings follow standard six-string-guitar intervals, EADGBE, down 1 octave, and the seventh string an added fourth above). A later tuning was BEADGBE, following standard seven-string-guitar tuning (EADGBE plus a low B). He later narrowed the neck down to convert it to a six-string instrument, tuned EADGBE.

In 1995, luthier Bill Conklin made a nine-string bass for Bill "Buddha" Dickens, and in 1999 luthier Alfonso Iturra made an eight-string bass for Igor Saavedra.[4] German bass luthier Warwick built several custom fretless seven-string Thumb NT basses (F#0–B0–E1–A1–D2–G2–C3) for Jeroen Paul Thesseling.[5][6] Subsequently, other luthiers built instruments with up to twelve strings, adding both lower strings (such as F# and C#) and higher strings (such as F and B♭) to the six-string bass guitar.

Construction and tuning edit

Construction of basses with more than seven strings has largely been the realm of luthiers. Some extended-range basses are built to a player's specific preferences, including variation in scale length, appearance, and electronics. Due to the fact that the scale length of a typical bass guitar (34–35 in, 86–89 cm) produces excessive tension on the highest strings of extended-range basses, a builder may use slanted or fanned frets to achieve a variable-scale instrument.

Usually, extended-range basses are tuned in fourths. Five-string basses are normally tuned B-E-A-D-G, with a lower B string in addition to the four strings of a normal bass guitar. Some musicians such as jazz bassist Steve Swallow tune the five-string bass to E-A-D-G-C, with a high C-string instead of the low B-string.

Alternatively, tuning a standard four-string bass guitar in fifths, C-G-D-A, extends the range by six notes (four lower, two higher).

The most common tunings for a seven-string bass are F♯ to C or B to F; an eight-string F♯ to F; a nine-string F♯ to B♭; a ten-string C♯ to B♭ or F♯ to E♭; an eleven-string C♯ to E♭ or F♯ to A♭; and a twelve-string C♯ to A♭ or B to G♭.

Playing styles edit

The techniques used to play the extended-range bass are virtually identical to those used for standard 4-string basses, including pizzicato (finger plucking), use of a plectrum (a.k.a. 'pick'), slap-and-pop, and tapping.

The upper strings of an extended-range bass allow bassists to adopt playing styles of the electric guitar. One such style is the practice of comping, or playing a rhythmic chordal accompaniment to an improvised lead. The increased polyphony of extended-range basses allows for voicings (chords, arpeggios) of five or more notes, as well as wider voicings such as "drop 3", "drop 2+4" and "spreads." Walking a bassline and comping at the same time is also possible, which is useful in jazz combos lacking a chordal instrument, or in accompaniment of a chordal instrument during their lead portion.

The added strings of the extended-range bass compound the muting problems that many bassists encounter.[further explanation needed] Because of sympathetic vibration, a plucked note makes that same note (and its octaves) sound on all strings that are unmuted. Extended-range bassists often turn to soft items such as hairbands to dampen the sympathetic vibrations, or adopt advanced muting techniques, including the "floating thumb" technique (using the thumb of the plucking hand to mute lower strings) to achieve a good sound.

The role that the extended-range bass plays in music is still largely a matter of situation and personal preference. Many extended-range bassists play the bass part in bands, and may also perform in a solo setting, using advanced techniques such as two-handed tapping or chording.

Notable players edit

Jazz edit

Country edit

R&B edit

Rock edit

Metal edit

Five strings, primary edit

Six or more strings, primary edit

References edit

  1. ^ Jisi, Chris (2008). Bass player presents the fretless bass. New York: Backbeat Books. ISBN 9780879309251. OCLC 226281048.
  2. ^ Overly, Mike (2003). Bass encyclomedia : how to see the whole fretboard and easily play its many chord, scale, and arpeggio fragments (1st ed.). Dayton, OH: 12 Tone Music Pub. ISBN 0965808661. OCLC 55109256.
  3. ^ Jonathan, Rosseu (May 5, 2018). "Tien suppervette basloopjes. Puur genieten!". BasgitaarShop (in Dutch). Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  4. ^ Raul Amador (August 2013). "Igor Saavedra". Bass Musician. pp. 60–77, 6th Anniversary: The Latin Bass Issue.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  5. ^ Amador, Valery (July 1, 2011). "Warwick releases Jeroen Paul Thesseling's 7-string fretless bass". Bassmusicianmagazine.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  6. ^ Johnson, Kevin (November 17, 2011). "Ultra Low: An Interview with Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Notreble.com. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  7. ^ . Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved November 5, 2007.
  8. ^ Edo Castro Homepage
  9. ^ BILL DICKENS - "The Buddha of Bass": Stevie Wonder and Bill Dickens Jamming at X2 Wireless
  10. ^ Jimmy Haslip Official Website
  11. ^ Guitar World interview, 1989
  12. ^ John Patitucci Home Page
  13. ^ Igor Saavedra Official Website
  14. ^ Kevin Johnson (September 19, 2013). "Bass of the Week: Esperanza Spalding's South Paw Fretless 5-String". No Treble.
  15. ^ "ERB Legend Al Caldwell". Bass Musician. December 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  16. ^ Les Claypool - Electric Apricot: Quest For Festeroo - In Theaters Now
  17. ^ Kelly Conlon Website

External links edit

  • Stewart McKinsey's article,
  • Dave's Guitar and Bass Resource Pages This site includes numerous scale and chord charts for five and six string basses.
  • RESTRUNG - A documentary about Wyn Guitars and the creation of many extended-range basses.

See also edit

April 10, 2024
extended, range, bass, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, marc. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Extended range bass news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message An extended range bass is an electric bass guitar with a wider frequency range than a standard tuned four string bass guitar 1 2 Contents 1 Terminology 2 History 3 Construction and tuning 4 Playing styles 5 Notable players 5 1 Jazz 5 2 Country 5 3 R amp B 5 4 Rock 5 5 Metal 5 5 1 Five strings primary 5 5 2 Six or more strings primary 6 References 7 External links 8 See alsoTerminology editOne way that a bass can be considered extended range is to use a tuning machine mechanism that allows for instant re tuning such as the popular Xtenders made by Hipshot detuners When the player triggers the detuner it drops the pitch of the string by a pre set interval A common use of detuners is to drop the low E to a low D Detuners are more rarely used on other strings Michael Manring uses basses with detuners on every string this enables him to have access to a greater number of chime like harmonics Another way to get an extended range is to add strings The most common type of bass guitar with more than four strings is the five string bass Five string basses often have a low B string extending the instrument s lower range Less commonly five string instruments add a high C string extending the higher range Less commonly the six string bass guitar is used Most commonly six string basses add a low B and a high C extending the range on the low end and the higher register although other tunings are used Basses have been made with seven eight nine or even fifteen strings with extremely wide necks and custom pickups These too are considered extended range basses Michael Manring s Hyperbass by Zon guitars and Les Claypool s main Carl Thompson piccolo bass are both four string basses but with necks that exceed the standard 24 frets 20 to 24 being the standard for most commercially available bass guitars Les Claypool s piccolo bass has 29 frets whereas Manring s Hyperbass is a fretless instrument however if it were a fretted bass it too would also exceed the 24th fret 3 Extended range bass does not refer to bass guitars with double or triple courses of strings such as the eight string bass guitar or twelve string bass both of which could be considered as standard four string basses but with the addition of piccolo bass strings tuned in octaves These strings are played in unison with the bass strings thereby producing a natural chorus effect The Ibanez Ashula bass guitar though having seven strings would also not be considered as an extended range bass because the first four strings G D A low E lie over a section of the fretboard that has frets whereas the last three strings a lower G D and A lie over a fretless part of the same fretboard History editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed May 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message In 1956 Danelectro introduced their six string bass tuned EADGBE an octave below a six string guitar Fender brought out the Fender Bass VI in 1961 also tuned EADGBE an octave below a regular six string guitar In 1965 Fender introduced the first five string bass guitar the Fender Bass V however unlike the modern 5 string it had a high C instead of a low B although with the total number of frets on a Bass V being fifteen the total range of the instrument was identical to a twenty fret four string Fender bass In 1974 Anthony Jackson asked Carl Thompson to build him a six string bass guitar tuned from low to high BEADGC which he called a contrabass guitar Due to the close string spacing utilized to accommodate available pickups at the time Jackson was unhappy with the instrument due to difficult playability Carl Thompson also finished a five string bass tuned BEADG in May 1976 And California builder Alembic delivered their first 5 string with a low B to Jimmy Johnson in 1976 In the late 1980s luthier Michael Tobias made the first bass with more than six single course strings a custom order seven string bass for bassist Garry Goodman tuned BEADGCF In 1988 Atlanta luthier Bill Hatcher made a seven string bass tuned EADGBEA the lowest six strings follow standard six string guitar intervals EADGBE down 1 octave and the seventh string an added fourth above A later tuning was BEADGBE following standard seven string guitar tuning EADGBE plus a low B He later narrowed the neck down to convert it to a six string instrument tuned EADGBE In 1995 luthier Bill Conklin made a nine string bass for Bill Buddha Dickens and in 1999 luthier Alfonso Iturra made an eight string bass for Igor Saavedra 4 German bass luthier Warwick built several custom fretless seven string Thumb NT basses F 0 B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 C3 for Jeroen Paul Thesseling 5 6 Subsequently other luthiers built instruments with up to twelve strings adding both lower strings such as F and C and higher strings such as F and B to the six string bass guitar Construction and tuning editConstruction of basses with more than seven strings has largely been the realm of luthiers Some extended range basses are built to a player s specific preferences including variation in scale length appearance and electronics Due to the fact that the scale length of a typical bass guitar 34 35 in 86 89 cm produces excessive tension on the highest strings of extended range basses a builder may use slanted or fanned frets to achieve a variable scale instrument Usually extended range basses are tuned in fourths Five string basses are normally tuned B E A D G with a lower B string in addition to the four strings of a normal bass guitar Some musicians such as jazz bassist Steve Swallow tune the five string bass to E A D G C with a high C string instead of the low B string Alternatively tuning a standard four string bass guitar in fifths C G D A extends the range by six notes four lower two higher The most common tunings for a seven string bass are F to C or B to F an eight string F to F a nine string F to B a ten string C to B or F to E an eleven string C to E or F to A and a twelve string C to A or B to G Playing styles editThe techniques used to play the extended range bass are virtually identical to those used for standard 4 string basses including pizzicato finger plucking use of a plectrum a k a pick slap and pop and tapping The upper strings of an extended range bass allow bassists to adopt playing styles of the electric guitar One such style is the practice of comping or playing a rhythmic chordal accompaniment to an improvised lead The increased polyphony of extended range basses allows for voicings chords arpeggios of five or more notes as well as wider voicings such as drop 3 drop 2 4 and spreads Walking a bassline and comping at the same time is also possible which is useful in jazz combos lacking a chordal instrument or in accompaniment of a chordal instrument during their lead portion The added strings of the extended range bass compound the muting problems that many bassists encounter further explanation needed Because of sympathetic vibration a plucked note makes that same note and its octaves sound on all strings that are unmuted Extended range bassists often turn to soft items such as hairbands to dampen the sympathetic vibrations or adopt advanced muting techniques including the floating thumb technique using the thumb of the plucking hand to mute lower strings to achieve a good sound The role that the extended range bass plays in music is still largely a matter of situation and personal preference Many extended range bassists play the bass part in bands and may also perform in a solo setting using advanced techniques such as two handed tapping or chording Notable players editJazz edit Steve Bailey 7 Alain Caron Edo Castro 8 Bill Dickens 9 Nathan East Jimmy Haslip 10 Anthony Jackson Jimmy Johnson 11 Abraham Laboriel Adam Neely John Patitucci 12 Igor Saavedra 13 Tetsuo Sakurai Esperanza Spalding 14 Steve Swallow Stomu Takeishi Country edit Harold Bradley Hank GarlandR amp B edit Al Caldwell 15 Stephen Lee Bruner a k a Thundercat Rock edit Les Claypool 16 Mike Gordon of Phish Peter Hook of Joy Division and New Order Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead Tony Levin of King Crimson Shunsuke Matsumoto of Co Shu Nie Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick Nicole Row of Panic at the Disco and Incubus Dave Schools of Widespread Panic Robert Smith of the Cure Trigger Warning of Foxy Shazam Allen Woody of the Allman Brothers Band and Gov t Mule Metal edit Five strings primary edit Eugene Abdukhanov of Jinjer Felipe Andreoli Fieldy of Korn Derek Boyer of Suffocation Erlend Caspersen of Spawn of Possession and Deeds of Flesh Chi Cheng musician formerly of Deftones Kelly Conlon 17 Steve Di Giorgio of Soen and Death David Ellefson formerly of Megadeth Paolo Gregoletto of Trivium Oliver Holzwarth formerly of Blind Guardian Steve Fuzz Kmak formerly of Disturbed Dick Lovgren of Meshuggah Ryan Martinie of Mudvayne John Moyer of Disturbed Jason Newsted formerly of Metallica and Flotsam and Jetsam Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue Robert Trujillo of Metallica Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse Six or more strings primary edit Adam Biggs of Rivers of Nihil Adrian Lambert of Biomechanical Alyson Blake Dellinger formerly of Unorthodox amp Flummox Buwi Meneses of Parokya ni Edgar Colin Marston Connor Green of Haken Danny Hauser of Veil of Maya Dominic Forest Lapointe of Quo Vadis Doug Pinnick of King s X Hugo Doyon Karout of Beyond Creation Jared Smith of Archspire Jean Baudin of Nuclear Rabbit and Voodoo Gods Jon Stockman of Karnivool Jeff Hughell of Six Feet Under Jeroen Paul Thesseling of Obscura and Pestilence John Myung of Dream Theater Linus Klausenitzer of Obscura Oteil Burbridge of Aquarium Rescue Unit and the Allman Brothers Band Sami Hinkka of Ensiferum Thundercat of Suicidal TendenciesReferences edit Jisi Chris 2008 Bass player presents the fretless bass New York Backbeat Books ISBN 9780879309251 OCLC 226281048 Overly Mike 2003 Bass encyclomedia how to see the whole fretboard and easily play its many chord scale and arpeggio fragments 1st ed Dayton OH 12 Tone Music Pub ISBN 0965808661 OCLC 55109256 Jonathan Rosseu May 5 2018 Tien suppervette basloopjes Puur genieten BasgitaarShop in Dutch Retrieved May 15 2018 Raul Amador August 2013 Igor Saavedra Bass Musician pp 60 77 6th Anniversary The Latin Bass Issue a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a CS1 maint postscript link Amador Valery July 1 2011 Warwick releases Jeroen Paul Thesseling s 7 string fretless bass Bassmusicianmagazine com Retrieved May 30 2018 Johnson Kevin November 17 2011 Ultra Low An Interview with Jeroen Paul Thesseling Notreble com Retrieved May 24 2018 Steve Bailey That Bass Player Dude Archived from the original on October 14 2007 Retrieved November 5 2007 Edo Castro Homepage BILL DICKENS The Buddha of Bass Stevie Wonder and Bill Dickens Jamming at X2 Wireless Jimmy Haslip Official Website Guitar World interview 1989 John Patitucci Home Page Igor Saavedra Official Website Kevin Johnson September 19 2013 Bass of the Week Esperanza Spalding s South Paw Fretless 5 String No Treble ERB Legend Al Caldwell Bass Musician December 2016 Retrieved May 28 2018 Les Claypool Electric Apricot Quest For Festeroo In Theaters Now Kelly Conlon WebsiteExternal links editStewart McKinsey s article Approaching the Extended Range Bass Dave s Guitar and Bass Resource Pages This site includes numerous scale and chord charts for five and six string basses RESTRUNG A documentary about Wyn Guitars and the creation of many extended range basses See also editSub bass Seven string guitar Eight string guitar Nine string guitar Ten string guitar Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Extended range bass amp oldid 1217098580, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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