Adapting the Bass Guitar for One-Handed Playing
View/ Open
Volume
46
Pagination
270 - 285
Publisher
Publisher URL
DOI
10.1080/09298215.2017.1340485
Journal
Journal of New Music Research
Issue
ISSN
0929-8215
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This paper presents a prototype system for adapting the bass guitar for one-handed musicians. We discuss existing solutions to accessible musical instruments, followed by the results of an online survey of bass guitarists, which informed the design of a prototype bass guitar adaptation. The adaptation comprises a foot-operated MIDI controller with a solenoid-actuated fretting mechanism, providing access to six frets across two strings of the bass. A study involving six bassists rehearsing and writing a bass guitar accompaniment with the adapted bass highlighted unexpected facets of bass guitar playing, and provided insights into the design of future accessible string instruments.