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Chapter 24 Sculpture 427
The number of frets differs from bass to bass and depends on the scale length. We
don’t need to worry about pitches higher than a single ledger line C; the actual functio-
nal range of this instrument is primarily in its two lower octaves—between E 0 and E 2.
We should also mention the fretless electric bass. Like all instruments of this type, it is
freely tunable and possesses a distinctive, individual sound. Over the course of this
tutorial you will discover how to program this type of instrument in Sculpture.
There are three types of articulations that we will be discussing:
• Fingered: the strings are played with the alternating index and middle fingers.
• Picked: the strings are played with a pick.
• Thumbed/Slapped: the strings are either played with the (side of the) thumb on the
fingerboard or plucked strongly with the fingers.
The vibration of the strings is captured by an electromagnetic pickup. When the string
is vibrating, its steel core affects the magnetic field. The pickups are almost always
found some distance to the side, nearer to the bridge and stop tailpiece. There are dif-
ferent pickup concepts for electric basses and often two or more pickups are combi-
ned to make the “sound”. Although we can’t take these things into detailed
consideration at this point, there is a rule of thumb that applies:
The further you move the pickup towards the middle of the string, the “bassier” the
sound will be and the more “hollow” it will sound. The further you move the pickup
towards the end of the string, the more the sound’s overtone content will increase,
becoming more dense and compact. The sound will have more mid-range frequencies
or “buzz” and less bass. If the pickup is positioned at the very end of the string, the
sound becomes very thin. We can find parallels to the actual playing position of a real
string here: If you play more towards the middle of the string, you’ll get a smooth,
even, and powerful sound which contains limited harmonic denseness (overtones),
from time to time. If the string is played at the bridge, the sound develops a nasal
twang and features more “buzz” and more overtones.
Now to the body of the instrument, and its resonant properties. Almost all electric
basses have a steel rod running through the neck, to strengthen it, and a body made of
solid wood. This construction allows the strings to vibrate relatively freely (sustain),
even though very little direct sound is generated. The pickups and the amplifier and
speaker systems are responsible for the actual sound of the instrument.
The acoustic interaction between body, strings, and external sound sources is much
less complex than with pure acoustic instruments.