The Amplifier

The type of bass I have is an electric one, meaning that it requires a connection to an amplifier to be heard by more than just the musician. This is the main difference between electric instruments and acoustic instruments. The amplifier is able to make the sound from the bass louder through the usage of electromagnetic pickup cables that connect the bass and the amp.


This is an example of what the pickup cable looks like. This shape is on both sides of the long cord and goes into both the bass and the amp. Without this cable, I wouldn't be able to efficiently play the bass and the amp would be useless. I like to think of the cable and amp as a Bluetooth speaker before they were even around.

The amp itself is pretty big, old, and heavy. In the center of the amp, you can see a very large speaker. This is where the sound from the bass comes out. On the upper part of the amp, there are many different knobs, buttons, and switches that help to change the sound that comes out of the speaker. On the back of the amplifier is where the power cord for the amp is connected, making it able to operate. Most of the time, the only thing I really change on the amp is the volume because my parents don't like it to be too loud.

In the book How to Play the Electric Bass, there's a section on the amplifier you should choose when playing the bass. In this section, Kaye writes, "There are many amplifiers on the market made for the Electric Bass... Other good amplifiers you would like to try are Fender, Gibson, Vox, Ampeg, and Benson" (Kaye 34). This excerpt from the book describes how there are a plethora of different options to choose from when purchasing a new amplifier. As I said before, I have one made by Fender. The cool thing is that my bass was also made by Fender.

In the same section of the book about amplifiers, Kaye also describes what the amp should sound like, and precautions to take before playing sound on it. She said that when trying out an amp, you should make sure you get an immediate note response, a good bottom end, the highs when needed and it should have little to no distortion (35). What Kaye is talking about is the sound that comes from the bass when you play a note. The immediate note response is imperative because then the playing from the instrument and the sound coming from the amp is synchronized. The bottom ends are the bass notes that the bass creates when strummed and the highs are the higher notes. And of course, the amp shouldn't distort the sound when it plays. 


This amp is the first amplifier I got when I first received my bass and I still use it today. I plan to use it for however long I decide to stay with instruments like the bass or guitar.


Do you play any instruments with an amplifier? What kind is it?

 

 Kaye, Carol. How to Play the Electric Bass. Sherman Oaks, CA: Gwyn, 1969. Print.