Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wiktionary
n. A stringed musical instrument tuned to produce bass or low notes, usually with a fretted fingerboard and 4, 5 or 6 strings.
WordNet
n. the lowest six-stringed guitar
Wikipedia
The bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass) is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb, by plucking, slapping, popping, strumming, tapping, thumping, or picking with a plectrum, often known as a pick.
The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a longer neck and scale length, and four to six strings or courses. The four-string bass, by far the most common, is usually tuned the same as the double bass, which corresponds to pitches one octave lower than the four lowest pitched strings of a guitar (E, A, D, and G). The bass guitar is a transposing instrument, as it is notated in bass clef an octave higher than it sounds (as is the double bass) to avoid excessive ledger lines. Like the electric guitar, the bass guitar has pickups and it is plugged into an amplifier and speaker for live performances.
Since the 1960s, the bass guitar has largely replaced the double bass in popular music as the bass instrument in the rhythm section. While types of basslines vary widely from one style of music to another, the bassist usually fulfills a similar role: anchoring the harmonic framework and establishing the beat. Many styles of music utilise the bass guitar, including rock, heavy metal, pop, punk rock, country, reggae, gospel, blues, symphonic rock, and jazz. It is often a solo instrument in jazz, jazz fusion, Latin, funk, progressive rock and other rock and metal styles.
Bass Guitar is a UK-based music magazine established in 2003 and continuing to the present day (see www.bassguitarmagazine.com). The magazine was originally a bi-monthly publication until 2009 when it became monthly. The magazine includes interviews, features, album and gear reviews.
Category:British bi-monthly magazines Category:British monthly magazines Category:British music magazines Category:Guitar magazines Category:Magazines established in 2003
Usage examples of "bass guitar".
They were a three-piece outfit with a tall guy with brown curly hair playing flute, a short, dark, long-haired fellow swapping between six- and twelve-string guitars, and a big guy with muttonchop sideburns playing six-string guitar, acoustic bass guitar, and balalaika.
I had a third or fourth-hand bass guitar I'd almost learned to play, and knew the most basic rudiments of writing music.
Then Eli took up a bass guitar, and the other men sat behind the drums or picked up their own guitars.
Zoey still was one- or had been right up until carrying both a baby and a bass guitar got to be too much for her.
Paul played bass guitar, but he sang the songs when they first started out.
Her bass guitar was upright and turned sideways, held between her thighs.
Kevin already had lots of audio equipment, a bass guitar, and a friend named Bruce Salmon who knew how to play it.
Lincoln was slightly better--he kept his eyes closed and strummed the bass guitar and managed to tap his foot in time.
And above it all, speakers shook with the strain as a bass guitar scored out distant thunder in musical form while an acoustic strummed.
Dodge played bass guitar in the last two groups I'd headed, a loose-limbed scrawl of a boy, never more at home than when having his stomach pumped.