Presentation Type
Oral/Paper Presentation
Abstract
The sound of the modern electric bass has become ubiquitous in music across multiple genres. With the emergence of jazz music in the 1930s, upright bassists like Jimmy Blanton sought to create a sonic space that exploited the resonance in the low register of the traditional double bass, but was more rhythmic and percussive than the instrument’s traditional role. This desire for a percussive string instrument that had the sound of the upright bass—and might also be more portable—led to the creation of Leo Fender’s first electric bass guitar in 1951. By the end of the 1950s, the electric bass could be found in folk, rock, pop, and jazz. Over the last century, the demands of changing music styles and the innovations of demanding musicians have inspired a new instrument with a sound that is essential in rock classics, jazz ballads, contemporary classical works, and various other musical styles.
I will use audio, video, and written resources to highlight the evolution of the traditional double bass to the electric bass guitar, the instrument that provides the harmonic and rhythmic foundation of most of today’s popular music. I will discuss early variations of the instrument and important changes that were made to the instrument over time, as well as early pioneers of the electric bass and players who are still pushing the limits of the instrument and repertoire.
Faculty Mentor
Donna King
Jenny Snodgrass
Recommended Citation
Algood, Braxton, "New Music and New Instruments: The Development of the Electric Bass Guitar" (2025). Student Scholar Symposium. 71.
https://digitalcollections.lipscomb.edu/student_scholars_symposium/2025/Full_schedule/71
Included in
Ethnomusicology Commons, Fine Arts Commons, Musicology Commons, Music Theory Commons, Other Music Commons
New Music and New Instruments: The Development of the Electric Bass Guitar
The sound of the modern electric bass has become ubiquitous in music across multiple genres. With the emergence of jazz music in the 1930s, upright bassists like Jimmy Blanton sought to create a sonic space that exploited the resonance in the low register of the traditional double bass, but was more rhythmic and percussive than the instrument’s traditional role. This desire for a percussive string instrument that had the sound of the upright bass—and might also be more portable—led to the creation of Leo Fender’s first electric bass guitar in 1951. By the end of the 1950s, the electric bass could be found in folk, rock, pop, and jazz. Over the last century, the demands of changing music styles and the innovations of demanding musicians have inspired a new instrument with a sound that is essential in rock classics, jazz ballads, contemporary classical works, and various other musical styles.
I will use audio, video, and written resources to highlight the evolution of the traditional double bass to the electric bass guitar, the instrument that provides the harmonic and rhythmic foundation of most of today’s popular music. I will discuss early variations of the instrument and important changes that were made to the instrument over time, as well as early pioneers of the electric bass and players who are still pushing the limits of the instrument and repertoire.