The first mass-produced electric bass, the Precision Bass, was introduced by Leo Fender in 1951 (earlier experimental instruments such as Paul Tutmarc's Audiovox date from the 1930s) — a small revolution that replaced the bulky double bass in rock and pop ensembles. It is easily transported, powerful in sound, and allows the player to feel pitch precisely thanks to frets (unlike the fretless double bass).
Playing styles are varied: regular fingerstyle (jazz, rock), pick (punk, metal), slap (funk — thumb strikes and finger pops), tapping (both hands on the neck). Legends: Paul McCartney, James Jamerson (Motown), Jaco Pastorius (fretless, fusion). In Ukrainian bands the bass guitar is the heart of the rhythm section, indispensable to Okean Elzy, Boombox, and TNMK.
