10 Technical Questions People Ask about Bass Guitar

How do I tune a bass guitar, and how often should I do it?
If you have a good ear for music, it is possible to tune your bass by ear. But you know, “To err is human.” So, do not take a risk while you are practicing with your band or preparing for a gig. There are electric tuner machines at reasonable prices in the market. Buy one, clip it on the headstock of your bass, and tune the bass in the shortest possible time. It will definitely save you time, and you will get a properly tuned bass. You must tune your bass every time before starting practice. When you are at a gig or practicing with your band, make a tuner machine available because, in a long gig or practice session, your guitar may go out of tune, which is very natural. I suggest always keeping your bass in tune.

Are there physical requirements or hand strength needed to play bass? Do I need to have strong fingers to play bass guitar?
I would say yes. Playing bass guitar has physical demands. I once saw a kid aged 8, on social media, playing a regular bass like an adult. That kid overcame his physical issues, of course, by practicing. If you are an adult and do not have any physical disorders, you are not in a position to give any excuses. You do not need strong hands or strong fingers to play bass – playing bass will make your hands and fingers strong. Believe me!

Are there specific exercises to improve finger strength and dexterity?
Oh yes, there are! There are exercises you can do before practicing to make your fingers flexible. If you play bass regularly, your fingers will undoubtedly become stronger. A good offline teacher or an organized online bass learning course will certainly explain the exercises. If you do not have any of those, search on Google; you will find something for sure. I refer you to a video on YouTube that will help you make your fingers strong and flexible. You can also read our article published: Fretty Hand Warmup (musicalhighbrow.com)

Can I learn bass guitar by ear, or do I need to use sheet music?
Yes, you can learn bass by ear if you have a good ear for music. It all depends on what you want to achieve by learning bass. If you are already an expert at playing any stringed instrument like guitar, violin, or ukulele, it will be easier for you to learn bass by ear. But learning sheet music will open many possibilities for you if you have future plans in music. You will feel empowered. You will be able to read and write music if you learn sheet music. Collaborating with other musicians would be impossible if you do not have knowledge about sheet music.

What are frets, and how do they work on a bass guitar?
Frets are the thin metal inlays that appear on the fretboard at measured intervals. If you have knowledge of science, you will know that the frequency of a sound depends on the wavelength, and the relationship between them is inversely proportional. That means if the wavelength is higher, the frequency will be lower and vice versa. On a fretboard of a bass guitar, frets are divided by measurement of wavelength. The frets near the headstock have a higher wavelength, providing low-frequency sound, while the frets near the bridge have a lower wavelength, providing higher frequency sound. Normally, in a bass guitar, we see the frequency ranges are 40-400-4000 Hz. That means lower notes provide a frequency around 40 Hz, the higher notes (12th fret or near the 12th fret) provide a frequency around 400 Hz, and harmonic notes after the 12th fret will provide a frequency around 4000 Hz. A general chart of frequency ranges is shown in the table below:

What is fingerstyle playing, and how does it differ from using a pick?
It is quite difficult to explain in writing about fingerstyle playing. I will try to describe it in simple language. Most bassists use two fingers to play bass guitar, which are the middle finger and index finger. While we play acoustic guitar, for plucking, we generally use the thumb to play lower notes (4th, 5th, and 6th strings), the index finger for the 3rd string, the middle finger for the 2nd string, and the ring finger for the 1st string. We also use our palm to control the sustain of the sound. You can use a similar fingerstyle playing while you are playing bass by distributing your fingers for each string. Playing would be different among 4-string, 5-string, and 6-string bass. This fingerstyle playing is nothing but playing arpeggio by using a pick; but certainly, the sound is different. It is difficult to use your palm while playing with a pick, so you cannot control the sustain of the sound. Furthermore, there is a lack of depth of the sound while playing with a pick.

What are the basic components of a bass amplifier?
The basic components of a bass amplifier are: input (a hole for your guitar lead), volume (sometimes called pre-gain), a graphic equalizer is common to modify mid-tones, separate tone controls (i.e., treble and bass), and a master volume (sometimes called post-gain). Some amplifiers have proprietary tone controls and built-in bass effects. On the back, there will be an output jack to connect a speaker box and usually a direct line output (to connect to a PA or larger audio setup).

How do I adjust the settings on a bass amplifier?
You need to turn the knobs! That’s it! No, it is actually more than that. While you are practicing with your band, you need to adjust the output sound of your amplifier with other instrument players. The sound of the bass should not be too loud or too low; it should be properly aligned with drums, guitars, vocals, and other instruments if available. When you are adjusting sound with others, I prefer you lower all the knobs of your guitar so that you can control the level yourself when necessary. Normally, you need to turn up the knob of your master volume and the knob of treble while you are playing a tapping solo or slapping and popping solo. Do the same while you are performing with your band on a stage. But when you are practicing at home alone, it is okay to control the master volume only.