How Electric Basses Work

Electric bass guitars are not played like regular electric guitars. Electric bass guitars have four strings, and regular electric guitars have six strings. In addition, the strings on a bass guitar are thicker than the strings on a regular guitar, and the neck of a bass guitar is often much longer than the neck of a regular guitar.

What makes the sounds on a bass guitar?

What makes the sounds on electric bass guitars is the plucking of the strings by either fingers or a pick. When plucked, the strings vibrate, creating a specific sound. The thickness of the string and the tension to which it is pulled determine what note is played and the quality of the note. Amplifiers make the sounds louder.

The science behind the sound

The strings of a bass guitar are usually made from a steel or nickel core and then wound with steel or some other magnetic metal. When the string of the bass guitar vibrates, it creates a magnetic field with specific characteristics, which then allows the pickup to do what its job is – to pick up the signal. Your standard magnetic pickup is made of one or more magnets that are wrapped in copper wire. Since copper is a very conductive material, and the magnets are powerful, the magnetic field created by the vibrating strings is converted into an electrical signal in the pickup and sent through the wires through the volume and tone pots of the instrument. Through the volume and tone pots the signal is altered by the guitar player. The electric bass guitar is done making its sound when the signal passes through the volume and tone pots.

Bass guitars are often a fun past time for those wanting to pick up a new hobby. The way they work to make the many genres of music that we know and love today is amazing.