How do you explain what a bass is to someone?

[vibhas_2310]

Hi,

So I've been playing bass for a while now and I love it!

I was thinking about this...how do I explain to someone who has no idea about music what a bass is.

I guess the guitar is engrained in everyone's mind and the drums are obvious and there's a percussion instrument in pretty much every culture.

I've tried explaining that the bass is just like a guitar except it exists in the realm of lower frequencies...blah...blah...blah

Any really simple way to explain what a bass is to someone who doesn't know anything about music or musical instruments?

Would love to hear your thoughts...

 

[BBox Bass]

If they're really clueless, I don't think there's much you can say that will make them get it. This past Saturday, I was accosted by a very drunk woman after a show. She carried on and on about how great we were. When I finally got free and ran to the bathroom, I heard her move on to the guitarist. She said to him "And what's your name? And the drummer's name? And the singer's name? And...the other woman's name?" I at least thought she would refer to me as "the other guitarist". Nope, I am now The Other Woman!

 

[remainthesame]

If they don't know, I'm not going to bother explaining it.

 

[jdwhitak]

it's a guitar on steroids

 

[Gaolee]

One is a really big violin. The other is a guitar that got through puberty. That's all people who need the explanation need to know.

 

[AaronVonRock]

It's a bigger, deeper sounding guitar. Pretty simple, actually.

 

[erigod23]

The glue between the drums and the guitar.

 

[Hamlet7768]

The glue between the drums and the guitar.

+1 Was going to say this. David Ellefson explained it this way.

 

[Unrepresented]

Like a guitar only without the self esteem issues.

 

[DagoMaino]

It's similar to a tree... that's all.

 

[bassteban]

I do not try to explain. If one is capable of understanding, they likely do already- if not, my bass is still a bass.

 

[ChopperDave]

"Yeah, sure, I mean, it's like a guitar, I guess. It has strings and all that, but the notes they make are much lower. Some players just play along with what the guitarist is playing but lower, others treat it like a melodic or a lead instrument, and some use it just to groove on, like [hums familiar Motown bass line]. It's both a melody and a rhythm instrument, that's what makes is spec--oh, you want to go talk to the singer now ... okay ..." [skulks away and orders another Canadian Club]

 

[2cooltoolz]

A fellow TBer once said:

A girl asked me what bass players do in the band since there's already a guitarist. I said "You know how cheerleaders do that human pyramid thing? Well, we're the fat chicks on the bottom."

 

[Gundecker]

Quote the lines from Sly and The Family Stone song;dance to the music.
When you say " add some bottom..." Yeah that's the bass! If they don't know the song well...

 

[Goatee220]

I quote the Chili Peppers: "If you have to ask, you'll never know."

 

[Atshen]

"It's a big guitar with only four strings for those who can't play regular guitar."

 

[Jazz Ad]

I'm the guy doing the boom boom in the back that makes you wanna dance.

 

[jimmybc91]

Just ask them what they dance to. =]

 

[jimmybc91]

I'm the guy doing the boom boom in the back that makes you wanna dance.

+1 haha beat me to it!

 

[10cc]

You can just simply say its a kind of guitar that's easier to play