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Bass guitar is very similar to a typical electric guitar, except the standard version has only four strings (instead of six like the guitar) and it also has a wider body and a slightly longer neck. The first lesson in learning bass is to understand the instrument’s role in the band and the second lesson should be to get a grasp on the different ways to play the guitar depending on the different genres of music adopted by the band.

There are a variety of different and interesting techniques which can be used to play the bass guitar. For example, slapping is a technique where you use your thumb to strike the E string (normally) before quickly pulling it away to make a slapping sound. The E string is the largest string, the one that plays the lowest sound. Funk music is one of the genres that uses this technique extensively.

Popping is another bass playing technique. It is done by putting one of the fingers underneath the string, pulling it outwards, and then releasing it so that it pops back. The two techniques, can be used alternately by moving the hand in such a way that first that the thumb is used to slap, the finger then pops, the thumb slaps again etc. Of course, by doing it this way, it can be done a lot faster than if one were to repeatedly repeat the one technique on its own using only the one digit.

The electric bass guitar is used very closely in combination with the drums to create the ‘backbone’ of a band – they provide the rhythm, or the melodic ‘bottom’ of a melody and the harmonic foundation for other members of the band who are playing chords. Therefore it is important for the bass player to have good timing. There are a disproportionate number of men who play the bass because due to the thickness of the strings, it needs a certain amount of strength and finger toughness to play for long periods of time without causing injury (particularly if the music genre involves an aggressive, rapid style.)

Also many larger built men find that their finger tip size, hand size and limb length make it much more comfortable and productive for them to choose the bass rather than the electric guitar. Specifically, a rhythm guitarist will quite often only play chords, which require hand dexterity and ideally, thin fingers. So for someone with big ’sausage’ fingers, who also might be a little more ‘clumsy’ than others, the bass is the best solution as they may find normal guitar playing quite frustrating.

Bass guitars are most usually played by using the middle finger plus the index finger to alternatively pluck the strings. The thumb is usually used as a support and is most commonly rested just on top of the pick-up. You can also play the bass guitar with a pick (otherwise known as a plectrum) and there are bass pics manufactured specifically for the bass guitar-these are thicker and more sturdy than the typical electric guitar pick.

If you are looking to buy a bass guitar on the internet, some good tips are to check that the sender will be using adequate packaging to protect the item in transit. Also, you should view pictures of the guitar closely if it is second-hand in order to try and find any marks or other giveaway signs that the instrument has been mis-treated or dropped, as any damage could affect the quality of the sound produced by it.

Of course, as with any purchase on the internet, is a good idea to have a good look at the credentials of the summer (for example if the seller is on eBay) or if it is on a website, it is wise to thoroughly check out the legitimacy of the website, how long it has been selling for online, and any customer reviews who have previously bought from that website. Be sure to check out the refund policy as well as any other terms and conditions.