The string bass is the largest stringed instrument and the lowest in tone. The string bass looks like a large cello, and players must stand or sit on a stool to play it. The strings can be plucked or played with a large bow. String basses have four or five strings. Four-strings consist of low E, A, D and G. Five-strings consist of B, E, A, D and G.
The bass guitar is lower in pitch and tone than other guitars and is commonly used in rock bands, along with drums, a higher-pitch guitar and sometimes a piano. Bass guitars come in four-, five- and six-string versions. All of the strings on a bass guitar are tuned to low octaves, just like any other bass instrument. Four-stringed basses use E, A, D and G strings; five-stringed use B, E, A, D and G or E, A, D, G and C; and six-stringed use B, E, A, D, G and C.
The bass clarinet is a wind instrument. It is shaped like a regular clarinet, with a long tube that has an open piece at the bottom. Bass clarinets can have different pitches, but C or B-flat clarinets are frequently used. Bass clarinets can play all notes on the bass clef, which contains the lowest notes on the musical-note scale, and have a large note range.
A bass drum plays extremely low notes. It is usually the largest drum and is located at the bottom center of a drum set. The drum is seldom used to maintain rhythm; its primary purpose is for dramatic effect or in a drum solo. There are many uses for a bass drum, and a skilled drummer is able to incorporate it in almost any type of music.
The tuba is large and wraps around the player's body. The instrument's opening is also large, and it emits low-pitched sounds. Tubas generally accompany other wind instruments in an orchestra but occasionally are used for solos. A tuba can reach only the lower notes in the bass clef.