The double bass is not only an orchestral instrument; it has had a fascinating history
as a key instrument in the development of jazz. From the earliest days of jazz in
the 1890s, musicians who played tuba in outdoor jazz bands moved to double bass
(often called string bass) when the band moved indoors. Because an unamplified
double bass is generally the quietest instrument in a jazz band, many players use
the slap style, slapping and pulling the strings so that they make a rhythmic “slap”
sound against the fingerboard. The slap style cuts through the sound of a band
better than simply plucking the strings, and allows the bass to be more easily heard
on recordings. The double bass was also important in the development of bluegrass
and rock and roll.