Bowed Strings
Double Bass
The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched instrument in the orchestral string family, played either standing or seated on a tall stool. Unlike the violin, viola, and cello, it is tuned in fourths rather than fifths, a trait it shares with the bass guitar. It is equally at home bowed in orchestral settings and plucked (pizzicato) in jazz and roots music.
BowedPlucked
Europe
Photo by Maty Matvey Rynkov via Pexels
| Family | Bowed Strings |
|---|---|
| Region / context | Europe |
| Playing method | Bowed or plucked (pizzicato); pizzicato is especially common in jazz and folk styles |
| Number of strings | 4 strings (5-string extended-range models also exist) |
| Common tuning | E1-A1-D2-G2 (low to high), tuned in perfect fourths rather than fifths |
| String material | Steel or synthetic-core strings, heavier gauge than cello strings |
| Construction | Large body, often with sloped shoulders (gamba-style) or violin-style corners, sized to its register |
| Size range | Full-size instruments stand roughly 1.8 m tall overall; 3/4 size bodies are common even among adult players |
| Portability | Low — The least portable instrument in this library; transport typically requires a car, wheeled case, or dedicated bass bag. |
| Acoustic volume | Moderate-Loud — Deep and powerful in its low register, though its size means the sound can take a moment to fill a room. |
| Musical contexts | Used orchestrally and in jazz (as the upright bass), bluegrass, and rockabilly. |
| Beginner learning curve | Demanding — Its size, string spacing, and tension make it physically demanding to start, regardless of a player's prior experience on other strings. |
| Maintenance | Bow rehairing (for bowed playing), string changes, and careful humidity and temperature control given its larger glued-wood construction. |
| Amplification | Acoustic by design; pickups are widely used in jazz and amplified folk settings. |
| Practice environments | Its size and the room it needs make it one of the least apartment-friendly instruments to practice. |
Origin and Background
The double bass descends from the viol family and was standardized through the 18th and 19th centuries as both an orchestral instrument and, later, a central voice in jazz.
Sources
- Grove Music Online
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Department of Musical Instruments
Content last checked against our reference sources on October 14, 2026. See our sources and methodology page for how we research instrument profiles.