Out of all of the countless topics that I’ve written about on this website, this one is, without a doubt, the one closest to my heart. That’s right, my dear readers. I’m sorry that I’ve kept it a secret for so long. But, you’ve finally found out the truth about me – I am one of those people that’s obsessed with the bass guitar. I absolutely adore everything about the bass. It’s the quintessential, perfect instrument in my eyes. It sounds amazing and it’s incredibly fun to play. I literally feel the groove and vibration in my soul. Can you relate my fellow bass lovers? Or, maybe you’re here because you just keep seeing bass guitars everywhere. That’s cool, too! Either way, it’s only natural for us spiritually minded types to wonder – what’s the spiritual meaning of a bass guitar?
And, can you believe that at the time of writing this page that I couldn’t find a single website page written on this topic?! “No results found for ‘bass guitar spiritual meaning‘.” Unbelievable. Now, there was plenty of information written about the spiritual meaning of a guitar. But not one single thing about the spiritual meaning of a bass guitar. And, that’s just simply not good enough. As any bass fanatic will tell you, the six string guitar and the bass are definitely not the same! And, they don’t have the same spiritual meaning either. The bass guitar deserves its own comprehensive page. So, here it is. Written entirely out of the desire to share my love for the bass guitar with the rest of the world. After all, playing the guitar is cool and all I guess. But, playing the bass guitar is a spiritual experience.
Let’s Talk About The Bass Guitar
Alright, I won’t write a novella here, I promise. We’re just going to quickly go over the basics of the bass so everyone is on the same page. The bass guitar was invented back in the 1930s by Paul Tutmarc as a double bass that could be played horizontally. But, most of the musicians of the time didn’t really find a need for such an instrument. Once again, unbelievable! It didn’t really hit the mainstream until the 1950s when Leo Fender contributed his skills and invented the “Fender Precision Bass” as a double bass that had frets and was also easier to transport, louder, and cheaper! Read more about the history of the bass here.
So, what does the bass guitar actually do? Believe it or not a lot of people aren’t consciously aware of the bass guitar in most music. The bass is often overlooked and underestimated. After all, most people can tell you that Paul McCartney was in The Beatles, but many can’t tell you he was the bassist. Anyway, the bass in a song acts as a bridge in between the drugs and the lead guitar. The bassist often holds the rhythm together in a band. If you want to understand just how important the bass guitar is in rock music, check out this page. It has some great examples of how music sounds without the bass.
So, why does any of this matter from a spiritual perspective? Because it’s important to understand these fundamentals before you can truly understand the spiritual meaning of the bass guitar and what it represents. After all, if we draw the metaphor of our life being like a song, then the bass can be a pretty big part of the rhythm of that journey.
Bass Guitar Spiritual Meaning And The Heart
I was originally going to name this section “Groove Is In The Heart” but I sadly have certain standards to uphold for keyword visibility purposes. And, everyone deserves to learn about the bass guitar spiritual meaning, don’t they? But, you can still pretend it says that – it’s a pretty accurate way to describe the connection between the bass and the heart.
Even before I started having an interest in the bass guitar, I used to feel the bass in songs in my heart. It’s only natural. After all, did you know that listening to bass music makes you feel more powerful? That’s right, science says so. In fact, music across many diverse cultures have lower tones carry the beat of a song simply because the brain focuses on those tones easier – check out the science behind it. As a result, it’s actually easier to notice errors in bass playing than it is to notice those upper tones like a lead guitarist. It’s very similar to how you’ll always notice your heart skipping a beat as well.
So, it’s only logical that if lower tones like the bass guitar carry the beat of a song, then it has an association with the beat of your heart. And what does the heart represent from a spiritual standpoint? All the good things in life. After all, the heart is at the very core of our being and livelihood. It represents abundance, creativity, empathy, and love! Therefore, the bass guitar has a connection with all of the positive traits associated with the heart. So, if you’re in love with the bass like me, know that it’s perfectly normal given the association. But, the bass guitar symbolism doesn’t just end there.
Bass Guitar Symbolism And Meaning
We’ve covered a lot of history and symbolism behind the bass guitar. But, what does a bass guitar actually represent spiritually? The bass guitar symbolizes passion, vitality, stability, strength, creativity, rhythm, and dedication. The bass has a connection with the heart and the heart chakra, so make sure to check out our balancing the heart chakra guide. But, it doesn’t end there. Here’s some further messages to consider when looking for bass guitar symbolism.
- Be strong. The bass line of a song is probably the strongest element. It has the ability to move us. It’s the first thing you hear coming from a car with loud music. The bass guitar reminds us to be strong and consistent through any struggles or life changes, just like the bass line of your favorite song.
- Get creative. It takes a lot of different skills to play an instrument, but creativity is probably one of the most important. Music is very dynamic, you must learn to shift with different elements. This takes a lot of adaptability and creativity. You may want to apply those elements to other areas of your life as well.
- Go with the flow. The bass guitar reminds us to move fluently through the rhythm of our life. A skilled bass player can keep the rhythm of a song going despite the drummer temporarily losing pace or the guitarist getting carried away on a solo and tripping over all the cables on stage. Try to go with the ebb and flow of your own life despite what happens around you.
- Practice dedication. It’s possible that one can be born a bass virtuoso. I’ve seen kids on Youtube playing the bass that prove that. But, in most cases it takes a lot of time, dedication, and practice to get really good at playing the bass. So, the bass is a reminder to not give up so easily. Keep working towards your goals and practicing, you’ll get better!
- Be supportive. Remember, a really good bass player knows how to play their role in a band. Sometimes you have to just hold the music together in the background, other times you get to shine with an incredible bass slap solo. The bass can be a message to be more supportive of those around you.
- Get grounded. You know how you can feel the rumbling of thunder in the ground? Well, bass in a song kind of travels the same way. So, it could be a reminder that you may need to stay grounded. Try to spend some time being present out in nature and not get swept up in overthinking.
4 String Bass Guitar Spiritual Meaning
Let’s explore a little bit into the spiritual meaning of bass guitar strings. The strings of a bass guitar have a connection with the element of air. So, they can represent communication or thoughts. For example, in tarot, the card associated with a four sting bass would be the “four of swords” which represents rest, rejuvenation, and healing. The number 4 generally refers to stability and security of the home. It’s a powerful spiritual number representing balance and harmony. This goes hand in hand with the overall symbolism of the bass guitar having a connection with strength and stability.
So, does this mean that having more strings on a guitar is better? Wrong. While I won’t come outright and state bass four string supremacy, the implication is certainly there. Let me explain. From a spiritual perspective, even numbers represent stability. When understanding numbers, it helps to think of the numbers as being legs underneath a table. Four is the perfect number of legs for a table. Five is a bit unstable, therefore it represents change and conflict. After all, there’s going to be some kind of upheaval adding in the next leg under that table. So from a spiritual aspect alone, a five string bass may symbolize that there’s room for growth, adaptability, and change.
Of course, after that we move into six strings which is where we start getting into guitar territory. If you research the spiritual meaning of a guitar, you may be surprised to see it has a connection with loneliness and artistic struggle. That’s because there’s too many strings, or thoughts and not enough balance. Checkmate, guitarists! (Love ya, Davie504. Make sure to check out his video on a 69 string bass for further evidence of too many strings being bad.)
Spiritual Meaning Of Playing The Bass Guitar
Okay, so certainly by now we get the idea of what a bass guitar symbolizes. But, what’s the spiritual meaning of actually playing the bass guitar? From a spiritual perspective, playing the bass guitar symbolizes actively bringing that balance and symbolism of the bass into your life. But, playing the bass is more than that. As I mentioned previously, it’s akin to having a spiritual experience. But, why?
It helps to think about how it feels to play the bass. It’s fun, of course. It’s never feeling bored because you have something to do and keep your hands busy. Playing the bass can be challenging, it’s always learning new ways of playing or songs. It keeps us engaged and interested. But, playing the bass also provides a sense of achievement and fulfillment that’s unmatched anywhere else. And, that’s because of how the brain actually changes how it works when you play an instrument. Make sure to watch the video listed below for the science behind this.
So, what does this have to do with spirituality? Playing the bass should be exactly how we approach navigating through our own life. Going through life should be fun, entertaining, challenging, exciting, and, most importantly, fulfilling. So, consider going through your life like you would a bass lesson. Know that the tough lessons will only make you a more skilled player. Stay passionate and open minded. Don’t ever give up. And, let the rhythm and magic flow through you.
Do You Dream Of Bass Guitars?
If you dream of bass guitars, you’re not alone. When I first started playing the bass, I dreamed of it very often. First, when we look to understand the meaning of a dream it’s important to pay attention to how you felt during the dream. As always, follow your own intuition for what the dream means for you since every situation is unique. Generally, the bass guitar in dreams represents vitality, the rhythm of life, exuberance, passion, and youthfulness.
If you were extremely happy while dreaming of the bass, you have the tools and ability to overcome any barriers in your waking life. If you dream of happily playing the bass, you probably feel as if you are truly in the groove of your waking life. In other words, you’re happily playing along with the melody and know you have what it takes to be happy.
If you were unhappy while dreaming of the bass, you may feel overwhelmed and lonely in your waking life. If you were playing the bass and felt sad in a dream, you may feel out of sync with your life somehow and a bit of an outsider. Try to examine ways you can get your groove back and join a band. Metaphorically I mean, but maybe literally in some instances.
To dream of breaking a string on the bass, you might feel out of sync or vibration. This can also represent being overburdened by thoughts or anxiety and finally just snapping. Let it go, worrying accomplishes nothing.
Alternatively, dreaming of the bass could just mean that your subconscious is working hard on figuring out that new bass line you’re mastering. Speaking from experience, sometimes after a good night’s sleep, it is actually easier to master a challenging part the next day.