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By depressing a string against the fingerboard, the effective length of the string can be altered, which in turn changes the frequency at which the string will vibrate when plucked.
Acoustic bass guitars also have steel strings, and match the tuning of the electric bass, which is likewise similar to the traditional double bass viol, the "big bass", a staple of string orchestras and bluegrass bands alike.
The nut is a small strip of bone, plastic, brass, graphite, corian, or other medium-hard material, at the joint where the headstock meets the fretboard.