A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments. Since the 1960s, the electric bass is the standard bass instrument for rock and roll, jazz fusion (and occasionally other forms of jazz), heavy metal, country, reggae and pop music. The double bass is the standard bass instrument for classical music, bluegrass, and Swing-era and Bebop-era jazz. Low brass instruments such as the tuba or sousaphone are the standard bass instrument in Dixieland and New Orleans-style jazz bands.

Despite the associations of different bass instruments with certain genres, there are exceptions. Some 1990s and 2000s rock and pop bands use a double bass, such as Barenaked Ladies; Indie band The Decemberists; and punk rock/psychobilly groups such as Tiger Army. Some fusion jazz groups use a lightweight, stripped-down electric upright bass rather than a double bass. Some composers of modern art music use the electric bass in a chamber music setting. Some jazz big bands use electric bass. Some fusion, R&B and house music groups use synth bass or keyboard bass rather than electric bass. Some Dixieland bands use double bass or electric bass instead of a tuba. In some jazz groups and jam bands, the basslines are played by a Hammond organ player, who uses the bass pedal keyboard or the lower manual for the low notes.

Electric bass players

Electric bassists play the bass guitar. In most rock, pop, and country genres, the bass line outlines the harmony of the music being performed, while simultaneously indicating the rhythmic pulse. In addition, there are different standard bass line types for different genres and types of song (e.g. blues ballad, fast swing, etc.). Bass lines often emphasize the root, third, and fifth of the chord progression being used in a given song. In addition, pedal tones (repeated or sustained single notes), ostinatos, and bass riffs are also used as bass lines. While most electric bass players rarely play chords (three or more notes all sounded at the same time), chords are used in some styles, especially jazz fusion or progressive rock.

Classical double bass players

• Johannes Matthias Sperger (1750-1812) Composer
• Domenico Dragonetti (1763-1845) composer, conductor
• Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889) composer, conductor
• Franz Simandl (1840-1912) composer
• Edouard Nanny (1872-1943) composer
• Serge Koussevitzky (1874–1951) Conductor, composer
• John Moses (1995-present)

Lists of double bass players

• See List of contemporary classical double bass players
• See List of jazz bassists, which includes both double bass and electric bass players.

External links

• Bass Guitar Magazine - The UK magazine for bass players
• Play bass - How to play bass
• Bass Player magazine - Bass Player magazine
• BassPlaza.com - Thousands of bass players listed.
• JazzDoubleBass.com - Resource about double bass in jazz
• TalkBass.com- Forum and Wiki by and for bassists.