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What exactly is the difference between a guitar and a bass?
- Thread starter Mezzo
- Start date
first thing in my mind is the actual name... its a bass... it is played in bass clef ... guitar is in treble... the scale lengths are totally different.... bassists are usually cooler people too =D
The electronics are the same.... but largely different... lol... they work on the same principles (metal string vibrates over a magnet)... but are picking up different frequencies and "translating" them differently... I mean unless you're working with a Piezo system or something.... you can use the same woods in a guitar as in a bass... strings are different in gauges... bass strings need to be much larger to get the deeper tones.... where as guitar strings are incredibly smaller... this is going to be a long topic lol
They are both guitars. A "Bass" is a Bass Guitar.
It's the tuning which is different. There are a lot of technical differences to how they are built to accommodate that fact but ultimately the essential difference is the tuning.
It's the tuning which is different. There are a lot of technical differences to how they are built to accommodate that fact but ultimately the essential difference is the tuning.
Two brothers... an octave apart. One muscular and strong who all the women love, the other thin and whimpy that makes screeching noises when ignored.
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Its just a name really... There is no difference. As long as you have an instrument with strings on it you should answer all ads requesting a guitar or bass player.
Some people say the bass is in a lower register, has a much heavier string gauge, different scale length to properly tension a set of "Bass" strings and produces a deeper low frequency to create a sync between higher pitched instruments and rhythmic instruments. Allot of people think guitars are higher tuned, have lighter gauged strings and are better suited to accompanying in a mid range and playing leads.
Some people even think the pickups are different yes, they think the pickups were designed to properly transfer specific frequency ranges properly without being too harsh on the ears, while still being very audible.
Probably all BS though... Yeah, they are definitely the same instrument. The reason why you usually see both in a band is just a status thing. That band has made it far enough to have both differently named instruments in it. most new bands actually only have drums. Since those usually come in 5 piece sets they can usually cover guitar and bass until the group makes enough money to buy its other "show pieces".
Hopefully that cleared everything up.
Some people say the bass is in a lower register, has a much heavier string gauge, different scale length to properly tension a set of "Bass" strings and produces a deeper low frequency to create a sync between higher pitched instruments and rhythmic instruments. Allot of people think guitars are higher tuned, have lighter gauged strings and are better suited to accompanying in a mid range and playing leads.
Some people even think the pickups are different yes, they think the pickups were designed to properly transfer specific frequency ranges properly without being too harsh on the ears, while still being very audible.
Probably all BS though... Yeah, they are definitely the same instrument. The reason why you usually see both in a band is just a status thing. That band has made it far enough to have both differently named instruments in it. most new bands actually only have drums. Since those usually come in 5 piece sets they can usually cover guitar and bass until the group makes enough money to buy its other "show pieces".
Hopefully that cleared everything up.
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