The
double bass, also called the
string bass,
upright bass,
bass fiddle,
bass violin,
doghouse bass,
contrabass,
bass viol, or
stand-up bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched
bowed string instrument in the modern
symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2. The double bass is a standard member of the string section of the
symphony orchestra and smaller string ensembles
in
Western classical music. In addition, it is used in other genres such as
jazz, 1950s-style
blues and
rock and roll,
rockabilly/
psychobilly, traditional
country music,
bluegrass,
tango and many types of
folk music. A person who plays the double bass is usually referred to as a bassist.