<P> In his A New History of the Double Bass, Paul Brun asserts, with many references, that the double bass has origins as the true bass of the violin family . He states that, while the exterior of the double bass may resemble the viola da gamba, the internal construction of the double bass is nearly identical to instruments in the violin family, and very different from the internal structure of viols . </P> <P> Double bass professor Larry Hurst argues that the "modern double bass is not a true member of either the violin or viol families ." He says that "most likely its first general shape was that of a violone, the largest member of the viol family . Some of the earliest basses extant are violones, (including C - shaped sound holes) that have been fitted with modern trappings ." Some existing instruments, such as those by Gasparo da Salò, were converted from 16th - century six - string contrabass violoni . </P> <P> A person who plays this instrument is called a "bassist", "double bassist", "double bass player", "contrabassist", "contrabass player" or "bass player". The names contrabass and double bass refer to the instrument's range and use in the contra octave below the cello, also called the 16' octave relative to the church pipe organ . The terms for the instrument among classical performers are contrabass (which comes from the instrument's Italian name, contrabbasso), string bass (to distinguish it from brass bass instruments in a concert band, such as tubas), or simply bass . </P> <P> In jazz, blues, rockabilly and other genres outside of classical music, this instrument is commonly called the upright bass, standup bass or acoustic bass to distinguish it from the electric bass guitar . In folk and bluegrass music, the instrument is also referred to as a "bass fiddle" or "bass violin" (or more rarely as "doghouse bass" or "bull fiddle"). The upright bass is different from the acoustic bass guitar, which is a guitar - family instrument that is built like an acoustic guitar (although the acoustic bass guitar typically has four strings, tuned E--A--D--G and a sturdier construction). </P>

What do you call someone who plays bass
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