Extended-range Bass - Playing Styles

Playing Styles

The techniques used to play the extended-range bass are closely related to those used for basses, including finger plucking, slapping, popping, and tapping. A plectrum is very rarely used.

The upper strings of an extended-range bass allow bassists to adopt playing styles of the electric guitar. One such style is the practice of "comping", or playing a rhythmic chordal accompaniment to an improvised solo. The increased polyphony of extended-range basses allows for voicings of five or more notes, as well as wider voicings such as "drop 3", "drop 2+4" and "spreads." Walking a bassline and comping at the same time is also possible, which is useful in jazz combos lacking a chordal instrument, or in accompaniment of a chordal instrument during their solo. Two bassists notable for adopting this style are Todd Johnson and Oteil Burbridge.

The added strings of the extended-range bass compound the muting problems that many bassists encounter. Because of the sympathetic vibration of the bass, a plucked note will cause that same note (and its octaves) to sound on all strings if left unmuted. Extended-range bassists often turn to hairbands or advancing muting techniques, including the "floating thumb" technique (allowing the thumb of the plucking hand to mute lower strings), to achieve a good sound.

Many extended-range bassists, because of the extreme range of their instruments, choose to practice a technique called "two-handed tapping," in which the player uses both hands on the fretboard to press down the strings and creates sound with both hands (similar to the way one plays a Chapman Stick). By using both hands, extended-range bassists can create sophisticated chordings, harmonies, melodies, and contrapuntal music.

The role that the extended-range bass plays in music is still largely a matter of situation and personal preference. Many extended-range bassists play the bass part in bands, but many also perform their instrument in a solo setting, often using advanced techniques such as two-handed tapping or chording. Still others are exploring the extended-range bass's potential through the art of looping by layering complex bass parts, melodies, and harmonies on top of each other.