The double bass, also known simply as the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched instrument in the modern symphony orchestra. It is played by bowing or plucking the strings. The bass is a transposing instrument and is typically notated one octave higher than tuned to avoid excessive ledger lines below the staff. The bass is used in a range of other genres, such as jazz, blues, and rock and roll, traditional country music, bluegrass, and many types of folk music.
