You ever stand in the fishing aisle or scroll through a music forum and realize "bass" means about five different things depending on who's talking? Yeah. That word gets tossed around like it's one clear idea, but it isn't That alone is useful..
So how many kinds of bass are there? Because of that, the short version is: it depends entirely on whether you mean fish, musical instruments, or sound frequencies. And even inside those buckets, the number splinters fast. Let's untangle it without pretending it's simpler than it is.
What Is Bass
Bass isn't a single category. It's a label we slap on the lowest end of whatever we're discussing. In practice, that shows up in three totally separate worlds.
Bass As A Fish
When someone says "I caught a bass," they're almost never talking about one species. Practically speaking, the black basses (like largemouth) are sunfish family. Here's the thing — striped bass are actually in the temperate bass family, closer to perch than to a largemouth. Worth adding: largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, striped, white, peacock — those are all bass, at least by common name. But here's what most people miss: not all "bass" fish are even closely related. And then there's the European sea bass, which is its own thing entirely.
So if you're counting fish called bass, you're looking at dozens of named types across different families. Real talk, the word is more cultural than scientific Simple, but easy to overlook..
Bass As A Musical Instrument
Pick up a bass guitar and you've got the low-end sibling of the standard six-string. But the bass family in music is older than that. Double bass, bass viol, bass clarinet, bass trombone, tuba (which is the bass of the brass section) — all of them carry the low register. And then within bass guitar alone you've got 4-string, 5-string, 6-string, fretless, acoustic bass, upright converted to electric. On top of that, the instrument side isn't one kind. It's a whole low-frequency section.
Bass As Sound
Turn on a subwoofer and the bass you feel in your chest is just low-frequency audio, usually anything below around 250 Hz, with sub-bass sitting under 60 Hz. There aren't "kinds" of bass sound in the way there are species, but engineers split it into sub-bass, bass, and low-mid so they know what they're tweaking. Worth knowing if you've ever wondered why your car stereo rattles but your laptop doesn't.
Why It Matters
Why does this matter? Because most people skip the step of figuring out which bass they mean, and then they talk past each other.
A dad telling his kid "we're going bass fishing" and a guitarist saying "I play bass" are not in the same conversation, but the word bridges nothing. In fishing communities, misidentifying a bass species can mean breaking local regulations — some states protect certain basses differently. But in music, calling a double bass a "bass guitar" will get you side-eyes from session players. And in audio, not knowing your sub-bass from your low-mid leads to buying the wrong speaker and blaming the manufacturer Took long enough..
Turns out, clarity here saves money, avoids fines, and keeps you from looking silly in a band rehearsal Not complicated — just consistent..
How It Works
Let's break down each world so you actually know what you're looking at. This is the part most guides get wrong by lumping everything together.
The Fish Called Bass
Start with North American black bass. The big three everyone knows:
- Largemouth bass — green, big mouth that goes past the eye, loves warm lakes
- Smallmouth bass — brownish, smaller mouth, prefers cooler rivers
- Spotted bass — looks like a largemouth but has a sandpaper tongue and a smaller jaw
Then you've got the temperate basses:
- Striped bass — ocean and big rivers, strong fighters, named for their stripes
- White bass — smaller, school in lakes, often called sand bass
- Yellow bass — less common, looks like a pale striped cousin
And don't forget exotics and regionals: peacock bass (actually a cichlid from South America, but called bass because it fights like one), Australian bass, European sea bass. Honestly, if you counted every fish with "bass" in the common name, you'd clear 30 without trying.
The Instrument Family
The bass role in music is simple: hold down the low end so everything else has a floor. How it's built varies:
- Double bass — upright, wooden, bowed or plucked, orchestral and jazz staple
- Bass guitar — electric, usually 4 strings tuned E A D G, invented in the 50s to replace upright in bands
- Fretless bass — smoother slides, harder to play clean
- Extended-range bass — 5 or 6 strings for more low or high access
- Wind and brass bass — bass clarinet, bassoon, tuba, bass trombone
Each one is a different kind of bass instrument. The short version is: if it's the lowest voice in its section, someone's calling it bass.
The Sound Itself
Audio bass isn't a species or a tool. It's a range. On top of that, engineers think in bands:
- Think about it: sub-bass: 20–60 Hz. That chest-rattle stuff. Which means 2. Here's the thing — bass: 60–250 Hz. That's why where most basslines and kick drums live. 3. Low-mid: 250–500 Hz. Not strictly bass, but where mud happens if you're not careful.
You don't count "kinds" of sound bass. On top of that, you measure it. But people still say "the bass is too loud" when they mean the low-mid is crowding the vocals.
Common Mistakes
Here's what most people get wrong That's the part that actually makes a difference..
They assume "bass" means one fish. It doesn't. A striped bass and a largemouth might as well be from different continents, biologically. Calling them the same thing outside a casual chat is just imprecise.
They confuse bass guitar with double bass. Look, one is a huge wooden upright you stand next to. That's why the other hangs on your shoulder and plugs into an amp. Different histories, different techniques, different backs the next morning.
They think more bass in a mix equals better. Too much sub-bass on laptop speakers is invisible. Too much low-mid is just mush. On the flip side, it doesn't. The skill is balance, not volume Worth knowing..
And the classic: they use "bass" as a plural. That's why "I caught three bass. " Good. "I caught three basses" — only if you mean guitars. Consider this: fish stay bass. Here's the thing — instruments can be basses. Sounds are just bass Which is the point..
Practical Tips
What actually works when you're trying to figure out which bass someone means?
If you're fishing, learn your local regulations by species name, not the word bass. On the flip side, in Texas, for example, largemouth and spotted have different limits. In practice, a phone app with a fish ID saves you from a citation.
If you're buying a bass instrument, decide the genre first. Rock and pop? Day to day, you'll want to sit next to a double bass at some point. Jazz or classical? Consider this: a 4-string electric bass is your friend. Don't let a store talk you into a 6-string if you've never played a 4 Surprisingly effective..
If you're setting up sound, use your ears and a test track with real low end. Don't crank sub-bass and call it fixed. Cut low-mid first if things feel muddy. Here's the thing — most rooms lie, so trust a flat reference over your phone speaker The details matter here..
And if you're just in a conversation, ask "fish, guitar, or frequency?Here's the thing — " early. It's a joke that works because it's true.
FAQ
How many types of bass fish are there? If you count every fish commonly called bass, over 30 across different families. The most fished in the US are largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, striped, and white.
What's the difference between a bass guitar and a double bass? A bass guitar is electric, held like a guitar, usually 4 strings. A double bass is upright, acoustic, much larger, and used in orchestras and jazz. Different sound, different playing posture, different history Small thing, real impact..
Is a peacock bass really a bass? No. It's a cichlid from South America.
